WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Power Ranking Every Battle Royal Winner

This Sunday night, World Wrestling Entertainment will present its annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view, live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

One of the top Superstars in the company will have the opportunity to win the Rumble match, go on to headline WrestleMania and, thus, etch his name in the history books.

There, he will join some of the most iconic stars to ever step foot inside a squared circle. Winners of past Royal Rumbles are responsible for building the reputation and legacy of the yearly 30-man match into the spectacular that it has become.

From Hulk Hogan to Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels to Steve Austin and The Rock to John Cena, the match has touted some of the biggest and most recognizable winners of all time.

But who is the greatest victor in Rumble history?

Taking into account historical significance, the quality of the opposition and the booking of said winner, this list ranks them from worst to first.

Does it succeed?

Let us know in the comment section below.

21. Big John Studd

Credit: WWE.com

In 1989, Big John Studd returned to the ring for WWE as Vince McMahon continued to load up his already impressive roster.

Despite touting stars the likes of Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, the 1989 Royal Rumble would be a showcase for the giant, an attempt to get him over with the audience prior to his big WrestleMania push.

Unfortunately, Studd's victory sticks out like a sore thumb in hindsight.

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that Hogan and Savage were so insanely over at the time that their eliminations from the match sucked the wind right out of the arena, but there was a decided lack of energy and excitement late in the bout.

Sure, the crowd popped for Studd's win, but that could have easily had as much to do with the fact that he eliminated the hated DiBiase as it did anything else.

Studd would head to WrestleMania V to referee the match between Jake Roberts and Andre the Giant, but age and wear and tear limited him between the ropes, leading to a second retirement and rendering his Rumble win useless.

20. Hacksaw Jim Duggan

The inaugural Royal Rumble winner, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan was an immensely popular midcard star whose blue-collar persona had struck a chord with the WWE audience.

He was not the biggest star in the company, and some look back and wonder why McMahon ever decided to go with Duggan to win the first Rumble match of its kind.

The fact is that the first Rumble was an experiment. McMahon had no idea at the time that it would go on to become the phenomenon that it is. It was merely another platform for McMahon to expose his company to a new audience.

Duggan, the most over of the stars in the first Rumble match, was the perfect fit to not only secure the win but also send the fans home happy.

19. Vince McMahon

The 1999 Royal Rumble match saw then-commissioner Shawn Michaels throw Mr. McMahon into the shuffle.

He was sharing the ring in an official match with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for the first time, and many assumed that the contest would be the butt-kicking fans had anticipated for nearly a year. Instead, McMahon proved crafty and sly, incorporating the help of his Corporation faction to sneak attack the Texas Rattlesnake, sending him to the hospital.

When he returned, McMahon took the beating fans had been so desperate to witness. But he survived just long enough for The Rock to come to ringside and distract Austin, which allowed McMahon to eliminate him in one of the most shocking moments in the history of the event.

McMahon's win ranks as one of the most surprising in that fans swore they would see Austin win for the third straight year, especially since he was a lock to challenge for the WWE title at WrestleMania.

That did not happen, and as was the case so frequently during the Attitude Era, McMahon's win took the audience on an unexpected journey.

18. Alberto Del Rio

Credit: WWE.com

The 2011 Royal Rumble was the biggest in event history, touting 40 competitors instead of the traditional 30. What should have been a great idea fell prey to bad booking decisions, but that does not tarnish the legacy of the man who emerged victoriously.

Alberto Del Rio had been making a name for himself on the SmackDown brand for weeks leading into the match. A second generation star, he believed it was his destiny to win the WWE Championship. Confident, cocky and arrogant, he was easy to dislike but, at the same time, was so incredibly talented that he earned the respect of fans.

After eliminating Randy Orton, it appeared as though Del Rio had earned a shot at the title at WrestleMania. Instead, he had to contend with a fired-up Santino Marella, who had been lying on the arena floor and never officially eliminated.

