10 Greatest Performances In WWE Royal Rumble History
Underdogs, giants, and everything in-between.
The Royal Rumble is always one of the most hotly-anticipated events on the WWE calendar, and the company's definitive signature match. The past few years have been dragged down by predictability, but the Rumble always feels special, and much of that comes from the match's uniqueness.
In presenting this 30-man battle royal only once a year, WWE have preserved the Rumble's aura. It's the only night on the wrestling calendar that legitimately guarantees huge surprises and massive swerves, and while the winner is almost always a pre-established main eventer, surprise entrants, shocking debuts, and other big moments usually make-up for that.
As gigantic and all-encompassing as the Royal Rumble is, however, it is defined by individual performances. From rampaging giants to plucky underdogs, fans remember each Royal Rumble by its individual stories and standout performers. It's impossible to recall the 1992 Rumble without thinking about Ric Flair, and the same goes for Hulk Hogan in 1989, and countless others.
Each Rumble usually features at least one titanic showing, and whether their grit manifested as a swathe of eliminations or an hour-long Iron Man run, these wrestlers have become synonymous with the Royal Rumble itself. These are the performers that not only define the matches they starred in, but the event as a whole, and when this year's entrants take to the ring, it's these men that they'll be out to emulate.
Here are the 10 greatest individual Royal Rumble performances in WWE history.
10. Bob Backlund (1993)
Nobody expected much from Bob Backlund in the 1993 Royal Rumble. The former WWE Champion left the company in 1984, and seemed out of place when he returned in 1992. Most fans didn’t even remember who he was, and Backlund’s old-fashioned wrestling style and persona didn’t mesh with the bright, colourful characters that had risen through the Rock ‘n Wrestling Connection Era.
Backlund largely wrestled as a midcarder in the run-up to the Royal Rumble, then shockingly put in one of the most memorable performances of all-time. Entering at number two, most people thought Backlund would hang around for just a couple of minutes before being tossed by one of the match’s bigger names, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. Backlund lasted a record 61 minutes and 10 seconds, eliminating Rick Martel and Fatu along the way.
It was a great comeback story for Backlund, whose gutsy performances earned him a significant push up the card. Outlasting the likes of Mr. Perfect, The Undertaker, and Ted DiBiase, Backlund finished third overall, and shot himself back to prominence, even earning himself another run as WWE Champion the following year. The reign lasted just three days, of course, but we won’t hold that against him...