Every year at the Royal Rumble fans hear a lot of talk about the “luck of the draw” aspect in the Rumble match. Practically speaking, those who draw later numbers have a better shot at winning than those who draw earlier numbers. This doesn’t always play out, however, as the number 1 spot has produced the same number of winners as the number 30 spot. Viewers have seen this statistic in WWE’s annual “Rumble by the Numbers” video, which breaks down Rumble statistics from most eliminations, to longest time spent in the Rumble match. But what about the rest of the entry numbers?
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmGy1_bHuds[/embedyt]
That leads to this article, which will look at who had the best performance over the years at every entry number, one through thirty. Obviously, if someone won the Rumble match at a particular number, that would be the best performance for said number. Excluding Alberto Del Rio’s 2011 win at number 38, there are have been 16 entry numbers that have produced winners, so that leaves 14 spots to work out. The leading criteria for “best performance” outside of winning would include time spent in the Rumble match, number of eliminations, quality of opponents in the ring with an entry, and historical significance. Also, the 2011 Royal Rumble’s 31-40 spots were ignored, since that was the only Rumble to include those entry numbers.
So, let’s get to it!
1. Shawn Michaels (1995)
It took 8 years for someone to come in at number one and win the Rumble match. It happened in 1995 when Shawn Michaels entered at number one, outlasted 29 others, and punched his ticket to challenge for the title at WrestleMania XI. Michaels lasted 38 minutes and 41 seconds, as this was the shortest Rumble match ever, with participants entering every 1 minute. Chris Benoit would match the feat in 2004, lasting over an hour, but Michaels gets the nod here because of the historical nature of the win and the fact that he still had to outlast 29 others in order to win.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLlqsqqABe4[/embedyt]
2. Rey Mysterio (2006)
Many would argue that the number 2 spot is exactly the same as the number 1 spot, which is technically true, but for stat keeping purposes, it is a unique number. The similarities with the number 1 spot do not end with their entering the ring at the same time. Both the number 1 and number 2 spots have produced two winners. While taking nothing away from Mr. McMahon’s win in 1999, Mysterio’s win in 2006 from the number 2 position is the most impressive win in Rumble history, lasting a record 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 12 seconds. This was a no-brainer for the best performance for a number 2 entrant.
3. Ric Flair (1992)
Prior to 1992, the earliest entrant to win the Rumble was Jim Duggan’s number 13 entry in the inaugural Rumble match. The first Rumble match, however, only had 20 men which, according to proportionate math, would be the equivalent of drawing number 19.5 in a 30 man Rumble match, (don’t ask how someone could draw .5 of a number). In the prior three 30 man Rumbles, the earliest winner came at the number 24 spot with Hulk Hogan’s win in 1991. Ric Flair changed that trend in a dramatic way by winning at the number 3 spot, lasting just over 1 hour to win the match and for the first time ever the WWE Title. For me, the number 3 spot will always be Flair’s spot.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O1CRnQAEhY[/embedyt]
4. The Rock (1998)
While no one has ever won from this position, The Rock is the only individual to become the runner-up from the number 4 spot. Rocky lasted an impressive 51 minutes 32 seconds, the longest of anyone in the 1998 match and the 10th longest of all time.
5. Stone Cold Steve Austin (1997)
The only man to be eliminated from the Rumble, return, and win, Stone Cold’s first Royal Rumble victory, tainted as it may be, came at the number 5 spot. Stone Cold would go on to be the first man to win the Rumble and not be involved in a WWE Title match at WrestleMania since the stipulation was added to the match in 1993. His time of 45 minutes and 7 seconds is the 6th longest among winners.
6. Rick Martel (1991)
“The Model” Rick Martel was the first person to last over 50 minutes in a Rumble match, clocking in at 52 minutes, 17 seconds. Martel’s record is the oldest in the top 20, having been among the top 10 endurance record holders for the last 25 years. This is what edged out Kane’s run in the 2001 Rumble, where he eliminated 11 men in one match, a record that held for 13 years.
7. Triple H (2009)
Triple H was the runner-up at the 2009 Rumble, entering at the number 7 spot and lasting just shy of 50 minutes. Triple H fell victim to Randy Orton and Legacy, unable to overcome the numbers after eliminating both Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes before falling to Orton for the win. Triple H managed to eliminate 6 individuals from the Rumble that year, tying Big Show for the most of eliminations in the 2009 match.
