10 Most Underrated WWE Royal Rumble Performers

This one may seem like a bit of a copout, because technically Bret Hart was named co-winner of the 1996 Royal Rumble alongside Lex Luger. But that same distinction often works against the Hitman in recognising his Royal Rumble accomplishments.

That watered-down “co-winner” tag prevents Hart from being listed amongst the all-time Rumble greats like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels or Hulk Hogan, who each won the contest outright.

Plus, many might claim that Bret himself deserves one of those wins that Austin racked up; the 1997 Rumble saw Bret eliminate the eventual winner Austin, but crucially the referees didn’t see it. Quickly returning to the action unnoticed, Austin eventually dumped out Bret for the finale to steal the victory for himself.

It all makes Bret something of a nearly-man in the Rumble, despite the solidity of his record. Each of his appearances in the match have lasted at least 15 minutes, and he clocked in with a longer time than anyone else in 1988—the debut edition of the Rumble. As the match’s original ironman, you could easily argue he’s worthy of being placed on the same pedestal as outright winners like Austin and company.