5 Times a Royal Rumble winner didn’t main event WrestleMania
Every year a total of 30 Superstars enter the Royal Rumble match, but only one of them can win and go to the biggest pay-per-view of the year, WrestleMania, to face a champion of their choosing. Over the years, many stars have managed to win Rumble, but only some of them have been successful in main eventing WM.
Even though it seems a bit unfair, and you might not agree with it, WWE officials, especially Vince McMahon, had a pretty good reason to put Rumble winners earlier on the card and give their main event spot to some other Superstars.
In this list, let's see a few Royal Rumble winners and the reason why they didn't main event WrestleMania. Without further ado, let's get started.
#5 Edge didn't main event WrestleMania
In 2009, Edge and Chris Jericho formed a surprising alliance and won the WWE Tag Team Championships together. However, before the two men could defend the gold, Edge tore a tendon in one of his legs during a match.
There is no doubt Edge's injury was just an accident, and something of that sort could happen to anyone. However, for some reason, Y2J found that hard to believe and labeled "The R-Rated Superstar" too soft as well as of no use.
Jericho's bad remarks about Edge failed to keep "The R-Rated Superstar" down. Instead, they gave Edge the boost that he needed. While Edge was expected to stay away from in-ring action for almost a year, he made his return in less than eight months as a surprise entrant in the 2010 Royal Rumble match.
Entering at number 29, Edge first eliminated his former tag team partner Jericho and then John Cena to win the first Rumble of his career. With his win, Edge vowed to take revenge on Jericho for mocking him for his injury and challenged Y2J for his newly won WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.
Unfortunately, "The R-Rated Superstar" did not beat Jericho for the gold at WM, nor did he get to perform in the main event of the pay-per-view. The reason being, the spot was given to The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels' matchup.
Nonetheless, Edge has not had a chance to perform in the closing match of WrestleMania since WrestleMania XXIV where he fell to The Undertaker. He might get another one now as he's the 2021 Royal Rumble winner and is scheduled to face Roman Reigns (or Daniel Bryan) for the Universal Championship at WM.