It created a wonderful finish that had the crowd on its feet, thinking for a split second that the comedic character may actually be able to defeat Del Rio.

That was not the case as the Mexican star won the match and went on to challenge Edge for the world title at WrestleMania.

17. Sheamus

Sheamus' 2012 Royal Rumble victory was the culmination of a year's worth of hard work.

After his two reigns as WWE champion failed to produce the results that management had hoped for, he endured a losing streak and was sent to B-show SmackDown in 2011. There were some questions as to whether the great Sheamus experiment had run its course—if he was a bust. 

Fortunately for the Celtic Warrior, that was not the case.

Battling it out with Chris Jericho for the right to head to WrestleMania and challenge for the heavyweight title of the world, Sheamus staved off elimination numerous times in one of the more interesting and exciting finishes in match history.

He was able to finally Brogue Kick Jericho off the apron and score the win, earning a shot at the top prize on the SmackDown brand.

Given that the Irishman regularly finds himself in the midcard at this point, the win has become somewhat underrated or devalued by Sheamus' critics. At the time, though, he felt and looked every bit like a world-beater and deserving Rumble victor.

16. Yokozuna

Yokozuna was a massive star by the time the 1993 Royal Rumble rolled around. Despite the fact that he was still young and green, he was the favorite to win a match that was severely lacking in star power.

Entering the contest at No. 27, Yokozuna wasted little time disposing of his opposition. He eliminated everyone from the massive Earthquake to Hall of Famers Tito Santana and Carlos Colon. He tossed Bob Backlund, who set a record for longevity in the match.

His greatest elimination, however, came in the form of "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

The legendary competitor had entered the match at No. 30 and was on fire by the time he scaled the ropes and came off for an elbow drop onto his much larger opponent. Unfortunately, Savage attempted a pin, which backfired as Yokozuna tossed him up and over the top rope for the win.

In his first shot at a major pay-per-view main event, Yokozuna delivered a strong enough performance that Vince McMahon and the rest of management felt comfortable pushing him as the company's lead heel going forward.

15. Rey Mysterio

The biggest underdog in WWE history, Rey Mysterio dedicated his performance in the 2006 Royal Rumble to best friend, the late Eddie Guerrero.

Entering at No. 2, he showed tremendous heart and determination. He and No. 1 entrant Triple H managed to last all the way through the match.

Two of the final three competitors involved, they brought the crowd to their feet as no one really knew what to expect. It looked like Mysterio was going to win, but would Vince McMahon and WWE go that route, allowing someone of Mysterio's size to win the Rumble and headline WrestleMania?

The answer was a resounding "yes," as Rey eliminated both Triple H and Randy Orton in short order to win the match in one of the most emotional moments in event history.

He would turn that win into a World Heavyweight Championship victory weeks later at the Showcase of the Immortals.

14. Bret Hart and Lex Luger

The 1994 Royal Rumble finish is a masterclass in indecision.

Bret Hart and Lex Luger were the top two babyfaces in all of World Wrestling Entertainment and the clear favorites to win the Rumble and head to WrestleMania to challenge for the heavyweight title.

But which one would Vince McMahon choose?

Luger was his pet project, the result of WWE's mass marketing machine. He was popular enough but not nearly as popular as Hart, who had an organic bond with fans that could not be duplicated in a board room.

Unable to choose which star would win the match, McMahon did what someone in his power naturally would: He booked them both to win.

In a controversial finish, Luger and Hart tumbled over the top rope and hit the floor at roughly the same time, making it impossible for officials to declare a winner. President Jack Tunney appeared and declared it a tie. The broadcast went off the air with no one really knowing what that meant.

A few weeks later, it was revealed that both men would receive title shots at WrestleMania X, with Hart first having to wrestle his brother, Owen.

It was a strange and buzzworthy decision, one that created a unique set of circumstances for WrestleMania—which was one of the best events ever, so it worked out. At the time, though, it appeared to be a major mistake.

