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What's the story?
There are many phrases you can use to describe the Royal Rumble Match. Unpredictable. Exciting. Dramatic. There is one phrase that is used every year, and it fits completely, "it's all about the numbers." On Tuesday, the WWE released their "by the numbers" video ahead of Sunday's Royal Rumble pay per view.
In case you didn't know...
The first Royal Rumble Match took place on January 24, 1988. It wasn't on pay per view, but part of a special on the USA Network. Only 20 WWE Superstars were in this match, and the winner would be "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan.
The heart of the matter...
The video begins with a few of the iconic moments in Royal Rumble Match history, including Shawn Michaels skinning the cat in 1995, John Cena's major surprise return from injury in 2008, and AJ Styles making his debut in 2016.
This year's video breaks down the following numbers:
- 30 - The number of entrants in the Royal Rumble Match
- 2 - The number of feet that have to hit the floor to eliminate a WWE Superstar
- 1988 - The year the very first Royal Rumble Match occurred
- 900 - The number of WWE Superstars to enter the Royal Rumble Match
- 240,292 - The total weight of those 900 WWE Superstars
- 120 - The number of tons of that total weight
- 3 - The number of semi trucks that equal that weight
- 97% - The percentage of the 900 WWE Superstars who've been eliminated
- 867 - The total number of WWE Superstars eliminated from the Royal Rumble Match
- 43 - The record of eliminations by one WWE Superstar, Kane
- 12 - The record of eliminations in one Rumble, held by Roman Reigns
- 52 - The number of WWE Hall Of Famers who have entered the Royal Rumble Match
- 9 - The number of those WWE Hall Of Famers to win the Royal Rumble Match
- 6 - The number of WWE Superstars to win the Royal Rumble Match twice
- 3 - The most Royal Rumble Match victories by one WWE Superstar, Steve Austin
- :01 - The shortest time in the Royal Rumble Match, held by Santino Marella
- 6 - The number of WWE Superstars to last over an hour in the Royal Rumble Match
- 62:12 - The longest time spent in one Royal Rumble Match, held by Rey Mysterio
- 4:52:12 - The most cumulative time spent in the Royal Rumble Match, held by Chris Jericho
- 27 - The entrant with the most Royal Rumble Match victories
- 4 - The number of WWE Superstars to start #1 or #2 and win the Royal Rumble Match
As you can see, there are many iconic numbers that are associated with the Royal Rumble Match. This Sunday in Philadelphia, some of those numbers will change, and a new set of numbers will be created as for the women will have a Royal Rumble Match for the first time.
What's next?
The 2018 Royal Rumble pay per view is just a few days away when it takes place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition to the two Royal Rumble Matches, AJ Styles will defend the WWE Championship against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in a handicap match, and Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE Universal Championship in a triple threat match against Kane and Braun Strowman.
Author's take...
It's always fun to take a look at these numbers every year, and the WWE does a tremendous job putting together this video every year.
It will be a very fun and interesting Royal Rumble pay per view this year with the uncertainty of the men's match and the first time the women have their own Royal Rumble Match.