8. Randy Orton (2009)
Making a nice transition from number 7, the best number 8 performance comes from Randy Orton, who eliminated our best number 7 performer in order to win the 2009 Rumble. Orton is the only person to win from the number 8 position.
9. Big Bossman (2000)
The number 9 position hasn’t been too impressive. Because of this, Bossman’s performance in the 2000 gets the nod here. He lasted 22 minutes and 47 seconds, just a hair longer than Shelton Benjamin in 2007 and recorded 4 eliminations. He was the 15th person eliminated in the Rumble, the furthest of anyone at the number 9 position besides Drew McIntyre, who was the 16th elimination in the 2010 Rumble.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up8f8KdqrpA[/embedyt]
10. Ted DiBiase Jr. (2009)
Ted DiBiase Jr. was another part of the final 4 in the aforementioned 2009 Rumble match. His 45 minutes, 11 seconds is number 22 on the longest time spent in a Rumble match. Add that to the fact that he helped secure a victory for his Legacy leader Randy Orton and DiBiase’s inclusion on this list is a no brainer.
11. Sheamus (20013)
The number 11 spot didn’t produce a lot of memorable performances, but Sheamus managed to last 37 minutes 12 seconds (second only to Carlito’s 38 minutes and 29 seconds for the longest of anyone in the number 11 position) before making it to the final 3 of the 2013 Rumble, the best finish for anyone who drew number 11.
12. RVD (2003)
The number 12 spot hasn’t been too impressive, outside of RVD’s 2003 performance. He had a pair of eliminations and lasted 32 minutes and 56 seconds to the final 5 in the 2003 match.
13. Jim Duggan (1988)
This shouldn’t be too big of a surprise, Duggan won the very first Royal Rumble from the 13 position (the only win thus far from the 13 spot). He eliminated 3 men and lasted 14 minutes and 43 seconds before becoming the inaugural winner.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeDfqdlMYRg[/embedyt]
14. British Bulldog (1991)
Davey Boy Smith’s run in the 1991 Royal Rumble isn’t one that is well remembered, but it deserves to be recognized as not only the best at number 14, but a fairly impressive performance from any number. Not only did he last 36 minutes 43 seconds (the 41st best of all 840 numbers drawn) but he finished in the final five, outlasting the Road Warriors, Demolition, and The Undertaker to name a few. Davey Boy was also responsible for ending Rick Martel’s ironman run, dumping him out for his 3rd elimination of the match.
15. Roman Reigns (2014)
Roman Reigns holds the all-time record for most eliminations in a single Rumble, surpassing Kane by eliminating 12 men in 33 minutes and 41 seconds before finishing as runner-up. Cody Rhodes would’ve rounded out the 2009 edition’s final four, but there’s no way Reigns’ performance isn’t the best at this number after breaking Kane’s record.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZzI0T7O-xY[/embedyt]
16. Undertaker (2009)
Undertaker’s 2009 run may have been his best, save only for his 2007 win. He eliminated 5 men and finished in the final 6 after spending 32 minutes 27 seconds in the Rumble match.
17. Sheamus (2014)
Shane Douglas almost took this spot, surviving 26 minutes and 23 seconds alongside men like Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, The Road Warriors, and the like, but unfortunately for the Franchise, he only made it to 11th place in terms of his only Rumble finish. Sheamus on the other hand lasted 28 minutes 11 seconds before finishing as the 2nd runner-up behind Roman Reigns and Batista.
18. Shawn Michaels (1996)
The first man to win back to back trips to WrestleMania via the Royal Rumble (and the first man to challenge for the title at consecutive Mania’s) Shawn Michaels is also the only man to win from the number 18 spot, outlasting everyone else for 26 minutes and 11 seconds and eliminating 8 men, the 5th most in Rumble history and the most eliminations by any winner not named Stone Cold Steve Austin.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlBeQshE1R8[/embedyt]
19. Roman Reigns (2015)
Two men have won at the number 19 spot, Reigns and John Cena. While Cena had 4 eliminations in 26 minutes 8 seconds, Roman Reigns lasted 27 minutes 26 seconds and eliminated 6 men before winning and obviously claiming the best performance for the number 19 spot.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxlS15DmJEM[/embedyt]
20. RVD (2006)
Despite being a relatively good number, the 20 spot hasn’t produced a winner. It also hasn’t led to too many memorable performances, evident by the fact that Jerry Sags did nothing in the 1993 Rumble match and would’ve taken the best performance for this number had RVD not managed to make it to the final 4 of the 2006 Rumble, lasting 23 minutes 52 seconds. It’s worth mentioning that Michael Cole made his only Rumble appearance at number 20 in 2012 which might qualify as memorable, but definitely not the best performance.
