10 Greatest In-Ring Alliances In WWE Royal Rumble History
It may be every person for themselves, but it still pays to have a friend in the Rumble...
When the Royal Rumble rolls around each year, WWE makes sure to hammer home the idea that "it's every person for themselves." While annoying, the cliche is fitting in this instance, given the fact only one wrestler in each battle royal can secure a WrestleMania championship opportunity. By large, what fans see during the match is a group of competitors scrambling to toss each other over the top rope.
On occasion (aka annually), there will be a few wrestlers wise enough to use their past or current bonds with fellow competitors to get ahead in the Rumble match. After all, it's a lot easier to attempt an elimination while someone's watching your back (just make sure to keep an eye out for them, too).
Over the years, fans have witnessed several wrestlers team up to better position themselves in the Royal Rumble match. Some of them were storied allies, while others were merely competitors with a common enemy. Each alliance, however short-lived, created a memory nonetheless. Some of these temporary instances of teamwork sparked great feuds or friendships, while others were just a moment in time.
10. Kane & Big Show - 2015
It would be nearly impossible to discuss the 2015 Royal Rumble match without first mentioning Daniel Bryan.
Slightly better than the previous year, Bryan slipped his way into the battle royale, which kept Philadelphia happy for a moment. Unfortunately, someone backstage decided it was best to eliminate the fan-favourite early. Furious and feeling cheated, the fans took their wrath out on almost all of the performers who weren't named "Daniel Bryan."
Things only got worse once Kane and Big Show joined the Rumble. Already despised in their roles with The Authority, fans were begging for the giants to retire long before they stepped foot in the ring. Once they did, the outcome of Roman Reigns winning was clear, and the spectators started chanting for CM Punk and refunds.
To their credit, 'The Big Red Machine' and 'The World's Largest Athlete' did tremendous damage in the match, and Kane set the record for most career eliminations. WWE didn't make it easy on the two big men, though. It felt like there were moments of hope for the explicit purpose of crushing everyone's souls.
Once the choices were either Kane, Show, or Reigns, deafening "bullsh*t" chants filled the arena. A surprise appearance by The Rock couldn't even win over the live crowd, as the PPV went off the air with chants of mixed profanities and tweets about canceling the WWE Network.