^A: The Royal Rumble match traditionally features 30 competitors, though some exceptions have been made in select matches.
TheRoyal Rumble match is aprofessional wrestling match based on the classicbattle royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the floor.[1][2] The match is typically the main event ofWWE's Januarypay-per-view and livestreaming event known as theRoyal Rumble. The winner of the event is the last wrestler remaining after all others have been eliminated.[1][3] The Royal Rumble match was created by wrestler andWWE Hall of FamerPat Patterson and was first staged at ahouse show in October 1987.[4]
The Royal Rumble differs from the classicalbattle royal as the contestants do not enter the ring at the same time, but instead are assigned entry numbers, usually via alottery, although desirable spots are occasionally assigned by other means, the most common being winning a match.[1] The match begins with the two wrestlers who have drawn entry numbers one and two, with the remaining wrestlers entering the ring at regular timed intervals, either 90 seconds or two minutes (60 seconds for the1995 event), according to their entry number.[1] This format is credited toPat Patterson.[6] To date, only six wrestlers who have been one of the starting two entrants have won the Royal Rumble:Shawn Michaels in1995,Vince McMahon in1999,Chris Benoit in2004,Rey Mysterio in2006,Edge in2021, andRhea Ripley in2023. (Michaels, Benoit, Edge, and Ripley were entrant number 1 while McMahon and Mysterio were number 2), while only five wrestlers who have been the final entrant won the Royal Rumble:The Undertaker in2007,John Cena in2008,Triple H in2016,Brock Lesnar in2022, andCody Rhodes in 2023. The most common number to win is 30, and 16 eventual winners entered at number 25 or later.
2010 Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match traditionally involves 30 wrestlers and usually lasts an hour (the2011 edition had a 40-man field). The2025 men's installment of the match was the longest, lasting one hour and 20 minutes while thefirst televised Rumble match in1988 involved only 20 men[7] and lasted 33 minutes of the two-hour broadcast.[8] The1998 match nominally had the traditional 30-man field, but only 28 individual wrestlers competed asMick Foley entered the Royal Rumble match three different times as three different gimmicks—first as Cactus Jack, then Mankind and finally Dude Love.[9] The 2018 Royal Rumble PPV was the first to include awomen's Royal Rumble match,[10] contested under the same rules as the men's match, including having 30 participants.[11][12]
According to the rules, participants are eliminated from the match if moved over the top rope and both feet touch the floor. Hence, a wrestler who exits the ring without going over the top rope is not eliminated from the contest. For example, during the1999 match, both McMahon and"Stone Cold" Steve Austin left the ring only to return later in the match.[13] Furthermore, a wrestler who only touches the floor with one foot is not eliminated from the match, a rule which greatly affected the 1995 match, allowing Michaels to re-enter the ring and win the match. Although he has not won a Royal Rumble match,Kofi Kingston has become synonymous with finding various ways to keep at least one of his feet from touching the floor.[14] In the1994 match, the last two participants (Bret Hart andLex Luger) were declared co-winners when officials were unable to determine whose feet touched the floor first.[15] Although this was the intended outcome, a similar situation occurred by a legitimate accident in2005, whenBatista and John Cena eliminated each other and hit the ground at exactly the same time. This time, the match was restarted.[16] Though various referees are charged with observing the match, some eliminations have gone unnoticed to allow the eliminated participants to sneak back into the ring to continue. Austin was able to re-enter the ring in this way and win the1997 match.[17]
Although eliminations are usually caused by active participants, eliminations caused by other means have been ruled legitimate, including self-eliminations (such asAndré the Giant after seeing asnake in1989,Mil Máscaras diving out of the ring from the turnbuckle in 1997,Kane in 1999, andPat McAfee in 2024, althoughRandy Savage's jump over the top rope in1992 was not ruled as self-elimination), elimination by previously eliminated participants (such asThe Undertaker eliminatingMaven in2002,Kurt Angle eliminating Michaels in 2005 orSonya Deville eliminatingNaomi in 2022) or non-participants (such asShane McMahon eliminating Shawn Michaels in 2006 andThe Miz eliminating John Cena in 2011). Furthermore, an injured wrestler can return to the ring as long as the match is still ongoing (such as Austin in 1999,Roman Reigns in 2016, andRandy Orton in 2021), but not if the match has already ended (such asSpike Dudley in 2004,Scotty 2 Hotty in 2005, andRey Mysterio in 2023) and can also be replaced by another wrestler (such as Mick Foley replacingTest in 2004,Erick Rowan replacingCurtis Axel in2015,Sami Zayn replacingTye Dillinger in2018,Nia Jax replacingR-Truth in 2019,Becky Lynch replacingLana in 2019 andIShowSpeed replacingAkira Tozawa in 2025).
