10 Worst WWE Royal Rumble Winners Ever
2. Alberto Del Rio (2011)
Alberto Del Rio revealed himself to be a nasty piece of work in the years subsequent to his Royal Rumble win, but don’t let the fact that he’s awful get in the way of the truth: he was an over-pushed wrestler who only won the Royal Rumble because he was a project of Vince McMahon’s, and times were rather desperate.
Del Rio was telegenic, he had a good, loathsome heel face, and was well-liked. That was it; a wrestler whose floor was identical to the ceiling, Del Rio’s matches weren’t great, nor were they awful, that wretchedly contrived double foot stomp aside. WWE, in the late 2000s/early 2010s, was in an awful position.
An awful, self-inflicted position; Vince didn’t think the acclaimed indie guys of the time had the look, and he knew that the in-house developmental wrestlers were nowhere near ready. Del Rio - a handsome guy who could go to a decent level within WWE’s parameters - was a compromise.
He went on to beat Edge for the World Heavyweight title in an unremarkable opener - he did not, in fact, “main event WrestleMania” - and was given yet more title reigns as the next couple of years unfolded.
He did nothing with them. He was a gentlemen’s three of a wrestler.
Without that gentlemen’s part, obviously.