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Unlike all the other pay-per-views that WWE produce, Royal Rumble is all about numbers. In a match where 30 men enter at regular interval, the position each superstar gets is crucial even though the match is unpredictable most of the time.Thanks to the rich history of the pay-per-view, there have been a lot of records on the basis of the Superstar’s entry position. Number 30 in particular stands out. The anticipation will be at its peak when the last entrant comes in making it the ideal opportunity to pull off a big angle.WWE will be looking to bank in on that possibility this year as well but before we get there, here is a look at some of the best Royal Rumble participants who made their mark from the 30th position.
#5 Booker T (2002)
Starting off on a lighter note, Booker T wasn’t exactly one of the best entrants from the 30th position but he was indeed an entertaining one. Everyone would expect the last entrant to make a mark in the match but Booker ended up being a joker.
He entered the Rumble and immediately eliminated Rob Van Dam. Everyone expected Booker to run rampage after that quick elimination, but his fire was put out soon by Steve Austin.
In short, Booker was eliminated in just 33 seconds making him one of the shortest survivor after coming out in the 30th spot. It is not a record to be proud of but for the fans, it as a memorable one.
#4 Goldberg (2004)
Goldberg was still fresh from his WCW run back in 2004 and the company decided to make him the last entrant at Royal Rumble. Goldberg was a dark horse in the match and the position helped to improve his chances.
He looked destined to win the match after making three eliminations in quick succession with the victims being Nunzio, Charlie Haas and Billy Gunn.
However, he only managed to last five minutes in the Rumble and was eliminated by Kurt Angle. The notable thing about Goldberg was his quick shot eliminations even though almost all the names were midcarders.
#3 Big Show (2009)
While Goldberg came in at the 30th position and eliminated three men, Big Show managed to double that record. He was not a favorite for the match due to a lot of reasons but when Show entered last, the landscape of the match slightly shifted.
He eliminated Jim Duggan first and made R-Truth the second victim. CM Punk soon felt prey to the World largest Athlete, but Show’s stand out elimination came afterwards thanks to the Undertaker.
Rey Mysterio, Rob Van Dam and Mike Knox were eliminated by Big Show then, making his grand total to 6 Eliminations in the nine minute he spend. The run came to an end when Orton managed to put Show out of the ring.
#2 Undertaker (2007)
Undertaker is the master of this position. He has entered the Rumble as a 30th entrant in three separate occasions. The first came in 1997 where he was eliminated by Steve Austin after six minutes and the second came at 2003, where Taker was the runner up to Brock Lesnar.
But the best one from the lot came at 2007. Everyone was overwhelmed with Taker being the final entry and the Phenom wasted no time in doing what he does best. He eliminated Great Khali and MVP quickly and ended up being with just Shawn Michaels.
They had a great short burst of action in the limited time and Taker went on to win the whole thing making him the first ever superstar to win it from the spot.
#1 John Cena (2008)
Unexpected returns have always managed to be a success story in WWE. The Royal Rumble return of John Cena in 2008 was probably the bench mark setter for every return that followed. He was supposed to be out at least until WrestleMania, and no one saw such a swerve.
After making Undertaker the first superstar to win from the 30th position, WWE followed kept going with the trend the following year as well when they let Cena win the match.
The Cenation leader threw out Carlito, Mark Henry, Chavo Guerrero and finally Triple H to snatch a win and guarantee his spot in the WrestleMania main event where he eventually became the World Heavyweight Champion.