13. Brock Lesnar

The Next Big Thing proved that, in 2003, he was already a pretty big deal when he entered the Royal Rumble and outlasted the likes of Batista, Kane, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho to pick up the win that would send him to WrestleMania XIX for a title showdown against Kurt Angle.

What makes Lesnar's win that much more impressive is the fact that he defeated Big Show earlier in the broadcast for the right to even enter the match, which means he did so at less than 100-percent.

Lesnar was still enjoying his big push as the company's next big star, and a Rumble win was a no-brainer. Had he entered the match a bit earlier than he did, it would have been something truly special, especially given his endurance and freakish athletic ability.

Still, the future Beast Incarnate etched his name in the history booked by eliminating The Undertaker to win the contest. 

12. Edge

In the summer of 2009, Edge suffered an Achilles tendon rupture that required surgery and a significant amount of time spent on the sidelines. The injury put plans for a tag team between him and Chris Jericho, which would then feud with D-Generation X, on hold.

Turning the injury into an angle, Jericho made disparaging remarks about Edge, planting the seeds for a program between them when the Rated R Superstar returned.

That return came at the Royal Rumble, where Edge entered at No. 29 and proceeded to eliminate the man with whom he had captured tag team gold some six months earlier.

From there, the Toronto native and former WWE champion eliminated John Cena to win the Rumble and cash his ticket to WrestleMania.

His opponent that night?

New world heavyweight champion Jericho.

11. Randy Orton

Credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton was the hottest star in WWE by the time the 2009 Royal Rumble match rolled around. Engaged in a rivalry with the McMahon family, he had just punted Vince McMahon in the skull six days before he entered the ring for the Royal Rumble match.

Clearly one of the favorites to pick up the win, Orton relied on the presence of Legacy teammates Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase to provide backup.

And they definitely helped.

After 48 minutes of competition, Orton seized an opportunity created by Triple H's insistence on eliminating Rhodes and DiBiase and proceeded to dump him, along with them. 

The win catapulted Orton to the WrestleMania main event. If he thought he was getting rid of Triple H, though, he had another thing coming. The Rumble win set in motion a wildly personal, incredibly uncomfortable feud between the two that should have culminated with one of the biggest and most violent matches in WrestleMania history.

Instead, it ranks as one of the most disappointing.

10. The Rock

The Rock was the biggest star in pro wrestling by the time the 2000 Royal Rumble rolled around. A mainstream, pop cultural phenomenon thanks to his ability to seize the opportunity and entertain the masses, he was the only real choice to win that year's show.

He was so clear a choice that few predicted any of the other Superstars to win the contest.

With The Big Show sharing the ring with him, Rock found himself having to watch his back, as well as his front, in order to remain out of harm's way. He did, for the most part. When he found himself on Big Show's shoulder for what appeared to be a big slam, Rock reversed his opponent's momentum and sent him crashing to the floor. 

In the weeks that followed, Rock's win would be under scrutiny as Big Show attempted to prove that The Great One's feet touched the floor. While he did so with moderate success, the win remains in the record books.

9. Triple H

In January 2002, Triple H returned from a torn quadriceps muscle to compete in the Royal Rumble. One of the most star-studded matches in event history, that year's bout featured the likes of Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Kane, Big Show, The Undertaker and the returning Mr. Perfect.

In order to have his arm raised in victory, The Game would have to demonstrate his greatness by overcoming the challenges of those Superstars. 

He did so, withstanding the attention of all of them, not to mention a leg that could have been further injured at any point in the match if his opponents had targeted it.

To win the bout, he eliminated Angle, a man who had been a thorn in his side since his return on Raw.

As he was announced the winner, Tripe H understood that his comeback had been capped off in grand fashion. Now, he would have the opportunity to battle for the WWE undisputed championship at WrestleMania.

And, of course, he would go on to win it.

