We’re less than one week away from the 2017 Royal Rumble! Although it’s been around since 1988, the Rumble has gone through some changes.
In 1993, Yokozuna was the first winner of the battle royal to receive a main event title shot at Wrestlemania. With the brand extension introduced in mid-2002, the 30 entrants from 2003 to 2006 consisted of 15 wrestlers from both the Raw and SmackDown brands. At first, the winner of the match received a shot at their brand’s top champion. Starting in 2004, the Rumble winner had the option of challenging any brand’s champion. The brand extension returned in July 2016, and the winner of the Royal Rumble match will now receive a title opportunity for either SmackDown’s WWE World Championship or Raw’s WWE Universal Championship.
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In preperation for Sunday’s big event, we decided to help you “remember the rumble” by giving you five fun facts that may not show up on a WWE stat sheet.
WCW Represent!
Despite WCW going out of business in 2001, every Royal Rumble since has featured a former WCW Champion. 2017 will be no different as former champ, Goldberg, will be one of the heavy favorites to win it all.
Another WCW fun fact: a staggering 22 of the 30 entrants in the 1992 Royal Rumble would go on to work for WCW.
Champion in the Rumble
Hulk Hogan is the only man to win the Royal Rumble while holding the WWE title. Hogan won back to back Rumbles in 90 and 91 before the winner was awarded a Championship match at Wrestlemania. Also, every Royal Rumble has been won by an eventual or former WWE/WCW Champion or Hall of Famer.
Hope for the loser
From 2005 to 2010, the last wrestler eliminated from the Royal Rumble went on to also have a world title match at Wrestlemania. With the brand split, look for this booking strategy to come back into play this year.
The immovable object
It took more men to eliminate Viscera (eight in 2007) than any other Royal Rumble participant in history, breaking his own record from 1994, when it took 7.
Heartbreak Excellence
Shawn Michaels is the only superstar to have participated in Royal Rumble matches in the 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s and 2010’s. A two time Rumble winner, HBK has eliminated Marty Jannetty, Diesel, and Triple H from Royal Rumble matches—all former tag team partners of Michaels’.
