WWE Royal Rumble 2012: HBK and the 10 Most Shocking Royal Rumble Eliminations

Hulk Hogan's early-'90s domination of the Royal Rumble event won't tell you this, but since the inception of the 30-man, over-the-top-rope battle royal, the most intriguing aspect of the Royal Rumble has been the element of surprise. 

Each year, fans wait on the edge of their seats on a minute-by-minute basis to find out just what is going to happen next. 

In its storied history, everything from Royal Rumble eliminations, entrants, and even winners have been shockers, as more often than not the first pay-per-view of the year seems to set a scintillating tone for the biggest pay-per-view of the year.

Surprise eliminations are necessary to maintain a high level of interest, and serve as a microcosmic reminder that anything can happen in the Royal Rumble match.  

Honorable Mention: Rikishi Eliminates Too Cool in the 2000 Royal Rumble

Rikishi turned on his bandmates in the 2000 Royal Rumble match, once again reinforcing the core concept of the opportunistic battle royal—every man for himself. 

Left in the ring with Grandmaster Sexay, Rikishi began licking his chops before Scotty 2 Hotty hit the ring as the next entrant in what I'm sure was a pure coincidence. 

Scotty 2 Hotty got the fans behind the group before they performed their signature electric slide to bring Madison Square Garden to its feet. 

Just as the Garden began rhythmically chanting Rikishi's name, the 400-plus pound Samoan suddenly hit his dance partners with a double clothesline before throwing them both over the top rope. 

10. Batista and John Cena's Dual Elimination at the 2005 Royal Rumble

John Cena and Batista's double elimination at the 2005 Royal Rumble was surprising in that it wasn't supposed to happen. 

In a Royal Rumble match in which Batista was booked to be the winner by last eliminating John Cena, the two men would eventually topple over the top rope together as Cena attempted to counter Batista's finishing maneuver.

While confusion ensued both in the ring and behind the scenes, Batista and Cena did a good job playing it off like the double elimination was supposed to happen.

An enraged Vince McMahon stormed through the curtains to attempt to rectify the situation, but he only added to the chaos as he tore both of his quadriceps getting into the ring. 

Eventually, the Royal Rumble match was restarted as Batista properly eliminated Cena to earn the right to main-event WrestleMania 21. 

9. Kurt Angle Eliminates Stone Cold Steve Austin at the 2002 Royal Rumble

Stone Cold Steve Austin is arguably the greatest Royal Rumble competitor of all time. So, after six-and-a-half eliminations, his elimination in 2002 was shocking in that it was the first and only time "Stone Cold" was involved in a Royal Rumble and failed to make it to the final two. 

Angle was the top heel in the Royal Rumble match and had his sight set on stopping a returning Triple H.

While eliminating Austin was indeed a historic accomplishment, Angle would eventually fail to accomplish his ultimate goal, as Triple H won his first-ever Royal Rumble match. 

8. Shawn Michaels Eliminates Diesel in the 1996 Royal Rumble

Shawn Michaels was a consensus favorite to win the 1996 Royal Rumble after his record-setting win in 1995 and subsequent singles career rise. 

What wasn't so much of a consensus was how the future Hall of Famer was going to win the Royal Rumble event. 

In one of the more exciting finishing sequences in Royal Rumble history, Michaels eliminated the British Bulldog and Diesel. Just as Shawn Michaels' biggest ally (both figuratively and literally) turned around, he was met with a superkick to the face that sent his seven-foot frame—and a potential WWE title shot at WrestleMania—flying over the top rope. 

7. Hulk Hogan Eliminates the Ultimate Warrior at the 1990 Royal Rumble

Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior were No. 1 and 1-A in the early '90s WWE landscape.  With Warrior's momentum surging out of control, he was a popular pick to win the Royal Rumble in 1990, and probably should have, as he would go on to receive a WWE title shot at WrestleMania anyway. 