8. Batista

Batista was a star who came from out of nowhere to win the 2005 Royal Rumble.

Never intended to be the breakout star of Evolution, the big man from Washington, D.C., gained a following because of the connection he forged with the audience. Quietly charismatic, Batista was a butt kicker who talked softly and carried a big stick in the form of his right and left arm.

That he was not stupid enough to fall for Triple H's manipulations as the leader of Evolution endeared him to the fans. He was not content to sit back and let others tell him what to do or try to run his life.

He was his own man, and he showed it in the Rumble match, as he and John Cena became the final two competitors in the match.

Then disaster struck as both fell over the top rope during a Batista Bomb.

An irate Vince McMahon appeared and restarted the match, which Batista won in short order.

Nine years after the monumental victory that put him on a crash source with Triple H for a WrestleMania match, the Animal returned to WWE and won the 2014 Royal Rumble.

Needless to say, the fans did not meet his victory that year with the same amount of glee and excitement that they did for his first.

7. The Undertaker

The Undertaker had competed in his fair share of Royal Rumble matches prior to 2007, but to the surprise of many, he had never actually won one.

That changed as he entered at No. 30 that year.

Along with Shawn Michaels, Edge and Randy Orton, Undertaker joined a final four consisting of all-time greatest and championship contenders.

When Edge and Orton found themselves eliminated from the bout, fans were treated to the first showdown between the Deadman and ol' HBK in Rumble history.

For nearly 10 minutes, the legendary stars took the San Antonio crowd on an emotional roller coaster, creating tremendous drama as they teased eliminations.

In the end, Undertaker not only won his first Rumble match but became the first man to ever enter at No. 30 and win it.

The victory solidified every statement WWE had ever made about that spot being the best and most coveted spot in the match. It proved, for the first time, that someone could actually win the bout from there.

6. John Cena

John Cena's return to the ring at the 2008 Royal Rumble remains one of the most shocking in WWE history.

Slated to miss eight months with a torn pectoral muscle, Cena came back much sooner than anticipated. Entering at No. 30, he mixed it up with Triple H and Batista in a star-studded finale that saw The Animal go over the top rope first.

From there, Cena hoisted The Game on his shoulders and deliver the Attitude Adjustment to the arena floor.

Cena marked the five-year anniversary of his victory with another Rumble victory in 2013.

To win this one, he had to overcome the challenge of four bright young stars who were all looking to make a huge impact on the future of the industry and, more specifically, challenge for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

Taking on a final four that included Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Sheamus, Cena banked on a history of performing up to the moment to win the match and the shot at The Rock at the Showcase of the Immortals—for the second consecutive year.

5. Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan's Royal Rumble victories in 1990 and 1991 finally injected the match with the meaning and purpose it deserved. The biggest star in the industry and a pop culture phenomenon, The Hulkster overcame some of the top performers of all time to stand tall in consecutive years.

In 1990, he was faced with his biggest challenge in the form of then-intercontinental champion The Ultimate Warrior, who was surging at the right time and also the biggest threat to Hogan's spot atop WWE.

Regardless of whether or not it was accidental, Hogan eliminated the face-painted Superstar and went on to capture the victory by dumping Mr. Perfect over the top rope and to the arena floor.

The following year, Hogan had to overcome a decided numbers disadvantage to emerge the winner, as it came down to him, rival Earthquake and one-half of the Nasty Boys, Brian Knobbs.

As he had done so many times in his career, Hogan hulked up and overcame the odds, eliminating the massive Earthquake to secure the win.

It was Hogan's final Rumble victory but not his last appearance. He competed in the 1992 match, finishing as second runner-up to the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

4. Ric Flair

Entering at No. 3, Ric Flair strutted to the ring as only he could, clad in a beautiful black-and-silver robe and looking as confident as ever, despite scoring one of the worst draws imaginable.

Showing tremendous endurance, Flair lasted in the match for more than one hour, sharing the ring with no less than 15 Hall of Famers during that time.

