The Royal Rumble remains a beloved WWE institution, yet there were two iterations in the 2010s so poorly received that they nearly killed the gimmick for good.
Cinematically playing out like a poor original and an even worse sequel, the back-to-back battle royals told the stories of two men, and one increasingly agitated audience.
In 2014, Daniel Bryan was knee-deep in the run of his life, but as noted, WWE weren't really booking it. Bryan was irrefutably the top star in the entire company, with an ethos and chant that had galvanised the "WWE Universe" and confidently commanded a position in the WrestleMania XXX main event.
Many logically felt the Rumble would be the place do it, but when he wasn't even afforded a place in the contest, the disdain landed on the broad shoulders of eventual winner Dave Batista. Big Dave (along with Rey Mysterio, of all heroes) was booed out of the building despite his recent return as a conquering hero. Shield member Roman Reigns was runner up that year, and received a positive response if only as an alternative to 'The Animal'. How quickly times would change....
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
