4 Royal Rumble winners WWE possibly wants you to forget about
The Royal Rumble match may be the most beloved concept in wrestling history. Add the privileges granted to the winner, and it's no wonder January is the most highly-anticipated month on the WWE calendar.
As such, WWE also tends to celebrate the occasion to their fullest, playing back past Royal Rumble matches and revisiting its most memorable moments. However, the company goes about some Rumbles adroitly and carefully because it doesn't want the fan base to remember the winners of the eventual bouts.
On that note, let's look at four Royal Rumble winners WWE possibly wants you to forget about.
#4. Alberto Del Rio won the 2011 Men's Royal Rumble match
Alberto Del Rio was once primed to become a mega superstar in WWE. The Mexican Aristocrat received a sizeable push within months of his arrival on the main roster in 2010.
The height of his push saw him outlast 39 other men in the 2011 Rumble match to book a date with Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 27. Unfortunately, Del Rio was unsuccessful at The Show of Shows.
Despite the loss, the 2011 Rumble winner went on to have a noteworthy WWE career as he became a multi-time World Champion and United States Champion. However, his relationship with the company soured on far too many occasions.
Del Rio was released for unprofessional conduct in August 2014. His departure was short-lived as he returned a year later at Hell in a Cell in October 2015 to defeat John Cena.
This time around, things weren't much different as he departed from the company in less than a year of his return.
Over the next few years, Del Rio would garner a reputation as a controversial figure, which has further distanced him from the spotlight. As such, his monumental Rumble victory is held in low regard.
#3. Roman Reigns
Although he is the biggest star in the industry today, Roman Reigns was heavily resented during his initial rise to the top of the WWE mountain. The resentment peaked in Wells Fargo Center in January 2015 when Vince McMahon booked Reigns to win the Rumble.
Philadelphia was notorious for being a vocal and aggressive crowd, but this was exceptional. Daniel Bryan, the red-hot babyface favorite, was eliminated unceremoniously early from the match by Bray Wyatt. The Big Dog entered the fray a few minutes later, and WWE's intentions were crystal clear.
However, Philly was in no mood to witness the birth of a new top star, for they wanted Bryan to complete his fairytale story again. Except for a few popular superstars, Wells Fargo Center openly booed every subsequent star from the building.
The resistance grew so loud that WWE had massive fan-favorite, The Rock, run down to save his cousin, Reigns, from a post-match assault from Big Show and Kane. That didn't help matters because The Brahma Bull was booed, too.
Although fans and Reigns have come a long way since, The Tribal Chief would want to forget that fateful night in Philly, as would the WWE management.
#2. Batista won his second Royal Rumble in 2014
After losing an "I Quit" match to John Cena in May 2010, Batista left WWE. Four years later, The Animal would return home to right some wrongs from the past and reinsert himself into the history books.
Unfortunately for the now-famous Hollywood star, his return coincided with the rise of The Yes Movement, led by an overwhelmingly popular Daniel Bryan, who had virtually every fan in the wrestling world behind him in full throttle.
Batista was due to return to in-ring action in the 2014 Men's Royal Rumble match. The Animal was expecting a warm welcome, but instead, the live crowd showered the legend with a chorus of boos.
This was done because WWE unwisely kept Bryan, who had lost to Bray Wyatt earlier, out of the match. To get an idea of the opposition, Pittsburgh vociferously booed Rey Mysterio, an all-time fan favorite with very few critics, out of the building because The Yes Man was kept out of the loop.
The resistance against Batista, who eliminated Reigns to win the bout, was so strong that WWE had to turn him heel a few weeks in advance. Although Bryan eventually won the World Titles at WrestleMania 30, his roaring success came at the expense of the returning Animal.
Batista's entire second WWE run was forgettable, especially his Royal Rumble victory. Fortunately, he retired on his terms with a No Holds Barred match against Triple H at WrestleMania 35.
#1. Chris Benoit
This name is only familiar to hardcore wrestling fans who watched WWE in the early 2000s. Chris Benoit, a technically gifted athlete, was primed to become a massive superstar in WWE, potentially eclipsing John Cena and Randy Orton.
However, a controversial double murder-suicide case put a massive blemish on his legacy, and WWE has effectively black-listed the talented technician from their history books. As such, his remarkable Royal Rumble victory in 2004 has been erased from history.
Benoit entered the bout at Number One and went the distance, last eliminating Big Show to win the Royal Rumble. He also set the longevity record for the most time spent in the 30-man melee, but Rey Mysterio would reset the history books two years later.
The promotion does not recognize his victory due to dubious circumstances that surrounded his untimely death. Out of all the entries in this list, fans will most likely never hear about this on WWE television.