5 memorable Royal Rumble moments that defined WWE eras

#4. The Greatest Luchador of All Time takes his rightful place at WrestleMania - Rey Mysterio at Royal Rumble 2006

Rey Mysterio entered the 2006 Royal Rumble at number two. His entrance was an incredible homage to the late, great, Eddie Guerrero. He lasted over an hour in the match, setting a Rumble record, en route to winning the whole thing.

Heading into WrestleMania 22, he was The Ultimate Underdog challenging for the World Heavyweight Championship. In a Triple Threat match against then-champion Kurt Angle and Randy Orton, he would win it all by pinning The Viper.

This moment cemented him as the Greatest Luchador of All Time. It even ushered in an era where wrestlers of similar stature could hold world titles. We may never have gotten CM Punk or Daniel Bryan as world champions if not for Rey Mysterio.

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#3. The Texas Rattlesnake steals victory from The Hitman - Stone Cold Steve Austin at Royal Rumble 1997

One of the most iconic Stone Cold Steve Austin moments was the Austin 3:16 promo at the King of the Ring in 1996. But he was still performing as a heel at that point in time. He wasn't the renegade that stood up to authority just yet.

His rise to superstardom may have begun then, but it truly kicked into gear at the Royal Rumble in 1997. Bret Hart eliminated Austin close to the end, but the ringside referees were too busy separating a brawl between Terry Funk and Mankind to notice.

This allowed Austin to re-enter the match, gain a couple more eliminations, and toss Hart over the top rope to steal a victory. He not only established himself as someone who wouldn't play by the rules but also got under The Hitman's skin.

Come WrestleMania the same year, Steve Austin and Bret Hart would execute one of the finest double turns ever. The rest, as they say, is history.