Since 1993, the winner of the Royal Rumble match is traditionally awarded a title match for WWE'stop championship atWrestleMania—WWE currently promotes two main rosterbrands with a top championship for each and the winner can choose which championship to challenge for, regardless of the brand they belong to. For the men, that is theWorld Heavyweight Championship onRaw and theUndisputed WWE Championship onSmackDown.[18] Similarly, the winner of the women's Royal Rumble match (first contested in 2018) is awarded a match at WrestleMania for their choice of one of WWE's top women's championships: Raw'sWomen's World Championship, SmackDown'sWWE Women's Championship, or theNXT Women's Championship.[10][19] However, it has never been officially confirmed that a man or woman would be barred from challenging a different gender at WrestleMania. It has also not been confirmed, as of yet, if theNXT Championship is an eligible choice for the men's Royal Rumble match winner to face at WrestleMania.
With the firstbrand extension introduced in mid-2002, the 30 male entrants from2003 to 2006 consisted of 15 wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands, respectively. At first, the winner of the match received a shot for their brand's top championship, either theoriginal World Heavyweight Championship or the WWE Championship.[20] Starting in 2004, the Royal Rumble winner had the option of challenging for either brand's top championship. For instance,Chris Benoit switched from SmackDown to Raw after winning the 2004 event to challenge for Raw's top championship at the time.[18] From 2007 to2010, participants from theECW brand competed along with the Raw and SmackDown brands, with theECW Championship added as an option, although no winner ever chose it.[21] During ECW's participation, the entries for each brand were not evenly divided.[22] The ECW Championship was deactivated in 2010, leaving the two remaining titles until they were unified in December 2013 as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This singular option lasted until the brand extensions' return in 2016, which introduced the Universal Championship, as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship reverted to being called the WWE Championship. Like the first brand extension, the winner of the2017 event earned a match for their brand's top championship, the Universal Championship or WWE Championship, but beginning with the2018 event, the winner has a choice.NXT - WWE'sdevelopmental brand - was elevated to main roster status from September 2019 until September 2021, during that time NXT's top championships (theNXT Championship for men and theNXT Women's Championship for women) were also eligible choices. This ended when NXT reverted back to developmental status in September 2021, though in February 2025, the NXT Women's Championship became a eligible choice once more, but it is yet to be confirmed if the NXT Championship is as well. Since the return of the brand extension, the number of participants from each brand has not been evenly divided, as matches have also featured NXT wrestlers, as well has surprise entrants such asWWE Hall of Famers and/or debuting wrestlers.
WWE's top championship has been booked as on the line during the Royal Rumble match on two occasions. In 1992, the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship was contested in the Royal Rumble match, which was won byRic Flair,[23] while in 2016,Roman Reigns was scheduled to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship as a participant of that year's Royal Rumble match as entrant number one. This has thus far been the only time that a reigning champion had to defend his title in the match, which was ultimately won byTriple H, who eliminated Reigns before lastly eliminatingDean Ambrose to win; Reigns would earn a rematch against Triple H atWrestleMania 32 and won back the title. In 2008, ECW ChampionChavo Guerrero entered the Royal Rumble match as entrant number 26 before being eliminated by eventual winner John Cena. This was the first time in which a reigning world champion competed in the match in which the winner could challenge them. In2020, although he did not defend his title in the match, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar entered the Royal Rumble match as entrant number 1, feeling as if no one on any brand deserved to challenge him at either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania. Lesnar's participation was used as a way to set up his WrestleMania challenger, which ended up beingDrew McIntyre, who eliminated Lesnar, won the Rumble match and then challenged Lesnar for his title atWrestleMania 36. In 2022, although she did not defend her title in the match, SmackDown Women's ChampionCharlotte Flair entered the Royal Rumble match as entrant number 17, feeling as if no one on any brand deserved to challenge her at either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania. This was the first time in which a reigning women's champion competed in the match in which the champion could choose their opponent; Flair's participation was used as a way to set up her WrestleMania challenger, which ended up beingRonda Rousey, who eliminated Flair, won the Rumble match and then challenged Flair for her title atWrestleMania 38.
