WWE Royal Rumble 2012: Miz Draws No. 1 and 10 Statistics About the First Entrant

WWE continued an unfavorable trend for the Miz this past week on RAW as the former WWE champion once again came up on the short end of the stick during an exchange with R-Truth. 

This time, it came in the form of an actual match with Miz's former tag-team partner, and Miz's loss in said match mortgaged any legitimate WrestleMania build-up while sealing Miz's fate as Money in the Bank fodder come April. 

This is certainly a far fall from grace considering Miz was headlining WrestleMania less than 12 months ago, but the WWE is a live-action montage of rags to riches to rags. 

The Miz's only chance of returning to the WWE title picture come WrestleMania will be to become just the third man in history to win the Royal Rumble from the first position. 

But that's just one of many intriguing stats concerning the unenviable draw.

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1. Entrant No. 1 Has Never Won a WWE Title Match at WrestleMania

Of the two men to win the Royal Rumble match after starting first—Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit—neither of them went on to capture the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. 

Following his 1995 win, Shawn Michaels went on to face Diesel for the WWE Championship in the co-main event of WrestleMania XI, while he-who-shall-not-be-named elected to go after the World Heavyweight Championship in a successful endeavor at WrestleMania XX. 

2. 6 WWE Hall-of-Famers Have Drawn No. 1 at the Royal Rumble Match

Of the 24 men who have entered the Royal Rumble at No. 1, six of them have gone on  to the WWE Hall of Fame. 

These six men include Bret Hart ('88, '91), Ric Flair ('93, '07), Steve Austin ('99), Shawn Michaels ('95, '03), Ted DiBiase ('90), and Eddie Guerrero ('05).

Of this group, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, and Shawn Michaels are the only three men to enter the Royal Rumble at No. 1 in multiple years. 

3. Chris Benoit Is the Longest-Lasting First Entrant in Royal Rumble History

At entry No. 1 in the year 2004, Chris Benoit lasted for 1:01:30 before going on to last eliminate the Big Show and win the Royal Rumble.

This feat made him the longest-lasting first entrant in event history.

{Source: Wikipedia}

4. Steve Austin Has the Most Eliminations as a First Entrant

In 1999, Steve Austin eliminated eight individuals to nab the record for most Royal Rumble eliminations after starting No. 1. 

The immense effort was not enough to win that year's Royal Rumble, however, as WWE Chairman Vince McMahon would go on to eliminate Austin to win his first and only Royal Rumble match. 

5. Dolph Ziggler and Shawn Michaels Have Lasted the Shortest Amount of Time

With an identical stay of 2:29, Dolph Ziggler and Shawn Michaels share identical records for shortest stays in the Royal Rumble match. 

This comes in spite of Shawn Michaels being a previous (and first) winner of the Royal Rumble match from that exact same position. 

6. Royal Rumble Pairings Turn WrestleMania Matches

Twice in the history or the Royal Rumble have the first two entrants gone on to compete in a WrestleMania match. 

The first instance involved Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels in 2003.  After Michaels was eliminated under bogus pretenses, the two went on feud en route to a WrestleMania XIX classic.

In 2008, Shawn Michaels was the second entrant in the Royal Rumble, preceded by the Undertaker who he battled at WrestleMania XXV one year later in a match that is widely considered to be the best in WrestleMania history. 

7. First Entrants Who Went from First to Last

Shawn Michaels ('95), Steve Austin ('99), and Chris Benoit ('04) are the only three Royal Rumble participants to start the Royal Rumble at No. 1 and last until the final two. 

Steve Austin lost the Royal Rumble match in 1999, while Michaels and Benoit went on to win in their respective Royal Rumble appearances.

{Source: Wikipedia}

8. Ax, Smash, and Friendly Fire at the Royal Rumble

In a booking move that really emphasized the 'every man for himself' theme of the Royal Rumble, two instances have occurred where current or former tag-team champions had to compete against one another to start the Royal Rumble. 

The rarity first occurred in 1989 where Ax started the Royal Rumble only to be followed by fellow Demolition member Smash. 

This happened again in 1998 when Cactus Jack started the Royal Rumble opposite Chainsaw Charlie. 

9. Streak of Current of Former World Champions in the Royal Rumble

The last nine WWE Superstars who entered the Royal Rumble first have been WWE world champions at some point in their career. 

This streak dates back to 2003, when Shawn Michaels started the Royal Rumble match, and went on to include Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Triple H, Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, Dolph Ziggler, and CM Punk. 

The Miz will continue this trend in 2012. 

{Source: Wikipedia}

10. Triple H Started Royal Rumble Twice, Yet Isn't in the Hall of Fame

Triple H is the only non-WWE Hall of Famer in history to ever enter the Royal Rumble match first in multiple years. 

All other WWE Superstars to have accomplished this feat are currently in the WWE Hall of Fame, although it is all but academic that Triple H will one day join his peers by being honored with this increasingly illustrious award.