7 Times WWE Changed The Rules To The Royal Rumble Match
1. You Can’t Be Eliminated By Losers – 1996
Some superstars take their eliminations during the Royal Rumble match with dignity and grace, while others can sometimes have issues bottling up their emotions. The Undertaker, Kane, and even Muhammad Hassan were all wrestlers who couldn’t simply walk back to the locker room after being knocked over the top rope. Instead, each one of them took out their frustrations on other competitors.
Such is a common scene during the annual event, and unfortunately, it can lead to a performer being robbed of their big WrestleMania opportunity... unless their name is Shawn Michaels.
After he conjured John Cena-like superhuman powers, ‘The Showstopper’ managed to remove both Yokozuna and Vader from the 1996 Rumble match. Vader, however, could not accept the defeat during his WWE debut and returned to the ring to lash out on Michaels. Whether a botch or not, Big Van gorilla pressed him over the top rope and to the floor.
Whereas this sort of elimination stands typically in WWE, ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ was allowed to re-enter the bout. Furthermore, he went on to win the entire shabang.