Ranking EVERY WWE Royal Rumble Match - From Worst To Best
9. 2023 Men's
The 2023 men’s Royal Rumble is best remembered for one monumental thing: Dominik Mysterio beating up Rey Mysterio and entering the Rumble match wearing his old man’s mask.
While that was a brilliant bit of sh*thousery from Dirty Dom, clearly the 2023 men’s Rumble is memorably where Cody Rhodes made his triumphant return after a devastating pec tear nearly seven months earlier at Hell in a Cell.
That Rhodes return was advertised ahead of time, and it seemed for all intents and purposes that the Rumble would be a nailed-on win for the American Nightmare. While that did indeed come to pass, one other big story here was the beastly display of Gunther. Entering at #1, the Ring General dominated for a record-setting 1 hour 11 minutes 40 seconds, revisiting old foes and slapping the piss out of new faces, before being last eliminated by the victorious Cody.
Of course, one could argue a little with the presentation here - the heel Gunther putting in a battling, dogged performance from the #1 spot, the babyface Cody rocking up at #30 to nab the win - but the larger story was all about setting Rhodes on his way to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.
Away from Gunther and Cody, Ricochet and Logan Paul spectacularly clashed, Bobby Lashley’s elimination of Brock Lesnar reignited their rivalry, and Edge returned to renew his beef with the Judgment Day - complete with a Beth Phoenix spear on Rhea Ripley!