'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As we are officially on the road to Wrestlemania, the first stop is always the Royal Rumble. With the Royal Rumble comes the eponymous match.
Thirty participants all have that one goal of headlining Wrestlemania. Superstars will be giving it all for that one shot to be in the main event. To headline the biggest sports entertainment spectacle is an accomplishment for any wrestler, and it all starts with the Royal Rumble.
What number you draw is always the issue for some. Numbers 27 and 30 are one and two respectively of providing the most Rumble winners, so the chances are much higher than someone who is entering number 1 and 2.
The superstars with the lower numbers have had to fight and claw their ways just to get into position to win.
They need to have the stamina, will, and strength to make it to the mountain top and to hear their name announced as the winner. Here are the 5 greatest Royal Rumble performances.
#5 Chris Benoit (2004)
The 2004 Royal Rumble match is one that likes to be forgotten for obvious reasons, but it was a big stepping stone towards Wrestlemania XX.
I will keep it brief because it is a touchy subject for people - the performance by Chris Benoit that night should not go unnoticed.
He spent over an hour in the win plus became the second man ever to win the Rumble from the No. 1 spot. He had six eliminations on his way to the main event of Wrestlemania.
His win was also unique as it created a stipulation still used today. He was a member of Smackdown and showed up on RAW the next night looking to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship. Thus, it created the rule that the winner of the Rumble can challenge any champion on any show.
#4 Shawn Michaels (1995)
The 1995 contest is one of the shorter rumbles in history. Every entrant came out in one-minute intervals.
They put a special twist in this one. Not only would the winner receive a title match at Wrestlemania, but the winner would win the right to have Pamela Anderson escort them to the ring at the following Wrestlemania.
The match began with Shawn Michaels at No.1 and the British Bulldog at No. 2. By the time 28 men had been eliminated, it was down to both of them.
During the closing moments, Bulldog had tossed Michaels over the top rope. He started celebrating as if he had won. After climbing the top rope, Michaels hit Bulldog from behind, sending him over the ropes onto the floor. Howard Finkel announced only one of Michaels' feet touched the floor. Therefore, he was not eliminated.
The image of Michaels dangling on the ropes is one of the more iconic images in wrestling. Him knocking the British Bulldog over the top rope is a Royal Rumble highlight.
History was also made. Not only was he the number one contender but he became the first man ever to win the Rumble from the number one spot. This match started the transition of Shawn Michaels into the icon you know today.
#3 Kane (2001)
The 2001 Royal Rumble may be the best of all time. It had a record-setting winner with Stone Cold winning his third Rumble, and featured some of the very best ever to compete in WWE. Plus it had the first celebrity entrant ever in Drew Carey.
Even though he did not win the event, we can not overlook the performance Kane had that year.
He spent over 56 minutes in the match after he entered at number 6. From the time he stepped through the ropes he was a one-man wrecking crew. He set a then-record 11 eliminations. He might have had one more if Carey did not eliminate himself. He was a chokeslam away from doing so until his Wrestlemania 17 opponent Raven made the save. Still, he eliminated every entry from 7-13, including The Rock.
He made it down to the final two. After a failed chair shot, he was nailed with a stunner and sent over the top rope giving Austin that third Rumble win.
#2 Rey Mysterio (2006)
The Royal Rumble has always been Rey Mysterio's time to shine. He made his big return to WWE at the 2018 Rumble after being away for close to 4 years. In 2006, he might have had his biggest and emotional win in WWE.
In November of 2005, the wrestling world tragically lost Eddie Guerrero. Guerrero and Mysterio went back years from their time in Mexico, WCW, and WWE. They were more than just rivals and wrestlers. They were real-life friends.
In 2006, Mysterio drew entry number 2. The familiar music and low rider emerged into the American Airlines Arena with Mysterio behind the wheel. The Miami crowd was laughing and crying all at once. Triple H, who entered at number 1, also cracked a smile with the emotional homage to Eddie Guerrero.
From bell to bell, Mysterio was the clear star of this Rumble. He had some near-eliminations and having a few close calls himself. He made it down to final 3 with Triple H and himself lasting an hour.
Mysterio eliminated Triple H for his 5th elimination before finally maneuvering an incredible huricanrana to Randy Orton for the win. He lasted 1 hour 2 minutes and 12 seconds, setting the then-record for the most time in a Royal Rumble match.
#1 Ric Flair (1992)
He has had many nicknames over the years. From Space Mountain to the Nature Boy, Ric Flair is synonymous with all these names. In 1992, he earned the nickname the 60 Minute Man but also earned the more prestigious nickname of "champion."
The 1992 Rumble was one of the more memorable Rumbles and matches in WWE. The title was held vacant after some controversial finishes in consecutive pay per views between Hulk Hogan and the Undertaker. This was the first time in history the Royal Rumble match would be for the WWE Championship.
Drawing entry 1 was the British Bulldog, and number 2 was The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. New participants were to enter every two minutes but Bulldog eliminated DiBiase under 90 seconds. Bulldog anxiously waited for entry 3, and that is when Ric Flair made his way to the ring.
The final four was a star-studded affair with Flair, Hulk Hogan, the Macho Man, and Sid Justice. With help from Justice, Flair eliminated Savage. Justice turned around to eliminate Hogan in a shocking turn of events.
As Justice and Hogan were arguing at ringside, Hogan grabbed onto Justice. Flair came from behind to eliminate Justice earning his other nickname "The Dirtiest Player in the Game." Not only had he won the Royal Rumble, for the first time in his career was WWE Champion.
Soon to follow was the greatest backstage promo of all time. Two memorable moments that came from this. First was Mene Gene telling someone off camera to put his cigarette out. Every old school wrestling fan knows about that. Last, and one of the best lines in wrestling, was Flair proclaiming:
"With a tear in my eye, this is the greatest moment of my life."
