7 Last-Minute WWE PPV Replacements That Rocked 

7. Royal Rumble 2004 – Mick Foley

Let’s dispense right away with any suggestion that surprise entrants into the Royal Rumble should automatically count… unless they replaced a specific wrestler. For example, say the announcers at the 2008 Rumble were expecting Randy Orton, and instead John Cena’s music hit, replacing the Viper. That should count.

In 2004, the Royal Rumble was cruising along when Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was serving as Raw sheriff, discovered Test laid out backstage when he was supposed to enter the Rumble. Austin angrily ordered an unseen person who presumably had beaten up Test to take his spot in the match.

And then out came Mick Foley. The Hardcore Legend went after Randy Orton, who was in the midst of his “Legend Killer” gimmick. Foley clotheslined both men out of the ring, eliminating both. This set off a rivalry that included The Rock’s final WWE for nearly eight years at WrestleMania XX and culminated in his first word title win later that summer.

But it all gained steam with a vicious, gruesome feud with Foley.