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One big point of contention in the Royal Rumble that is always pushed by WWE is the history of numbers during the Royal Rumble matches. They've often promoted that certain numbers (17, 27) have produced more winners. WWE has also mentioned the history around the stars that have lasted the longest and shortest amounts of time in single Royal Rumble matches.
Since there are 30 Superstars in each Royal Rumble match, there have to be 29 eliminations. Over the years, different Superstars have been showcased due to the amount of stars they eliminated. Kane made his mark in 2001 by tossing 11 performers over the ropes. Last year, both Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler set a record for eliminations (8) in a Women's Royal Rumble match.
The names are traditionally the usual suspects, like top stars or stars that are physically bigger than others. But a crafty star or someone that has to start from the beginning of the match could also rack up eliminations if they are the iron person.
Someone like Lars Sullivan could return to action and make an impact by eliminating a slew of Superstars this year. But of the names that are known to be competing in the Royal Rumble, there are some that stand out more than others.
Here are five WWE Superstars that could rack up the most eliminations in the Men's Royal Rumble contest.
#5 Bobby Lashley could have the most eliminations in the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble
Once Bobby Lashley joined forces with MVP in 2020, his stock went higher than it has been during his return to the WWE. The Hurt Business is one of the most feared groups in all of WWE, and the faction boasts the current US titleholder (Lashley) and RAW Tag Team Champions (Shelton Benjamin/Cedric Alexander).
During the majority of his US Championship run, Lashley has dispatched of every challenger. He has recently been pushing back the attempts of Riddle, even putting the Original Bro in the Hurt Lock several times on RAW over the last few months.
WWE has booked Lashley strongly, so that will likely continue in the Royal Rumble match. He's one of the strongest WWE Superstars and is physically imposing compared to some of the smaller performers. If Lashley is headed for a big match at the Show of Shows, he could easily eliminate a sizable amount of participants in the Royal Rumble.
#4 Randy Orton could have the most eliminations in the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble
On the WWE Backstage Royal Rumble Special, Randy Orton was revealed as the #1 entrant for this year's 30-man bout. Along with his enemy Edge, Orton will enter the 2021 Royal Rumble match first.
Since Orton will start the match and presumably last for a long time, he could easily have several eliminations. His RKO is one of the most protected moves in WWE, and it could lead to stars getting tossed over the ropes after being hit with it.
His storyline for the match will come down to Edge and the foe he has been battling more recently, the Fiend Bray Wyatt. The two have been at each other's throats over the last two months. Even Alexa Bliss has been feuding with the Viper after Orton burned The Fiend alive at TLC last month.
The Legend Killer is also one of the top stars in WWE, so he usually gets a good run in Royal Rumble matches. If he has another good showing in the 2021 Royal Rumble, he will certainly eliminate a lot of other performers. He just has to hope that The Fiend doesn't return to ruin his chances at a Championship match at WrestleMania 37.
#3 Sheamus could have the most eliminations in the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble
Heading into Royal Rumble season, Sheamus has shifted into a face persona in late 2020 after spending much of the last few years as a heel. Since he and Drew McIntyre have been friends for many years, that relationship has been played up on RAW over the last few months.
The Celtic Warrior would be a good challenger for the WWE Championship eventually, but not necessarily at the Show of Shows in April. When he has been a heel, his dominance and strength have been two of his main attributes. Those are two things he can show in a Royal Rumble setting. Just like McIntyre eliminated Brock Lesnar with a Claymore Kick last year, Sheamus can do the same with the Brogue Kick. It can happen from any spot in the ring and can easily force performers over the top rope.
Since Sheamus has enjoyed a renewed push as a face on RAW, he could very well have a good run in the Royal Rumble. He's been one of the Champ's most steadfast allies, and he's even been booked in handicap matches on recent episodes of RAW. If he sees John Morrison or The Miz, he'll likely try to Brogue kick them over the ropes.
#2 Big E could have the most eliminations in the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble
Instead of defending his Intercontinental Championship, Big E is entering the 2021 Royal Rumble match. His separation from the New Day during the 2020 WWE Draft left him on an island and in need of redefining himself.
He's done just that, capturing the IC title and one of the featured spots on SmackDown. Big E has had stars like King Corbin, Cesaro, Sami Zayn, and several others gunning for him now that he holds the blue brand's secondary title.
One way to further Big E's momentum is for him to have a successful run in the Royal Rumble. If he does not win, he needs to at the very least have four or five eliminations. That might no be the most on the night, but it could still be one of the top performances in the match.
With Roman Reigns needing a dance partner at the Show of Shows, someone like Big E would make sense. Much like Drew McIntyre's ascent in 2020, Big E could enjoy some success during the Royal Rumble. He'll have a lot of people to go through if the go-home edition of SmackDown taught the WWE Universe anything.
With the need for new faces growing each week, Big E should continue his path to the main event of SmackDown. If he wins the Royal Rumble match, it will be another step up the ladder, but he will certainly be one of the stars to eliminate a good amount of performers.
#1 Braun Strowman could have the most eliminations in the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble
One big return for the 2021 Royal Rumble came on the go-home episode of SmackDown. Braun Strowman returned to the WWE from suspension during the chaos that closed the show. He was the final man to literally jump into the madness.
The Monster Among Men won the Greatest Royal Rumble a few years ago but never received a title shot because of that win. In that match, he set a WWE record for eliminations with 13. Even though he won, he only got a title belt. He would probably rather have a shot at WWE Champion Drew McIntyre instead. Tossing star after star out of the ring would be the way to do it.
Strowman also hasn't faced McIntyre for the WWE title yet, so that could be another way to push him even further. If he wins or loses, he'll still eliminate a lot of stars. He's arguably the biggest threat in the match physically, and he didn't have a great showing last year due to Brock Lesnar's early-match dominance.
In 2019, Strowman eliminated six people while in 2017, he tossed out seven Superstars. He also was responsible for five eliminations in 2016. Simply put, the Monster Among Men has a track record in these Royal Rumbles, and that should continue in this year's contest.
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