4 Things that have only happened once in WWE Royal Rumble matches
WWE Royal Rumble matches are extremely entertaining thanks to their rules. The 30-person over-the-top-rope elimination match becomes even more exciting when a fan favorite comes close to winning the contest.
Over the years, many big names have done the unthinkable to win the gimmick match. Some have even gone on to create some records while doing so.
Meanwhile, some rare occurrences have made certain Rumble matches even more entertaining and memorable. These occurrences allowed WWE to showcase what some superstars are capable of in the ring.
Let's look at four things that have only happened once in WWE Royal Rumble matches:
#4. The 40-man Royal Rumble
WWE fans would likely remember the Greatest Royal Rumble that was held in Saudi Arabia in 2018. The Greatest Royal Rumble Match saw 50 participants enter the ring in hopes of winning the contest.
Braun Strowman outlasted 49 other men to win the match and the trophy and title that were never seen again. In 2011, the Men's Royal Rumble Match format saw a big change.
Instead of the traditional 30-man match, fans got a 40-man over-the-top-rope elimination match in 2011. It was the first time that 40 men competed in the iconic gimmick match to earn a shot at a world title at WrestleMania.
Alberto Del Rio won the match after eliminating just two superstars.
#3. Mick Foley entered the 1998 WWE Royal Rumble thrice
Mick Foley is arguably the greatest WWE entertainer of all time. He played every single character to perfection during The Attitude Era.
In the 1998 Royal Rumble, Foley decided to have some fun and try his luck more than once. To make this possible, he entered the contest as Cactus Jack as the first superstar. After being eliminated by Chainsaw Charlie, the Hardcore legend entered the contest as Mankind at number 16, only to be eliminated by Goldust.
He did not stop there and entered the match for a third time as Dude Love at No. 28. The veteran was eliminated by Faarooq, who finally shattered his 1998 Rumble dreams.
It’s the first and only time when a superstar has entered the same Men's Rumble three times under different characters. The match was eventually won by Stone Cold Steve Austin.
#2. Nia Jax became the first woman to eliminate a man in WWE
In 1999, Chyna entered the Men’s Rumble to turn a few heads. Her stay in the match wasn’t too long, as Stone Cold Steve Austin tossed her over the rope with ease.
Fast forward to 2019, Nia Jax decided to one-up Chyna in the Men’s Rumble. She was unsuccessful in the 30-woman match after being eliminated by Becky Lynch, who ultimately won the contest.
The Irresistible Force attacked R-Truth, who was supposed to be the number 30 entrant in the Men’s Royal Rumble, and took his spot in the match. Jax lasted over three minutes in the contest and even eliminated Mustafa Ali before being thrown over the top rope by Rey Mysterio.
It’s the only instance of a woman eliminating a man from the Men’s Rumble Match.
#1. Brock Lesnar went on a rampage in 2020
Having full trust in his brute force, Brock Lesnar entered the 2020 Men's Rumble as the first entrant despite holding a world title. The Beast was confident that no one could match him and eliminate him from the ring.
He proved himself by absolutely decimating the first 13 entrants after him. The former UFC star took his opponents out one by one to score 13 consecutive eliminations in the match.
No other superstar has consecutively eliminated so many superstars from the 30-man over-the-top-rope elimination match. It truly showed what Paul Heyman's former client is capable of in the ring.