6 WWE Royal Rumble winners born outside the United States
WWE will put on one of its biggest events of the year - The Royal Rumble in St. Louis, Missouri on January 29. Thirty men and women will battle it out to win the coveted Royal Rumble Match and headline WrestleMania 38.
Over the years, a host of great home grown talent have won this esteemed competition with the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, John Cena and The Undertaker to name a few.
Having said this, there have also been superstars born outside the country who have ascended to glory in this match. In this article, we look at six Royal Rumble winners born outside the United States.
#6 Former World Heavyweight Champion - Chris Benoit
January 25th 2004. The late Chris Benoit won the Royal Rumble. Him & HBK are the only men to win the match when entering at No.1. #WWE https://t.co/iG5sMWD7Cx
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the late Chris Benoit was one of the most gifted technical wrestlers to step foot in the squared circle.
In the 2004 event, Benoit put on quite a showing. He outlasted 29 other superstars to win the coveted match. He started the bout from the #1 position which added to his triumph.
Eliminating the Big Show as the last competitor in the match, The Canadian Crippler soared to the main event at WrestleMania 20. He won the World Heavyweight Championship at the The Grandest Stage of Them All by beating Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a Triple Threat Match.
#5 Former three-time WWE United States Champion - Sheamus
2012 Royal Rumble winner, @WWESheamus, has declared for this year's match! #SmackDown https://t.co/NvYyHYedmw
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Sheamus is one of the most dominant forces in Vince McMahon's promotion.
The Celtic Warrior has achieved a number of accolades during his long WWE career. One of his most prestigious accomplishments was winning the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match in 2012.
The former United States Champion eliminated Chris Jericho as the last competitor that year. He then marched onto the main event at WrestleMania 28 beating Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The Celtic Warrior has already announced his participation in this year's event and will undoubtedly look to become a two-time Royal Rumble winner.