12. Jerry "The King" Lawler
Like Owen Hart earlier in this countdown, Jerry Lawler is not a competitor likely to appear on too many "worst" lists. The Royal Rumble is an exception, though. The 2007 Hall of Famer is recognizable for many accomplishments, and has had his greatness professed countless times, but his appearances in the Rumble match are hardly the stuff of legend. The King made his Rumble debut in 1993, just weeks after joining World Wrestling Entertainment. His 14 minutes of ring time in that year's bout would mark his lengthiest run in the match. It would, in fact, be all downhill from there. In 1996, Lawler would officially last 36 minutes in the match, but a substantial portion of that time was spent hiding under the ring. By the time Shawn Michaels entered the match, Lawler's time was up. Ol' HBK pulled The King from his sanctuary and eliminated him, ending any chance the veteran competitor had of headlining that year's Royal Rumble match. One year later, a straight right hand from Bret "Hitman" Hart sent Lawler sailing over the top rope four seconds after he entered. It was an emphatic statement made by Hart about his longtime rival's Rumble track record. Some 15 years later, Lawler would return to the match for one last shot at glory, entering at No. 12. Unfortunately, the Memphis icon was eliminated after just 43 seconds, cementing his status as one of the most underwhelming Rumblers ever.
Erik Beaston
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Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
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