10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 2011 Facts
3. Alex Riley Was Accidentally Eliminated Too Early
Some people wonder, "What happens in a Royal Rumble match if somebody is eliminated before their time?" Well, if that person was due to play an instrumental role at key points later on in the match, improvisation is required.
Though it's certainly a rare occurrence, such an inadvertent elimination took place in 2011, when young Alex Riley was unable to remain hooked during a visual elimination attempt. This wasn't good, because Riley was supposed to help facilitate John Cena's elimination late in the match.
Even the commentators didn't even realize that Riley had accidentally tumbled out. Several minutes after it happened, Michael Cole and the gang openly asked where Riley was. The referees had to communicate with the wrestlers in-ring to let them know of the sudden hole in the plan. The Plan B was to have Riley return to distract Cena while The Miz (doing guest commentary) ran in and tossed him.