When will the WWE finally pull the plug on Hornswoggle given that almost everything he has been involved in has met with collective groans from the company's fanbase? Having initially debuted as a mute leprechaun in 2006, he has been the company's final Cruiserweight Champion (damaging the legacy of a belt worn by the likes of Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio and Dean Malenko), Vince McMahon's supposed bastard son, the Anonymous Raw General Manager, a love interest for AJ Lee (who hasn't been at this point?) and a mascot for various performers, most recently Heath Slater and Titus O'Neil. It should therefore come as no surprise that the company sought to involve him in 2008's Royal Rumble match, which had a well-received beginning (The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels as the first two participants) and ending (John Cena returning at 30 months ahead of schedule). The middle was fairly lacklustre, however, typified by Hornswoggle entering at #9 and proceeding to hide under the ring before emerging to eliminate The Miz after twenty five minutes, which could've easily been used to showcase the talents of another performer. Mercifully, this prompted his own departure (though not elimination, even though he didn't return) from the match, as Finlay emerged from backstage to lead him away from an assault at the hands of Mark Henry and Big Daddy V. If that wasn't bad enough, Hornswoggle would once again feature in the 2011 match, which featured 40 men as opposed to the traditional 30. Though he only lasted ten minutes this time around before Sheamus put the audience out of their misery, he did remain in the ring for the entirety, and his run was the fourteenth-longest of the match. This meant that in terms of time spent between the ropes, he actually eclipsed eventual winner Alberto Del Rio (09:33), as well as the likes of Randy Orton (08:18), Jack Swagger (04:41), Dolph Ziggler (07:12), Mark Henry (07:04), Kane (01:36) and Booker T (01:08)...