The Royal Rumble winner may also choose to put his championship opportunity on the line in a match. This was first done in 1996, when Shawn Michaels risked hisWrestleMania XII WWF Championship opportunity in a match againstOwen Hart atIn Your House 6. The second time was in 2002, when Triple H lost hisWrestleMania X8 Undisputed WWF Championship opportunity atNo Way Out toKurt Angle, but regained his spot in a rematch against Angle on the following episode ofRaw. The third time was in 2006, whenRandy Orton defeatedRey Mysterio atNo Way Out for Mysterio'sWrestleMania 22 World Heavyweight Championship opportunity, though Mysterio was reinserted into the title match, making it a triple threat match. The fourth time was on the February 25, 2013 edition ofRaw, where John Cena successfully defended hisWrestleMania 29 WWE Championship opportunity in a match againstCM Punk. The fifth time was in 2015 atFastlane, where Reigns defended hisWrestleMania 31 WWE World Heavyweight Championship opportunity againstDaniel Bryan. In a reverse case in 2008, John Cena decided that instead of waiting untilWrestleMania XXIV, he would use his world championship opportunity and challenge WWE Champion Orton at the precedingNo Way Out event, though won the match but not the title when Orton intentionally got himself disqualified; however, after Triple H became Orton's WrestleMania opponent, Cena earned another opportunity and was inserted into that championship match, making it a triple threat match. In another case in 2017, Randy Orton relinquished hisWrestleMania 33 WWE Championship opportunity after his stablemateBray Wyatt won the title, but later turned on Wyatt and reverted his decision; he then defeatedAJ Styles, who had become the new title challenger, to re-earn his title shot at WrestleMania.
Austin was declared the winner after eliminatingBret Hart. Hart had actually thrown Austin out of the ring moments earlier, but the officials at ringside were distracted and did not see it. WWF PresidentGorilla Monsoon refused to give Austin the WrestleMania title shot due to his actions; Austin and Hart, along withThe Undertaker andVader, would face off in an elimination match atIn Your House 13: Final Four. The winner was originally to face the WWF Champion at WrestleMania, butShawn Michaels relinquished the title just before the event; the match would instead be contested for the vacant WWF Championship, which was won by Hart. Hart would lose the championship toSycho Sid the night after winning it; Sid would, in turn, lose the title to The Undertaker at WrestleMania.
The following night onRaw Is War, Mr. McMahon relinquished his opportunity to challenge for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania and promised to name a replacement challenger at his discretion. However, WWF CommissionerShawn Michaels informed him that the rules stated that the runner-up in the Royal Rumble, in this case
The Rock was initially declared the winner after last eliminatingThe Big Show. However, Big Show produced a video replay that showed Rock's feet touch the floor before his; after trading victories in matches for the WrestleMania title match against WWF ChampionTriple H, it was decided initially that the three men would face off in atriple threat match for the title; this would lead to afatal four way match at WrestleMania afterMick Foley was added to the match. Triple H won after last eliminating Rock.
Triple H lost his WrestleMania X8 title shot toKurt Angle atNo Way Out. The following night onRaw, Triple H was given a rematch by WWF co-ownerRic Flair and defeated Angle to win his title shot back. Triple H went on to defeatChris Jericho to win theUndisputed WWF Championship at WrestleMania X8.
As a member of theSmackDown! brand, Lesnar earned a match for his own brand'sWWE Championship and defeatedKurt Angle to win the title; had Angle gotten counted out or disqualified, he would have lost the title per the stipulation.
Instead of waiting untilWrestleMania XXIV, Cena fromRaw used his championship shot atNo Way Out to challenge for his own brand'sWWE Championship. Cena defeated championRandy Orton by disqualification, thus Orton retained as titles do not change hands by disqualification unless stipulated. Cena would nevertheless challenge for the title at WrestleMania XXIV in atriple threat match also featuringTriple H, with Orton again retaining.
Orton won the Rumble as aRaw wrestler, but chose to challenge forSmackDown'sWWE Championship, but lost toTriple H; had Triple H gotten counted out or disqualified, he would have lost the title per the stipulation.
Cena chose to challenge for theWWE Championship and successfully defended his title shot againstCM Punk on the February 25 episode ofRaw. At WrestleMania 29, Cena defeatedThe Rock to win the title.
After months of feuding,Triple H agreed to faceDaniel Bryan at WrestleMania XXX, with the stipulation that whoever won would be inserted into theWWE World Heavyweight Championship match between championRandy Orton and Rumble winner Batista to make it atriple threat match. Bryan defeated Triple H in the opening match and went on to defeat Orton and Batista to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Reigns successfully defended his title shot againstDaniel Bryan atFastlane. At WrestleMania 31 during Reigns' match against championBrock Lesnar,Seth Rollins cashed in hisMoney in the Bank contract, converting thesingles match between Reigns and Lesnar into atriple threat match. Rollins then defeated Lesnar and Reigns in the impromptu triple threat match by pinning Reigns to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
As a member of theSmackDown brand, Orton earned a match for his own brand'sWWE Championship. After his fellowWyatt Family memberBray Wyatt won the championship atElimination Chamber and retained it on the followingSmackDown, Orton relinquished his championship opportunity. On the next episode ofSmackDown, however, Orton reverted his decision and turned on Wyatt. The following week, Orton defeatedAJ Styles, who had become the new number one contender for the title, to re-earn his title shot. At WrestleMania 33, Orton defeated Wyatt to win the title.
