15 Best WWE Royal Rumbles Ever

14. Royal Rumble 2009

For several consecutive years, there was a pattern to the booking of Rumble matches. 2009 seemed to be the year that threw out the established playbook. Perhaps Pat Patterson stopped helping? He had been brought into the fold to help piece together Rumble matches since their inception. '09 did not have the feel of a Patterson Rumble. The biggest difference was the sheer number of superstars who filled the ring without a mass elimination spree. Arguably, eliminations are what keep the match interesting, so not employing it as frequently was a risk. To some, it paid off. To others, it was a step down from previous years. To nearly everyone, though, it was another highly entertaining version of the gimmick. It was surely fascinating to see so many people piled into the ring. Randy Orton and his Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase) had very notable performances, with Orton winning the match with their help by last eliminating Triple H. Orton and Trips were in for nearly 50-minutes apiece. Along with Rey Mysterio, they were the MVPs of the match. Mysterio's work with John Morrison in the early stages set a great tone, the story between Trips and Orton carried much of the Rumble, and the rest of the bout was sprinkled with enough top stars to keep things fresh despite the lack of eliminations to break up the monotony.