Who Were the Runners Up in the 1997-2007 Royal Rumble Matches?

The early years of the Royal Rumble event were a great success. The added stipulation in 1993, that the match winner would headline Wrestlemania opposite the WWE Champion, made the event that much more anticipated.

As the Royal Rumble gimmick neared the new millennium, it's importance grew. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were proof that a 'Rumble win could give a superstar the keys to the kingdom of the WWE main event.

Both men had won 'Rumbles and gone on to claim WWE gold at that year's respective Wrestlemania event.

Over the course of the next decade, the winners of the Royal Rumble were all but guaranteed to go on to win the big one, just a couple of months later.

So, coveted were spots in the Royal Rumble, that qualification became a necessity in the mid-2000s, with a large roster vying to earn a spot in the match wherein big prizes awaited the winner.

Between 1997 and 2007, seven of the 'Rumble winners would go on to become WWE or World Heavyweight Champion at Wrestlemania.

The 'Rumble match had grown in importance and was now a major platform for an up and coming superstar to become a bonafide headline mega draw. By winning the 'Rumble, they would earn a first class ticket to the top of the business.

However, the margins between success and failure are small and for the great success experienced by most 'Rumble winners, disappointment and a return to the drawing board were experienced by those wrestlers who missed out on victory and were runners-up in the annual spectacular.

In this the second of three articles (you can read my first here), SK revisits 11 more Royal Rumble matches and looks at the runners-up and what became of their careers after they missed out on victory.

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#1 Royal Rumble Runner Ups 1997-99

Stone Cold eliminates Bret Hart to win the 1997 Royal Rumble

1997 - Bret Hart

The original booking called for Bret Hart to win the 1997 Royal Rumble to set up a Wrestlemania re-match between him and Shawn Michaels from the previous year's Wrestlemania wherein Michaels had defeated Hart to win his first WWE Championship.

Michaels was expected to return the favour at Wrestlemania 13.

However, after WWE writer Vince Russo correctly predicted that Hart would win the match on the pay per view pre-show, WWE bookers felt compelled to change the finish.

Therefore, Stone Cold, who was feuding with Hart at the time was chosen as the new winner and he last eliminated Hart to win (however, unbeknownst to officials, Hart had actually earlier ejected Stone Cold).

Michaels vacated the title the next month, and Hart would in fact win the WWE Championship in the next pay per view instead.

1998 - The Rock

The Rock entered the 1998 Royal Rumble as the Intercontinental Champion and would spend the majority of the year, improving as an all round act, before he finally became WWE Champion at Survivor Series later that year.

However, in January, he was not close to being a contender. In fact, the entire 'Rumble was built around Stone Cold and he was the only possible winner. The red hot Stone Cold beat The Rock to win and went on to become WWE Champion at Wrestlemania XIV.

Rock would defend the Intercontinental Title on that show. A 'Rumble win would have been interesting in 1998, but would never have happened.

1999 - Stone Cold

Well, the favourite to win the 1999 Royal Rumble was Stone Cold and rightfully so. Much like 1998, there were no credible alternatives to win the match.

However, unlike 1998, Stone Cold did not win. His boss did.

Vince McMahon entered the bout as the number two entrant to Stone Cold's number one to exploit the stunningly successful Austin/McMahon rivalry.

As it turned out, Stone Cold's career trajectory was not halted by the loss. He was gifted the title shot back when McMahon relinquished it, by WWE Commissioner, Shawn Michaels and defended that opportunity against McMahon at the following pay per view, St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Stone Cold would beat The Rock to win his third title at Wrestlemania XV.

#2 Royal Rumble Runner Ups 2000-02

Stone Cold eliminates Kane to win the 2001 Royal Rumble

2000 - Bigshow

In 2000, the Royal Rumble match was built around two men, The Rock and the man who had just weeks earlier lost the WWE Championship, the Big Show.

Rock reversed a Big Show elimination attempt to win the match. However, replays would later show that Rock's feet did, in fact, hit the mat first and Show was the rightful winner.

Show earned an opportunity to fight Rock at the February pay per view, No Way Out where he won the bout and was inserted into the 'Mania headline bout.

Show was, therefore, one quarter of a Fatal 4 Way main event, consisting of him, Rock, Mick Foley, and Triple H.

Unfortunately for Show, he was the first man eliminated, by The Rock.

2001 - Kane

No one pegged Kane to win the 2001 Royal Rumble but his 58-minute ironman performance impressed and he also broke the record for most eliminations in a single 'Rumble match which lasted for over a decade.

