10 Times WWE Got The Royal Rumble Winner Wrong
1. Mr. McMahon (1999)
WWE’s insistence on pushing their authority figures to the forefront remains one of the fanbase’s biggest complaints. The McMahons and Triple H are comfortable the most consistently pushed performers in the company, and it continues in 2017, with Stephanie taking-up more airtime than most of Raw’s wrestlers.
It was at least semi-justifiable in the Attitude Era, however, when Vince McMahon vs. Steve Austin was wreslting’s hottest feud. The rivalry not only put Stone Cold over as a legendary anti-authority rebel, but its success helped steer WWE through the Monday Night Wars’ choppy waters, and without it, there’s a strong chance WWE wouldn’t be here today.
Regardless, nothing excuses Vince McMahon winning the Royal Rumble. Him entering the match was fine, and the training skits with him and his son Shane produced some genuinely hilarious television in the lead-up. Vince was entering at number two to prevent Austin from winning the match, and he was doing everything he could to ensure he was successful.
Most of the match saw Vince sit outside the ring and hide from the rampaging Austin. Just when Stone Cold thought he’d won the match, however, Vince returned to the match and tossed him out. It’s one of the most shockingly vain booking decisions that he has ever made, and it proved pointless in the long-run. Vince declined the opportunity to face his Corporate champion The Rock at WrestleMania, and Stone Cold headlined the show regardless.