10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 2004 Facts
7. Bradshaw's Rumble Appearance Led To An Unlikely First
Not quite JBL just yet, Bradshaw entered the 2004 Royal Rumble dishing out one Clothesline from Hell after another. He was then muscled over the ropes by Benoit, after his whirlwind appearance lasted just 38 seconds.
Five months later, now remade as an arrogant tycoon, JBL won the WWE Championship from Eddie Guerrero at the Great American Bash. To date, Bradshaw is the only man in WWE history to be the first one eliminated from the Royal Rumble, and then become WWE Champion later in the same calendar year.
There have been some notable stars that have been the first Rumble elimination, including Ted Dibiase (1992), Bob Backlund (1996), Shawn Michaels (2003), Ric Flair (2007), and The Miz (2015). None of them, however, having managed John Layfield's rare feat.