10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 2002 Facts
3. Austin Was The First Man To Make 30 Eliminations
Austin's dominance in the six Rumble matches he was in (the last five in particular) includes three Rumble victories, and five Rumble final-fours, as noted. He also set a notable benchmark in the 2002 match, one that a select few have topped since.
Austin became the first man in Rumble match history to make 30 cumulative eliminations. Sitting on 29 eliminations headed into the match, Austin's elimination of Christian brought him past the mark. By match's end, he would sit at 36 all time.
The next wrestler to reach 30 eliminations wouldn't come until the 2007 Rumble match, when Shawn Michaels reached the plateau. His elimination of Randy Orton in the final four was what brought him to the benchmark number. The third to join the club was The Undertaker in 2008, once he threw out Santino Marella.