The beginning of the year marks the time of year when WWE begins its Road to WrestleMania. The Royal Rumble kicks off the most important time of the year for WWE as the winner of the annual event earns a title shot at WrestleMania. The Royal Rumble tends to set up some legendary title reigns and matches that have shaped the companies storylines for the rest of that year if not for years to come. Let’s take a look at the five best Royal Rumble winners.
5. Bret Hart (1994)
The WWE had a decision to make heading into the 1994 Royal Rumble. Vince McMahon had been pushing Lex Luger as his newer version of Hulk Hogan. However, fans preferred Bret Hart to lead the company by giving him the loudest cheers at every show leading up to the event. McMahon hedged his bets with Luger and Hart both winning. Over time, it’s become clear McMahon should’ve listened to the fans and gone with Bret.
The Aftermath
The co-winner decision led to both Hart and then-WWF champion Yokozuna wrestling two matches at WrestleMania X. Yokozuna defeated Luger by disqualification in the first title match while Hart lost the opening match to his younger brother, Owen Hart. Bret defeated Yokozuna to begin his second WWF title reign. Bret and Owen led the way for the WWE for the next few years. Meanwhile, Luger struggled to maintain momentum before jumping ship to WCW in 1995.
4. Batista (2005)
Dave Batista won two Royal Rumbles in his career, and the fans’ differing reactions to the two wins tells you where he was as a winner each time. In his first win in 2005, he entered at number 28 and cleared house before setting up a showdown with John Cena. Both tumbled out of the ring and hit the floor at the same time, setting up a similar situation to 1994, only this one was accidental. The match was restarted, after Vince McMahon tore both of his quads getting in the ring, and Batista won setting up his eventual break from the Evolution faction and starting a feud with Triple H.
The Aftermath
Batista won his first World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania XXI. He remained a fixture in the main event scene as both a face and a heel before heading off to Hollywood where he became one of the top five WWE stars to make the jump to acting. Batista returned to WWE a few more times with mixed results. He wasn’t well received as one of the two time Royal Rumble winners that’s more famous for how the fans reacted. But, in 2005, fans wanted “the Animal” to win.
3. Shawn Michaels (1996)
Shawn Michaels won back-to-back Royal Rumbles and is one of the few two time winners who wasn’t a bad choice either time. Still, his 1996 win felt more earned than his 1995 win. While 1995 felt like he was one of a few viable contenders, in 1996, everything was lining up for him to win. The storytelling from the year before set him up as a triumphant babyface looking to complete his boyhood dream. It worked and set up a dream match for the WWF title at WrestleMania XII between Michaels and Bret Hart.
The Aftermath
Shawn Michaels defeated Hart for the WWF title but a lackluster title reign followed. In the 1990s, Michaels performed better as a heel than a face, and while WWF did a good job of building him up as a credible face challenger, he struggled as a credible face champion. He would lose and regain the title, drop it without defending it and have backstage issues with Bret Hart that led to the Montreal Screwjob. Michaels would then get hurt and drop the title to Stone Cold Steve Austin. He wouldn’t wrestle in a WWE ring again for four years until making a return in 2002. He worked through his personal issues and came back as one of the strongest babyfaces on the WWE roster.
2. Ric Flair (1992)
The unthinkable happened in 1991 when Ric Flair jumped from the NWA/JCP/WCW to WWF. Flair was built as a megastar who thought he was the Real World’s Champion (him still having physical possession WCW’s belt helped in that regard). Meanwhile, controversy surrounding two WWF title matches between Hulk Hogan and the Undertaker led to the title being put up for grabs in the 1992 Royal Rumble. WWF decided to put the title on Flair, and he put on the performance of a lifetime as he lasted more than an hour, setting the iron man record, and winning the match from the number three position.
The Aftermath
Given how big of stars Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan were in the 1980s, it seemed like destiny the two would face off for the title at WrestleMania VIII. But Vince McMahon decided to go another route. Flair defended the title against Macho Man Randy Savage in an excellent match where Savage won his second WWF title. Flair stuck around WWF for another year before returning to WCW in 1993. He rejoined WWF following the closure of WCW.
1. Stone Cold Steve Austin (1998)
Stone Cold Steve Austin won the match three times making him the rarest of all Royal Rumble winners. However, his best tenure as winner came in 1998. WWF built up Stone Cold amazingly well in 1997 following his WrestleMania 13 match with Bret Hart, Stone Cold was the favorite to headline the next WrestleMania. Stone Cold won his second consecutive Royal Rumble, this one without shenanigans to cement his future as the brightest star in WWE.
The Aftermath
Stone Cold Steve Austin won the WWF title at WrestleMania 14 and became the most profitable champion in WWE history. He ushered in another boom period for WWE and had amazing feuds with the Rock, the Undertaker, Kane, Triple H and, most importantly, Mr. McMahon. Stone Cold went from one of the most prolific Royal Rumble winners to become a major reason the WWF won the Monday Night War.
Those are my picks. Who do you think are some of the best Royal Rumble winners?
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