Ranking All 34 WWE Royal Rumble Winners

15. John Cena – 2008

WrestleMania title shot: Used it at No Way Out unsuccessfully; Lost triple threat title match at WrestleMania 24

John Cena’s surprise return at the 2008 Royal Rumble is still one of the all-time best moments in Rumble history. When Cena can get Madison Square Garden to cheer him without pandering, you know it’s an awesome moment.

Unfortunately, Cena couldn’t wait until WrestleMania 24 for his title shot and challenged WWE Champion Randy Orton at No Way Out. Orton got himself disqualified to keep the title, but Cena was inserted into a triple threat title match at Mania along with Triple H. In the end, Orton took out Triple H and pinned a prone Cena to retain.

Cena would go on to capture four world titles in 2008-09 alone, so it’s safe to say he recovered from this setback. But his Rumble return alone was a huge success.