The Undertaker put the entire WWE on notice last night on RAW when he announced that he would be entering the 2017 Royal Rumble with intentions to go on to main event Wrestlemania.
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Many fans and insiders have the 51 year old Taker pegged as one of the odds-on-favorites to win the 2017 Rumble. While he is a sentimental pick, Taker’s Rumble past has been quite checkered.
In 26 years, the Deadman has competed in nine Rumble matches, winning the event only one time. The reason for this is two fold. Recently, Taker’s return to the WWE has been saved for Wrestlemania while many other years, he was featured in the singles matches main events at the Rumble.
Taker has eliminated several Hall of Famers in his Rumble past, but has also been eliminated by some very forgettable superstars as well. Before we begin to predict how The Phenom will do in this year’s Rumble, click through the slides to look back at the complete Royal Rumble history of The Undertaker!
1991
The Phenom’s first year in the Rumble was a fairly brief one. Entering at number twelve and lasting only 14:16, Taker made three eliminations before becoming the ninth man to be eliminated when Animal and Hawk of the Legion of Doom took the Deadman over the ropes.
1992
The 1992 Royal Rumble was unique in that the winner would be crowned the WWE champion. Ric Flair entered at number three and lasted an astounding 1:00:02 to win the vacant championship.
The Undertaker entered this infamous Rumble at number 20, lasting 13:51 seconds before Hulk Hogan sent him packing with only one elimination.
1993
Perhaps one of the biggest travesties in WWE history happened at the 93 Rumble. Taker entered at number 15 and lasted only 4:14 before he was eliminated by Giant Freaking Gonzalez! What makes this even worse is that Gonzalez wasn’t even the match.
Oh, and that he was wearing a full, nude, spandex body suit complete with weird genital hair.
Undertaker notched four eliminations before he left.
2001
Getting eliminated by Giant Gonzalez apparently scarred The Undertaker so badly that it would be seven years before he would enter the Rumble again. In 2001, Taker returned to the Rumble match as the American Bad Ass. He entered at number 25 and coincidentally became the 25th man eliminated after only 10:45 when he was taken out by Rikishi of all people. He managed four eliminations before he exited.
No wonder he didn’t want to be in this stupid battle royal.
2002
As if getting eliminated by Giant Gonzalez and Rikishi wasn’t bad enough, The Undertaker’s 2002 Rumble may have been even worse. Once again the biker version of Taker, he entered at number 8, but was famously eliminated by former Tough Enough star, Maven after only 7:40.
Taker did manage to eliminate 7 people before he left.
2003
The final year of the Limp Bizkit loving, motorcycle riding Undertaker entering the Rumble happened in 03. Also, the long and storied rivalry between Taker and Brock Lesnar can be traced back to this very Royal Rumble, when the Deadman was eliminated by a young Beast Incarnate. Taker entered at number 30 and cleaned house in only 6:45; eliminating four other superstars (and Maven) before getting tossed by Lesnar.
2006
The Undertaker wasn’t actually in the 06 Rumble, but I feel like it’s important to note that he did show up at the end of Kurt Angle’s World Championship match with Mark Henry to make the ring collapse after striking it with lightning!
2007
The Undertaker’s one and only Royal Rumble victory came in 2007 when he entered at number 30 and, in 13:15, and eliminated three other superstars, including his Wrestlemania 25 and 26 rival, Shawn Michaels. Taker would go on to defeat Batista at Wrestlemania 23 that same year to become the World Champion.
2008
Shawn Michaels would have his Rumble revenge on The Undertaker in 2008, when the two icons would enter at number one and two. After 33:33 and three eliminations, Taker would be eliminated by HBK thus setting up their epic Wrestlemania encounter that would take place the following year.
2009
The Undertaker’s last Rumble appearance happened at the 09 Rumble, where the Phenom entered at number 16 and became one of the final four competitors. After 32:29 and three eliminations, Taker was eliminated by the Big Show, who had actually already been eliminated. Hey, at least it wasn’t Maven.
Summary
In his twenty six year career, The Undertaker has competed in nine Royal Rumble matches. He has spent a combined 124:43 in the Rumble, eliminating 32 other superstars and setting one ring on fire with a lightning strike!
If 2017 is the Deadman’s last ride (pun intended) into the 30 man battle royal, do you think he will be able to add another victory to his Rumble resume?
