10 More Fascinating WWE WrestleMania Facts You Didn't Know
8. From 2006 To 2012, Only One Royal Rumble Winner Actually Main Evented WrestleMania: Randy Orton
Across the seven year stretch, nothing had changed with how the Royal Rumble match was sold. Jim Ross or Michael Cole or whoever would assure the audience that the match's winner would "headline WrestleMania." Granted, WWE's idea of 'headline' and 'main event' are diluted to the point where fans now think a WrestleMania can have four 'main events', which is entirely wrong.
Orton's 2009 Rumble win actually got him into the WrestleMania main event with Triple H, who has no problem ensuring himself the WrestleMania finale. In the six other years listed, that wasn't the case.
2006 featured Rey Mysterio working third from the close. 2007 saw Undertaker go on forth. In 2008, John Cena was third from the end. After Orton's example, Edge went on seventh out of ten matches in 2010. And finally, Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus actually opened WrestleManias 27 and 28.
So much for 'headlining', eh?