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#5. AEW EVP Cody Rhodes made it to the final four of the 2009 Royal Rumble
Cody Rhodes may not have reached his full potential in WWE, but he still managed to participate in eight Royal Rumble matches during his run with Vince McMahon's company. His most memorable appearance came in 2009, when reached the final four and helped his Legacy leader Randy Orton win the match.
Rhodes lasted 37 minutes in an impressive performance but the story of the match was on the Legend Killer. He improved upon that showing in the 2012 edition when he was the reigning Intercontinental Champion and survived by almost 42 minutes.
Rhodes' collective time spent on his multiple Rumble appearances is a testament to his endurance. While he has gone on to become a major building block for AEW, he is currently a free agent. Could he make a shocking return at this weekend's Rumble event?
#4. AEW star CM Punk had many impressive performances in the Royal Rumble
CM Punk is easily one of the best superstars to have never won a Royal Rumble match. Regardless, the Chicago native created two unforgettable moments. One was his 2010 appearance when he was the leader of the Straightedge Society, giving sermons in the middle of the match.
The other was when he was given an unenviable number one position in 2011 but almost lasted till the end with the help of his New Nexus brethren.
Punk competed in seven Royal Rumble matches throughout his WWE career and cumulatively lasted two hours, 48 minutes, and 11 seconds. After his final appearance in 2014, he would leave pro wrestling for seven years until last year, when he debuted in AEW.
While he is flourishing right now in Tony Khan's promotion, it would have been awesome if Punk could have gotten that Rumble victory under his belt.
#3. AEW star Bryan Danielson breaks Royal Rumble match record
Bryan Danielson's name will forever be tied to a Royal Rumble match that he was never even a part of. In 2014, Daniel Bryan was at the peak of his "Yes! Movements" popularity and many pegged him to win that year's edition.
However, he didn't even participate in the match. When it became clear that Bryan wouldn't be appearing, the crowd immediately turned on the bout, booing the eventual winner Batista.
He did eventually break the record for the longest time in a Royal Rumble match, when he was part of the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble Match, lasting 1 hour 16 minutes and 5 seconds. His legacy in the WWE is already assured, but perhaps he should have added 'Rumble winner' to his accolades when the opportunity was there for the taking.