With Warrior dominating the Royal Rumble event upon hitting the ring, he was suddenly eliminated by Hulk Hogan in a move that set the stage for a better-than-it-should-have-been WrestleMania VI main event between Hogan and Warrior. 

6. Anybody John Cena Eliminated in the 2008 Royal Rumble

Triple H was heavily favored to win his second Royal Rumble in 2008 with John Cena having suffered a pectoral injury that was supposed to keep him out for well over six months. 

When he finally hit the ring as entrant No. 29, it was all but a formality, as Triple H went on a Royal Rumble killing spree moments after entering the ring.

But entrant No. 30 had other ideas as John Cena made his way out to Madison Square Garden, easily becoming the most shocking entrant in Royal Rumble history.

Nobody expected Cena anywhere near the Royal Rumble as the top star continued to heal from injury, but he managed to shock the New York crowd en route to winning his first-ever Royal Rumble match. 

5. Stone Cold Steve Austin Eliminates Bret Hart at the 1997 Royal Rumble

Stone Cold Steve Austin was indeed a trendy pick in the 1997 Royal Rumble, as the heel character began making headway as an antihero. 

In his home state of Texas, Austin would deliver on that trend, but not without its share of controversy.

Towards the closing moments of the Royal Rumble, Bret Hart eliminated Steve Austin; however, the referees did not see the elimination.

This allowed the Rattlesnake to slither back into the ring and eliminate an unsuspecting Bret Hart to win his first Royal Rumble. 

4. Beth Phoenix Eliminates the Great Khali at the 2010 Royal Rumble

Beth Phoenix's appearance alone in the 2010 Royal Rumble was surprising enough, but what she would go on to accomplish was even more shocking. 

As only the second woman to compete in the Royal Rumble match, Beth Phoenix made an impact when she eliminated one of the biggest Royal Rumble entrants in history. 

Using her feminine charm, Phoenix suckered the "Punjabi Playboy'" Great Khali into a kiss before dumping the seven-foot superstar over the top rope and onto the mat. 

3. Shawn Michaels Eliminates the British Bulldog in the 1995 Royal Rumble

Shawn Michaels' elimination of the British Bulldog was so memorable that it would go on to set the precedent for what came to be known as the Shawn Michaels rule. 

This was simply the reinforcement of the age-old mandate that a superstar is not eliminated until both feet touch the ground. 

After the British Bulldog was thought to have eliminated Michaels, the former Intercontinental champion celebrated what seemed to be an elusive Royal Rumble victory.

Bulldog was surprised to find out that Michaels had actually held on, as only one foot touched the ground. 

Michaels would go on to eliminate the British Bulldog and win the 1995 Royal Rumble match.

2. Vince McMahon Eliminates Steve Austin at the 1999 Royal Rumble

The most unlikely winner in Royal Rumble history was by far Vincent Kennedy McMahon. 

The then 54-year old chairman entered the Royal Rumble at No. 2 and proceeded to cat-and-mouse his way to a cheap victory when he eliminated Rumble favorite Stone Cold Steve Austin. 

1. Tough Enough Winner Maven Eliminates The Undertaker in the 2002 Royal Rumble

The Undertaker was part of 2002's "Big four" quartet of main-event superstars who had all entered the Royal Rumble match. 

This quartet included Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, and a returning Triple H, who was the favorite to win that year's Royal Rumble but was not quite a lock.  

The Undertaker became the first of the big four to make his presence felt, wasting no time in laying waste to the field and marking territory in his so-called yard. 

Maven's entry in the Royal Rumble with the Undertaker waiting all alone for him was an ominous sign at best, but after an attack from the Hardy Boyz, the Undertaker's attention was diverted long enough for Maven to deliver the most shocking dropkick of his young career, and one that prematurely eliminated the Undertaker. 

Never one to be a good sport, the Undertaker would angrily make his way back into the ring and beat Maven senseless for his actions, but not before etching his name in an unenviable wing of Royal Rumble history. 

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