10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 2006 Facts
5. Rey Mysterio Set The New Longevity Mark
Triple H and Rey Mysterio, the first two entrants into the 2006 Rumble match, were clearly gearing up for a long stay. Through the first 12 or 13 entries into the match, Helmsley and Mysterio spent quite a bit of time laying around, conserving their strength. Even lesser-savvy viewers could figure they would probably be in there close to the end.
Both of them made the final three, with Mysterio winning after an elapsed time of one hour, two minutes, and 12 seconds. That eclipsed Chris Benoit's 2004 performance by a full 41 seconds, giving Mysterio a duration title that he holds to this day.
The 2006 Rumble match is the only time in which two different men breached the one-hour mark. Helmsley is one of only three men, as of 2018, that lasted one full hour in the Rumble match without winning (Bob Backlund in 1993 and Chris Jericho in 2017 were the others).