Edge won as a free agent and chose to challenge forSmackDown'sWWE Universal Championship. After a controversial finish in the main event ofFastlane, which saw championRoman Reigns retain the title againstDaniel Bryan in a match where Edge served as thespecial guest enforcer, a decision was made to add Bryan to the match at WrestleMania, making it atriple threat match. At WrestleMania 37, Reigns defeated Edge and Bryan to retain the Universal Championship.
^The WWE Championship has had various names due to company name changes and title unifications. Since the 1993 Royal Rumble, these include the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, the WWF Championship, the Undisputed WWF Championship, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and theUndisputed WWE (Universal) Championship (in tandem with theWWE Universal Championship).
^From April 2022 to April 2024, theWWE Championship and Universal Championship were held and defended together as theUndisputed WWE (Universal) Championship, thus both titles together were a singular choice as the Undisputed title.
Lynch won the Rumble as aSmackDown wrestler, but chose to challenge for theRaw Women's Championship. Lynch was removed from the match and suspended after continuously attacking the McMahon family and was replaced by Rumble runner-up,Charlotte Flair. AtFastlane, Lynch defeated Flair thanks to interference from championRonda Rousey, and as per the stipulation of that match, she was reinserted into the match at WrestleMania, making it atriple threat match. Flair then won theSmackDown Women's Championship on the March 26 episode ofSmackDown, leadingStephanie McMahon to announce that both titles would be on the line in aWinner Takes All match. At WrestleMania 35, Lynch defeated Rousey and Flair to win both titles.
Braun Strowman (left) is tied withBrock Lesnar (right) for the most eliminations in a single Royal Rumble match at 13. Lesnar also holds the record for the most consecutive eliminations at 13 in2020.
Kane holds the record for the most Royal Rumble match eliminations at 46. He also holds additional records for the most Royal Rumble match appearances at 20 and for the quickest elimination of another competitor.
^Since the inception of the Women's Royal Rumble in 2018, Jax is the only wrestler to ever take part in both the men's and women's Royal Rumble matches on the same card, and one of two, along with Beth Phoenix, to score eliminations in both.
Chelsea Green (left) andSarah Logan (Valhalla) (right) hold the record for the shortest time spent in a single women's Royal Rumble match at 5 seconds.
Liv Morgan (left) is tied withNatalya (right) for the most Royal Rumble match appearances at 8, also making them the only ones to appear in every Women's Rumble thus far.
On January 11, 1999, a "corporate Royal Rumble" involving members ofThe Corporation andD-Generation X was held onRaw to determine the 30th entry in the Royal Rumble that year. The match was won byChyna, who last eliminatedVince McMahon.
A 5-man Royal Rumble took place on the September 16, 1999 episode ofSmackDown to crown a contender for Triple H'sWWF Championship later that night. This was won by The Undertaker, but Vince McMahon would fight Triple H instead, winning the title.
A 4-man Royal Rumble took place on the January 8, 2004 episode ofSmackDown, whenPaul Heyman put Chris Benoit against the three members of theF.B.I. Benoit won the match.
A 7-man Royal Rumble took place on the January 22, 2007 episode ofRaw. However instead of entrants coming out to timed intervals, Jonathan Coachman called each entrant out at his own discretion.The Great Khali won, last eliminatingJohn Cena.
A 5-man Royal Rumble took place on the January 25th, 2011 episode ofSmackDown as a "Royal Rumble Exhibition". The match was won byKofi Kingston.
On the January 2011, episode ofRaw, a Royal Rumble to crown the contender forThe Miz's WWE Championship atElimination Chamber was held.Jerry Lawler won the match, last eliminatingSheamus.
In 2017, the female wrestlers ofNXT held a Halloween Royal Rumble during a house show event.Shayna Baszler, as Darth Baszler, won the match.
At the2018 Royal Rumble, WWE aired an advert forKFC in the form of a 9-man "KFC Colonel Rumble," segments of which had been filmed as a dark match at aSmackDown taping two weeks prior.Ric Flair won the version that was aired, last eliminating The Miz.
In 2018, the male wrestlers of NXT held a costumed Halloween Royal Rumble during a house show to crown a contender forRicochet'sNXT North American Championship, which was won by Stacey Ervin Jr..
In 2019, NXT held two costumed Halloween Royal Rumbles during a house show. The women's match was won byShayna Baszler and the men's match was won byBronson Reed.
^"Royal Rumble 1997: Main Event". WWE. RetrievedDecember 3, 2007.Stone Cold was actually eliminated during the match, but the referees failed to detect it, so he sneaked back in.
^Plummer, Dale (January 28, 1998)."Cena wins Rumble in surprise return". SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. RetrievedJuly 10, 2009.
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