21. Bret Hart (1997)
Bret Hart should have been declared the winner of the 1997 Rumble, considering he was the last person eliminated before Stone Cold Steve Austin won despite Austin already having been eliminated. Hart still put in the best performance for the number 21 spot, having lasted 21 minutes 42 seconds and eliminating a couple of opponents before finishing officially as the runner-up.
22. Triple H (2002)
Two men have won at the number 22 position. Triple H bests Sheamus at this position by lasting 23 minutes 14 seconds, nearly 11 minutes longer than Sheamus, and eliminating 4 individuals compared to Sheamus’ 2.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT5HwVrePdA[/embedyt]
23. Lex Luger (1994)
One half of the only co-winners in Rumble history, Luger is the only person to win from the number 23 position, lasting 21 minutes 58 seconds and racking up (yes, pun intended) 6 eliminations.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZTm75yOtsk[/embedyt]
24. Hulk Hogan (1991)
Hulk Hogan became the first person to win the Rumble twice here, which helped edge him over The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin (the other 2 winners from this spot). Hogan also tied for the 7th most eliminations all time (along with Austin’s number 24 performance) with 7 eliminations. He also lasted the longest of any of the three winners from the number 24 spot at 19 minutes 55 seconds.
25. Hulk Hogan (1990)
Go back in time one year and you’ll find Hulk Hogan turning in the best performance for the number 25 spot, becoming the only winner to draw 25, getting the win at 12 minutes 49 seconds after eliminating 5 people.
26. Kurt Angle (2002)
Our Olympic Hero became the runner-up, the best finish in his career in the Rumble, in 2002, lasting 16 minutes 9 seconds before falling to winner Triple H. Kurt Angle also became the first person to eliminate Stone Cold Steve Austin cleanly since his first Rumble win in 1997. (Mr. McMahon’s elimination of Austin in 1999 doesn’t constitute a clean elimination)
27. Stone Cold Steve Austin (2001)
While the number 27 spot has produced more winners than any other number, Steve Austin’s performance in the spot is far and away the best. While not going as long as his fellow 27 winners, Stone Cold managed to win the Rumble match for an unprecedented 3rd time. This is a big enough historical moment to give him the top performance for number 27. In addition to his historic 3rd win, he also ended Kane’s elimination streak of 11 by dumping him out of the match to win.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKbjXExI2no[/embedyt]
28. Batista (2014)
Not only is Batista the person to win at 28, he’s won at the number twice. He is the only person to win twice from same position and has longest span between Rumble wins (a record that Brock Lesnar could break at this Sunday’s Rumble). The best performance officially goes to Batista’s 2014 win, where he lasted 12 minutes 52 seconds before winning and eliminated 4 men, including Roman Reigns who had eliminated a record 12 men in the 2014 match.
29. Brock Lesnar (2003)
Lesnar and Edge are the only men to win from the number 29 spot. Lesnar gets the nod here for becoming the only man to eliminate The Undertaker to win a Rumble. He lasted 8 minutes 59 seconds before claiming victory, having eliminated 4 men in that time. Edge nearly got the honors for his surprise return in 2010, but Lesnar’s victory was too dominant not to win this spot.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfmtKNKzEDM[/embedyt]
30. John Cena (2008)
Two men have won at 30, The Undertaker and John Cena. This was a tough one to split, especially considering Taker ended Shawn Michaels shot at tying Stone Cold’s Rumble victories record. In the end, the tie was broken because Cena eliminated more men than Taker at the 30 spot at 4, whereas Taker eliminate 3. Cena won after 8 minutes 27 seconds.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNlObJjzoyk[/embedyt]
There you have it, my obsessive mulling of Rumble stats all laid out for your consumption. Hopefully you enjoyed looking through this list and will keep an eye out during this Sunday’s Royal Rumble to see if anyone puts up a performance that might make it onto this list. As always, if you disagree or have any comments at all about this list, please leave a comment or send us at tweet @TWMNewsUK or me @THExWilliam. Until next time.