10 Dumbest Royal Rumble Participants In WWE History

3. The Undertaker

Kane Royal Rumble 2001
WWE Network

The Undertaker is one of the most important superstars in WWE history, and a benchmark against which all other wrestlers are measured. Nobody can match his aura and mystique, and when he retires, he’ll have secured his own unique place in history.

He’s also one of the most ineffective Royal Rumble performers of all time.

‘Taker won the 2007 match, but this should be considered a miracle given his track record. His Rumble ineptitude started with a horrendous performance in 2002 that saw him start by preventing Al Snow and Rikishi from eliminating Goldust, then opting to Last Ride Matt Hardy inside the ring rather than over the top rope.

One of the worst moments of his career quickly followed. Both Hardy Boyz re-entered the ring after ‘Taker had eliminated them, but The Deadman quickly fought them off. Unfortunately, he spent just a little too long gloating to them on the outside, and the rookie Maven snuck up behind and eliminated ‘Taker with a swift dropkick.

If the Maven incident wasn’t bad enough, ‘Taker repeated the act in 2003. He’d just fought-off a chair-wielding Batista and took his eye off the ball again, allowing Brock Lesnar to throw him out and win the match.

2008 saw the theme continue. The Undertaker had Shawn Michaels over his shoulders at one point, but decided not to throw him over. He repeated the act with Batista, and in 2009, ‘Taker landed on the apron after a failed elimination attempt, only to get distracted by Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, allowing Big Show to pull him from the apron.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.