However, it was to be recently returned Stone Cold who would instead eliminate Kane to win the match.

Kane was nowhere near the headline bracket in 2001 and would challenge for (and win) the Hardcore Title at Wrestlemania instead.

2002 - Kurt Angle

Everyone expected the recently returned Triple H to win the 2002 'Rumble match and so it proved. Great rival, Kurt Angle thought he had ejected "The Game" and began celebrating but Triple H held onto the ropes and re-entered the ring and dumped out Angle.

However, Angle would defeat Triple H at No Way Out, the following month to win the title shot, but "The Game" would regain it on Raw.

Angle had his chances but the 'Rumble loss ultimately saw him fight Kane in a mid-card bout at Wrestlemania X-8. However, a main event bout between Angle and Jericho would likely have made for a much better match.

#3 Royal Rumble Runner Ups 2003-04

The Undertaker was last eliminated by Brock Lesnar at the '03 'Rumble

2003 - Undertaker

In truth, there was only ever going to be one winner of the 2003 Royal Rumble match. That 'Rumble event was built around eventual winner, Brock Lesnar. He competed against Bigshow earlier in the night to earn his 'Rumble spot and earn revenge for Show and his former manager Paul Heyman screwing him out of the title at Survivor Series.

Lesnar last eliminated Undertaker to win. At that stage of his career, 'Taker was nowhere near the headline spots and so it proved at Wrestlemania where 'Taker competed in a meaningless undercard match opposite Show and A-Train,

2004 - Bigshow

No one bought the Bigshow winning the 2004 Royal Rumble match. Show had spent the majority of the previous three years as a glorified jobber to the stars or absent from television as he struggled with his weight and a junk food addiction.

So, when he and Chris Benoit found themselves as the final two in the 'Rumble match, fan noise noticeably decreased in the arena as the real stars such as Goldberg, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam and John Cena were eliminated.

Benoit ejected Show to win the match. Show competed at Wrestlemania in the opening match where he lost to Cena. It is hard to picture Show competing in the main event, opposite Triple H and Shawn Michaels. At the time, the Benoit win was the more sensible choice although with the benefit of hindsight, no doubt WWE would prevent the Benoit win ever occurring.

#4 Royal Rumble Runner Ups 2005-07

Confusion reigns after Batista and John Cena eliminate each other at the 2005 'Rumble

2005 - John Cena

John Cena was destined for big things in 2005 and as 2004 drew to a close, he was under consideration for a World title run. However, WWE were undecided whether the 27 year old was ready for the pinnacle. Thus, their pick to win the Royal Rumble was Batista, who had got over massively in a slow burning storyline with his mentor, World Champion, Triple H.

In a spot originally meant for Randy Orton, who had bombed as a babyface, Batista tore through the competition in the 2005 'Rumble match. However, as he attempted to eliminate Cena, he lost his footing and both men flew over the top rope. This was not intentional. The referees stalled until they received instruction which arrived from WWE boss Vince McMahon who was so irate he tore his quadriceps muscle in his leg as he entered the ring to scream instructions.

The bout was restarted and Batista quickly won. But what of Cena? As it turned out, WWE could have gone with the dual winner approach as Cena contested the WWE Championship with JBL at that year's Wrestlemania where he won his first World title. A different result here would not have changed the course of history and WWE's headline direction for the rest of the decade.

2006 - Randy Orton

Randy Orton had the luck of the draw in 2006, pulling out the number 30. However, it was to be the number two entrant, Rey Mysterio who last eliminated him to win the bout.

Orton was not satisfied however and goaded Mysterio to gamble his title shot against him at No Way Out 2006 in February where Orton won.

As it turned out, the title bout at Wrestlemania 22 became a triple threat encounter wherein Orton and Mysterio both challenged World Champion, Kurt Angle for the belt. Orton's elimination ended up having no impact on his title hopes at Wrestlemania.

2007 - Shawn Michaels

For seven minutes, the final two entrants in the 2007 Royal Rumble competed one on one with each other to determine the winner.

Those men were the eventual winner, The Undertaker and runner-up, Shawn Michaels. Michaels was seeking a joint record third 'Rumble win but it was not to be.

As it turned out, a 'Rumble win for Michaels would not have changed his career trajectory either. As for the third year in a row, the 'Rumble runner up would still bid for the World title at Wrestlemania. Michaels would unsuccessfully challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 23.