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While we've already highlighted how difficult it is to make it at the number one spot in the Royal Rumble, do you know for a while there it seemed it was as difficult if not more for the final entrant in WWE's first PPV of the year?
The coveted number 30 spot (or 20/40 depending on the year) isn't actually the best position to be for most wrestlers that it's made out to be, more often than not the late entrant is a hyped up nobody whose more bridesmaid than the actual bride.
For quite a while there, nobody had managed to win from number 30, up until the Undertaker stole the show in 2007. Since then there have been three rumble winners who were the final entrant, that's just one more than the risky number one and number two spots (each with two wins apiece).
Out of those three winners, two of them came as genuine surprises which means not only were they finalists and fresh to go, but also none of the other participants had a chance to prepare for them.
All three of those men to win were also former world champions with extensive rumbling experience. In one case, the number 30 entrant had already won the rumble before.
To sum, it all up, the final entry is an advantageous spot to be in as long as you know how to take advantage of it, these next ten men couldn't even do that much. They are the ten few who wasted this special moment.
(PS: This is the first part of a three-part series; here we will countdown 30-21 of final number entrants)
#30 Dumped like a Dumpster
Though Droese walked into the Rumble with a victory over the future 'Game' Triple H on the pre-show, he was pretty much a non-factor in the Royal Rumble. Entry at the number 30 spot doesn't guarantee immediate victory, yet to keep up the mirage that victory is a possibility; management will hand the number to a top class superstar who has a chance of winning.
This wasn't the case here, Droese was mere enhancement talent that might have gained the final entry through random draw but it was clear the WWE couldn't care if he stuck around or not. The real story of the match was a viciously dominant Diesel (Kevin Nash) up against a resilient Shawn Michaels, seeking to score a back to back Rumble victory.
Unceremoniously dumped (pun intended) by Diesel with assistance from Kama, Droese always the curtain raiser went back to raising curtains. As for the man he beat on the pre-show? Well, he also managed to get the Number 30 spot once and create quite the stir (you'll see him later).
Eliminated by Diesel/w Kama
#29 At least he lasted longer than two seconds
The Warlord is an intriguing statistic in Royal Rumble history, for twenty odd years, he owned the distinction as the wrestler to get eliminated in the shortest time in history. In two seconds, as he boasted to the crowd and entered the ring, the erratic Hulk Hogan smashed him out swiftly in the 1989 Royal Rumble.
Thankfully, four years later Warlord would be a little more careful but not careful enough. The powerhouse couldn't leave much of a mark in the ring, getting bullied by the team of Hogan and Sid Justice. The two behemoths easily tossed him out.
Yet it's an achievement nonetheless, not only did Warlord stick around longer than two seconds it also took two men to throw him out. That's one hell of an improvement.
Eliminated by Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice.
#28 Victim of Hulkamania running wild
First of all, let me just put this out there; I get why pro-wrestling gets such a bad rap around the world. When you have heavyset adult men like above, dressed the way they are; it's hard to take the WWE seriously.
Worse still when a guy like Tugboat really can't manage to do much in the ring. Thank god then that the 80s had Hulk Hogan, the man's charisma and flashy looks made him the perfect person to take the WWE into the stratosphere.
In 1991 Hulkamania was in full force, it was possibly the last great pure year for the Hulkster after a downward spiral that would last years before the NWO reinvention. This would be the year Hogan would challenge Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter for the WWF World Championship at Wrestlemania.
To prime him for that victory, Hulk went wild across the Royal Rumble field by eliminating a record seven superstars. One of them is the aforementioned Tugboat, a sad relic of 80s cartoon wrestling; nothing more, nothing less.
Eliminated by Hulk Hogan.
#27 Bombing from a favored position
More often than not, in order to add to the shock value of the advantageous position that is the final entry in the Royal Rumble; the WWE will hand the spot to an unexpected wrestler who carries no favour to win the match. Unfortunately for them the crowd can always see through this thinly veiled attempt at a surprise and realize the guy coming in (as Vince McMahon eloquently puts it) has no chance in hell.
However, sometimes it just isn't managements fault entirely, in fact in 1994 WWE was at its darkest period. As the steroid scandal took hold of the company, a new direction was sought and that would take a bit off time. Of course, McMahon being McMahon, was still stubborn enough to want a muscle-bound incompetent wrestler like Lex Luger to be the face of the company despite having a ready-made star in Bret Hart.
Regardless that indecision is what made the 1994 Royal Rumble such an interesting one for fans, they knew the future was coming; they just didn't know which one. One thing they knew with guarantee was that Adam Bomb regardless of his favourable entry was definitely not that future.
The Nuclear superstar was another outdated element that just didn't fit any longer in the changing New Generation, but alas he did stay on long enough like much of the hokey elements that eventually caused WWE to lose out to WCW in initial days of the Monday Night Wars.
Thankfully on the night of the Rumble, he lasted fairly short and did no damage.
Eliminated by Lex Luger.
#26 The first ever last entrant
Remember when the Royal Rumble had only 20 participants? No?
Me neither, this was well before our time in 1988. I'm sure Junkyard Dog remembers, just as much as eventual winner Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
These were simpler times, winning the Royal Rumble would be an achievement but didn't necessarily lead to anything for anyone. In fact, Rumble victories couldn't even guarantee the winner a spot at Wrestlemania, just ask Big John Studd who won the second ever rumble only to turn special guest referee at Wrestlemania V.
