Royal Rumble 2018: Ranking all number 1 entrants (Part 2)

#16 Lucha Workhorse

Rey Mysterio, Royal Rumble 2009 (Duration: 49:24, Elimination Order: 20, No. of Eliminations: 1)

2009 was an interesting year for Rey Mysterio, in many ways his best year in WWE (even better than his breakout in 2004 or championship run in 2006) and in between the year he was also suspended due to a failed drug test.

Still, Mysterio would make a bankable workhorse wrestler through the year, winning the Intercontinental Championship at Wrestlemania 25 (after having missed out on the event two years in a row). He would then move onto a slew of great feuds and matches against Chris Jericho, John Morrison, and Dolph Ziggler. After which Rey would find himself in an intense rivalry against former best friend Batista, leading up to championship opportunities.

Before all that was the Royal Rumble, opening the match alongside the man that would take his Intercontinental title later in the year; John Morrison. While Mysterio didn't manage to make multiple eliminations as expected with the duration he lasted. He maintained a calm and composure leading quite a bit of the Rumble, before the outpour of veterans and bigger superstars.

Rey a former winner from the second position, anchored the match while playing the tough wily veteran that was hard to catch, let alone eliminate. Eliminate though he would be at the meaty hands of Big Show. Before that, he would complete the unthinkable feat of taking out Mark Henry.

Even when veterans such as Chris Jericho and Undertaker made their presence felt, it was Mysterio who gave the initial push which turned the 2009 edition into an exciting affair highlighting a slew of future talent the company had in their hands.

His opening salvo with John Morrison was the perfect example to encapsulate Rey's contribution.

Eliminated by The Big Show