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Every year a total of 30 Superstars enter the Royal Rumble match, but only one of them can win and go to the biggest pay-per-view of the year, WrestleMania, to face a champion of their choosing. Over the years, many stars have managed to win Rumble, but only some of them have been successful in main eventing WM.
Even though it seems a bit unfair, and you might not agree with it, WWE officials, especially Vince McMahon, had a pretty good reason to put Rumble winners earlier on the card and give their main event spot to some other Superstars.
In this list, let's see a few Royal Rumble winners and the reason why they didn't main event WrestleMania. Without further ado, let's get started.
#5 Edge didn't main event WrestleMania
In 2009, Edge and Chris Jericho formed a surprising alliance and won the WWE Tag Team Championships together. However, before the two men could defend the gold, Edge tore a tendon in one of his legs during a match.
There is no doubt Edge's injury was just an accident, and something of that sort could happen to anyone. However, for some reason, Y2J found that hard to believe and labeled "The R-Rated Superstar" too soft as well as of no use.
Jericho's bad remarks about Edge failed to keep "The R-Rated Superstar" down. Instead, they gave Edge the boost that he needed. While Edge was expected to stay away from in-ring action for almost a year, he made his return in less than eight months as a surprise entrant in the 2010 Royal Rumble match.
Entering at number 29, Edge first eliminated his former tag team partner Jericho and then John Cena to win the first Rumble of his career. With his win, Edge vowed to take revenge on Jericho for mocking him for his injury and challenged Y2J for his newly won WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.
Unfortunately, "The R-Rated Superstar" did not beat Jericho for the gold at WM, nor did he get to perform in the main event of the pay-per-view. The reason being, the spot was given to The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels' matchup.
Nonetheless, Edge has not had a chance to perform in the closing match of WrestleMania since WrestleMania XXIV where he fell to The Undertaker. He might get another one now as he's the 2021 Royal Rumble winner and is scheduled to face Roman Reigns (or Daniel Bryan) for the Universal Championship at WM.
#4 The Undertaker didn't main event WrestleMania
With WrestleMania 23 around the corner, and having missed out on an opportunity to face Batista for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Royal Rumble 2007, The Undertaker wound up entering the Men's Rumble match as the very last entrant.
While Shawn Michaels was being rooted for to win that year's Rumble match, The Deadman scored the opportunity right out from under his feet when he threw HBK over the top rope to declare himself the 2007 Royal Rumble winner. Following this win, The Undertaker started his classic feud with Batista, and the two men clashed in a series of hard-hitting matches. The series started with WrestleMania 23, where The Deadman fought The Animal for the World Heavyweight Championship.
At The Show of Shows, The Deadman defeated Batista for the gold and extended his undefeated streak to 15-0. Good as it was, it sadly did not get to main event. The reason being, the runner-up of that year's Royal Rumble Michaels ended up challenging John Cena for the WWE Title in the main event of WrestleMania 23.
#3 John Cena didn't main event WrestleMania
Six months before WrestleMania 24, John Cena tore his right pectoral muscle off the bone in a match with Mr. Kennedy. Due to the extent of Cena's injury, The Franchise Player was told by his doctors he'd stay out-of-action for a very long time. Due to this, Cena relinquished the WWE Title and went on a hiatus.
Known for pulling off unbelievable recovery miracles, Cena once again defied the odds and returned in less than four-months at Royal Royal PPV. Entering at number 30 in the Men's Rumble match, The Franchise Player lasted for about 10-minutes before eliminating the only other Superstar remaining, Triple H.
Following his win, Cena was eager to get back the WWE Title that he never lost. Therefore, instead of facing the then-current title holder, Randy Orton, at WrestleMania, "The Franchise Player" fought "The Viper" at the No Way Out PPV.
Unfortunately, Cena's hopes were crushed by "The Viper" as the latter got himself disqualified by intentionally slapping the referee, keeping the WWE Title in the process.
#2 Randy Orton's WrestleMania 33 title bout didn't go on last
n 2017, with WrestleMania looming, Randy Orton won the second Royal Rumble of his career. Entering at number 23, Orton lasted for about 20-minutes. During this time, he eliminated only one Superstar, Roman Reigns, and achieved the accolade of being the 2017 Royal Rumble winner. Following this win, Orton wanted to fight for the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania. However, "The Viper" changed his mind after Bray Wyatt, the star with whom Orton was allied with at the time, won the belt at Elimination Chamber 2017.
To prove loyalty to his master, Orton relinquished the golden opportunity he earned at the Royal Rumble and left the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania in the air, although not for long. Since it's in the nature of "The Viper" to turn on his closest friends, Orton soon betrayed Wyatt and fellow faction member Luke Harper. He also somehow found his way to challenge Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, but not in the main event.
Still, at the pay-per-view, Orton didn't walk out empty-handed. After 10-minutes of bug-related action, he came out victorious over Wyatt and won the WWE Championship for the ninth time in his career and for the first time at The Show of Shows.
#1 Asuka didn't main event WrestleMania
2018's WrestleMania was the first one to hold both a male and a female Royal Rumble winner, thanks to the very first Women's Royal Rumble match taking place that year. One of the 30-participants in the match was "The Empress of Tomorrow" Asuka. Entering at number 23, she eliminated a total of three stars before winning the match and creating history. With her victory, Asuka chose to face Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania.
While it was rumored that Flair's dominating title reign and Asuka's illustrious undefeated streak might land the two women in the main event of The Show of Shows, nothing as such happened. The Universal TItle matchup between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns was instead given the main event spot. Ultimately, the SmackDown Title match between Flair and Asuka was put much earlier on the card.
Although The Queen's victory over The Empress of Tomorrow at WrestleMania was questioned by many critics, the two women were still successful in delivering a match that prompted fans in attendance to give them a rousing ovation for their efforts.
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