Coming back to the Junkyard Dog, entering the number at 20; he etched his name in the record books much like first entrant Bret Hart, but really didn't do anything beyond lasting for a respectable two and a half minutes.
Eventually, he was unceremoniously dumped out by Ron Bass. Who's Ron Bass? Even I don't know.
Eliminated by Ron Bass
#25 Booyaka booed out of the building
At the 2014 Royal Rumble in Pittsburgh, the rancorous crowd was on their edge for the number 30 entrant. They were anticipating a short fiery performer considered a B+ player by management. What they got was a short fiery performer considered a B+ player by management, but not the right one.
The amount of hate that poured down on Rey Mysterio as he entered at number 30 must have wrecked his nerves, but credit where credit is due he didn't let that affect his rumble stay.
In retrospect what the Pittsburgh fans did to Mysterio was unfair, yet the consummate professional didn't really make much of an impact, hence his low position on the list.
Having won the Rumble from the Number 2 position years ago, Mysterio now had a better opportunity to double that feat, unfortunately, age and time caught up with him on the night. A young upstart, by the name of Seth Rollins, managed to dump him out to another shocking spat of cheers.
This would be Rey Mysterio's final ever Rumble for the WWE. If ever he were to make his return, I'm sure a roar of cheers would correct this folly, as long as Daniel Bryan isn't in the ring.
Eliminated by Seth Rollins
#24 Tell me he didn't just do that!
Once upon a time, Booker T was primed to become the face of a much-maligned WCW. He was just about there, after having won their world championship five times (yeah, I know that sounds ridiculous). Then, the company folded and the WWE brought the future King Bookah into their side of the pond. Things would never be the same.
From a horribly executed Invasion to a fun supermarket beat-down at the hands of 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, Booker T just slipped further and further into oblivious. Though many people point to his brutal loss to Triple H at Wrestlemania 19 as the moment where everything went downhill. The seeds had been planted a year prior.
At Wrestlemania X8, Booker T would feud with Edge over a Japanese shampoo commercial. For things to get that terrible, they'd have to be just a little worse first. Coming in at number 30, I'm sure Booker fancied his chances to headline Wrestlemania.
However in his way stood the revenge-hungry Stone Cold, looking to set a record for most eliminations. He did so by tossing out his former rival with relative ease, in an embarrassing 33 seconds. Luckily Booker T at least managed one elimination to save face.
Eliminated by Stone Cold Steve Austin.
#23 The ninth wonder of the world
The first of two times that Chyna would make her entry into the Royal Rumble. Since she had actually won a qualifying rumble match against Vince McMahon's Corporation, this entry wasn't a surprise as much as it was an interesting accolade for her. The surprise came much later when she managed to outmuscle a few competitors and eliminate the huge Mark Henry.
The fact that Chyna took out Henry is a commendable feat and a historical record on top of another for the Ninth Wonder in the World. Her appearance didn't really amount too much but began the trend of seeing strong and able women making entries into the all men's Rumble match.
A year later she would match the feat, lasting even longer and dumping out her then tag team partner Chris Jericho. It was fun while it lasted, with the likes of Kharma and Beth Phoenix following her example years later.
Hopefully, despite the tensions in referencing Chyna in the WWE; she gets an acknowledgement for paving the way towards this year inaugural Women's Royal Rumble.
Eliminated by Stone Cold Steve Austin
#22 The Vader bomb goes off
Like any big man coming in at Number 30, announcers couldn't stop hyping his chances to win and how it would be a tough task to take him out. Of course, as is the case always, Vader didn't even leave a dent.
He eliminated the returning Honky Tonk Man, before being dumped himself by the rising star that was Goldust whom he had been feuding with and just beaten in the undercard of the PPV. Interestingly from there things just got worse for Vader, having already been signified as an upper card talent, he would find himself turning into a jobber for the starts at every given point.
The man who once debuted at the Royal Rumble in dominant fashion a couple of years back was left with a few minutes on the clock and one elimination for a disappointing number 30 entry.
Eliminated by Goldust
#21 The Demon that made it to 40
You're not reading that incorrectly, Kane was eliminated at number 34 in the 2011 Royal Rumble. This is because the 2011 edition of the match featured the first and only ever 40 men Rumble. It was an interesting if somewhat bloated experiment that goes to show how perfect a 30 man match is.
Of course, Kane one of the historic highlights of the Royal Rumble captured the coveted number 40 spot. Of course, as is the norm in WWE; Kane could do nothing from this final advantage point.
Instead, the "Big Red Machine", who then still held the record for most eliminations in a single Rumble match, went roughshod over his tired competition. He managed a single elimination to add to his resume, that of the dominant powerhouse Ezekiel Jackson before being taken out by little Rey Mysterio.
His lethargic run at the rumble signified that Kane was pretty much done in 2011, yet here we are in 2017 and Kane stands dominant ready to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship.
Eliminated by Rey Mysterio
Next: We return to the land of opportunity, the dreaded number one spot in a second part that looks at those that were made to last long and anchor the rumble but never win it! Always the bridesmaid, never the bride!
Royal Rumble 2018: Ranking all number 1 entrants (Part 2)
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