With the WWE Championship at stake in the Rumble match for the first time ever, Flair was clearly driven by his quest for gold and respect, and it showed.

Late in the bout, Sid justice eliminated friend Hulk Hogan. The Hulkster, being the sore loser that he was, attempted to pull him over the top rope. This allowed Flair the opportunity to sneak up from behind and push Sid to the arena floor, thus earning him the win and title.

"With a tear in my eye, this is the greatest night of my life," Flair would state in a post-match interview. And he was right. Some 22 years later, it remains one of the most defining and enduring performance of the two-time Hall of Famer's amazing career.

3. Chris Benoit

When one takes a look at the wealth of talent involved in the 2004 Royal Rumble match, it becomes even more impressive that Chris Benoit was able to enter the contest at No. 1 and last through 29 other entries to emerge victorious.

Starting the bout with Randy Orton, Benoit overcame the younger star's attempts to eliminate him and then staved off competition in the form of Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, John Cena and Goldberg.

His biggest challenge, however, would be The Big Show, who proved his dominance throughout the bout. He eliminated Cena, Angle and Jericho, establishing himself as a monster. From there, Benoit slew said monster by locking in a front face lock and pulling him over the top rope and to the floor.

The fans in Philadelphia erupted over the Canadian Crippler's victory, understanding full well that it meant Benoit was likely heading to WrestleMania to complete his goal of becoming world heavyweight champion in the biggest promotion in the world. 

He did, completing one of the greatest success stories in the history of the Royal Rumble match.

2. Shawn Michaels

Arguably the greatest Royal Rumble performer in WWE history, Shawn Michaels is tied with Kane for the record for most total eliminations. Two of those eliminations, in particular, are of the utmost importance.

In the 1995 match, Michaels became the first Superstar to ever enter the Rumble match at No. 1 and go the distance, eliminating British Bulldog to win the contest.

One year later, he replicated his success, delivering Sweet Chin Music to best friend Diesel to cash his ticket to WrestleMania for the second consecutive year.

Michaels legitimized the Royal Rumble match.

Yes, Hulk Hogan had captured two victories in the popular bout, and Ric Flair had turned in an all-time great performance in 1992, but something about Michaels' two wins elevated the importance of the match.

Perhaps it had to do with the so-called "boyhood dream" that he realized at WrestleMania XII. Maybe it had to do with the Heartbreak Kid becoming the first babyface to parlay his Rumble victory into his first heavyweight championship win. Whatever the case may be, Michaels became the first Superstar to be associated with the contest.

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Stone Cold Steve Austin is the greatest Royal Rumbler of all time, thanks in large part to his unmatched three victories in the annual Battle Royal.

In 1997, he showed tremendous ring savvy when he recognized that officials had not seen him being thrown over the top rope and to the arena floor, sneaking back into the match and eliminating Undertaker, Vader and Bret Hart to win that year's Rumble.

A year later, he overcame a bounty and every Superstar vying for the right to eliminate him by showing the same toughness that would ultimately make him one of the most popular and beloved stars ever. Austin would eliminate future rival The Rock to win the 1998 match and then capture the WWE title from Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV.

In 2001, the Texas Rattlesnake was coming off a serious neck injury and looking to get back into WWE Championship contention. To do, he had to withstand the fury of a Kane, who was on a mission to make himself worthy of the WrestleMania main event.

A Stone Cold Stunner mixed with numerous chair shots ended the Big Red Monster and sent Austin to WrestleMania X-Seven, where he would defeat The Rock to become heavyweight champion.

Austin's legacy in Royal Rumble matches only intensifies his claim to greatest WWE Superstar-ever status. The matches fit him so well, allowed him to be the loner and showed that by doing so he could still survive in WWE.

More importantly, it was another case of WWE's biggest star picking up signature win after signature win, which only helped preserve the legacy of the match, as well as the prestige.