10 Most Disappointing Surprises In WWE Royal Rumble History

6. Jim Duggan (2012)

Kane Drew Carey
WWE Network

There’s such thing as “too many surprise entrants,” and the 2012 Rumble proves it. Of the match’s 30 participants, 8 were unannounced special guests, and while wrestlers like Kharma provided some fun moments, the rest largely sucked. All three members of the announce team entered the match (we’ll get to that), and while they were definitely the match’s most questionable entrants, Jim Duggan wasn’t far behind.

The then 58-year-old entered at number 19, and lasted just 57 seconds before Cody Rhodes bundled him out of the ring. It was an entirely pointless escapade, and while Hacksaw’s always good for a quick pop, that’s about it. Like so many others in the 2012 Rumble, he came out for nostalgia and nostalgia alone.

WWE are so overstocked with wrestlers these days that they’ll struggle to decide who to omit in 2017. It’d be an atrocious idea, but if they really wanted to, they could run a 60-man Rumble next year. In 2012, they may as well have gone with a 20-man match. The match was so overstocked with non-wrestlers and novelty acts that it completely devalued the whole affair, and Sheamus’ eventual victory felt like a disappointment.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.