WWE Royal Rumble 2016: 7 Greatest Individual Performances in Event's History

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s almost time for the Royal Rumble match!

WWE Royal Rumble takes place on January 24 in Orlando, Florida. This event launches the Road to WrestleMania. Whoever wins this fracas will get a title shot against the WWE world heavyweight champion at WrestleMania 32.

The match sets the terms for WrestleMania and allows the wrestlers in the bout the opportunity to truly shine. Not every combatant gets their due, but the exceptional wrestlers always rise to the top.

This exemplifies our list for the seven greatest performances in the event’s history. We’re discussing the event, but as you will see, memorable moments come from unforgettable matches.

In order to create this list, we looked at longevity. Who lasted the longest while making a significant impact?

Secondly, the impact must have created long-lasting memories. These performances are timeless and therefore must never be forgotten.

Lastly, the moments must include effective storytelling. It’s a true craft to tell a story while in the chaotic circumstances of the Royal Rumble bout. After all, it features 30 Superstars who take part in the action. 

Without further ado, here are the top seven greatest individual performances in WWE Royal Rumble history.

7. Stone Cold Steve Austin Steals the Show

Stone Cold Steve Austin is the only Superstar to win the Royal Rumble three times. Did you know he shouldn’t have won the first?

As the fifth entrant, Austin lasted 45 minutes and seven seconds in the 1997 Royal Rumble. He eliminated nine men to win the bout, but he cheated to be victorious.

His most-hated rival, Bret Hart, eliminated him. The referees never saw it because they were separating Mankind from Terry Funk. Austin, ever The Rattlesnake, took advantage and eliminated Hart, The Undertaker and Vader.

The Rattlesnake became the first man to cheat to win, but he also set the longest time in the match. This was before Austin became the poster boy for the Attitude Era. He fought nearly every participant placed in front of him, and the look of shock on his face when he sees Hart is priceless.

Austin set the tone for what things were to come, which is why The Rattlesnake became a mainstay in Royal Rumble history.

6. Ric Flair Wins the WWE Title

Ric Flair entered the WWE in 1991 proclaiming himself as the true world champion. The problem was he didn’t hold the WWE title. Who knew that Flair would eventually do so under unconventional circumstances?

Thanks to a draw at the This Tuesday in Texas pay-per-view between then-WWE champion The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan, the WWE placed its most prestigious title on the line at the 1992 Royal Rumble. Flair entered at No. 3, seemingly crushing his hopes to become champion.

What happened next turned out to be a history-making moment for wrestling.

Flair went on to hold the record for the longest time in the ring at 59:26. His last elimination came under dubious events, but that was always fitting of the Nature Boy.

After Sid Vicious threw a shocked Hulk Hogan over the top rope, Hogan held on to Sid’s arm and tried to drag him over. Flair, still in the ring, eliminated Sid Vicious thanks to Hogan.

Flair’s victory doesn’t get enough credit; this was before the star-studded Ironman matches we’ve grown accustomed to.

No one in the WWE could last an hour in the ring until Ric Flair showed up and made the 1992 Royal Rumble the greatest moment in his life.

5. Chris Benoit Wins at No. 1

2004 started with a tale of two fan favorites. Chris Benoit was the underdog at No. 1, while Goldberg was the favorite at No. 30.

Benoit battled a plethora of accomplished stars that included Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam and John Cena. The Canadian Crippler lasted for quite a while before Goldberg entered the ring.

Lucky for Benoit, Brock Lesnar helped eliminate Goldberg. Benoit survived everyone, but The Big Show stood in his way of achieving a Royal Rumble victory.

Show threw everyone out, and Benoit was left alone to face the giant. Against all odds, Benoit muscled Show over the top rope in a front-face lock for the victory.

Benoit broke Bob Backlund’s record with 61 minutes. The match itself belonged to Benoit, who became the second man to win at the No. 1 spot. All eyes were on the man who failed to win the big one.

The 2004 Royal Rumble proved Chris Benoit was for real as a main event player. He went on to win the world title from Triple H in a Triple Threat match that also included Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 20.

4. Roman Reigns Sets a New Record

Before Roman Reigns became our current WWE world heavyweight champion, he was the silent enforcer of The Shield. Reigns stood alongside Seth Rollins and Den Ambrose as the trio dominated the WWE.

However, this would mark the first time they would be forced to battle each other.

Reigns entered the 2014 Royal Rumble at No. 15, with his two teammates already in the ring. What happened next proved to be the Roman Reigns show.

No one was safe from Reigns’ path of destruction. Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Sheamus were all eliminated by the tough Samoan. Even his buddies in The Shield felt his wrath.

Unfortunately for Reigns, he was eliminated by Batista. Despite the loss, he made quite the impact.

Reigns left the ring with 12 eliminations under his belt, the most in a single Rumble match. This symbolized the great things that were about to come Reigns’ way, and he did not disappoint.

Reigns went on to win the 2015 Royal Rumble and become a two-time WWE world champion.

That’s not too shabby for a man once deemed as the muscle of The Shield.

3. Kane Dominates the 2001 Royal Rumble

Kane was seen as an afterthought, living in the shadow of his big brother The Undertaker. The 2001 Royal Rumble made some think twice about that.

Kane, The Big Red Machine, entered at No. 6. He first squared off against current The Price is Right host Drew Carey. After Carey failed to bribe Kane, the host eliminated himself in a wise move. Little did he know what Kane was truly capable of.

The Big Red Machine went to work, setting a record at the time with 11 eliminations in 53:46.

Kane nearly fought everyone in his way, and he even eliminated The Rock as his last opponent! However, he could not get past Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Austin eliminated Kane and won his third Royal Rumble. Yet no one could deny the monster Kane truly was.

After his Royal Rumble record, no one ever saw Kane in the same light again. He went on to have a long-lasting career that spanned multiple WWE titles. Thanks to the 2001 Royal Rumble, Kane's name is etched in WWE history.

2. Shawn Michaels Overcomes the Odds

The 1995 Royal Rumble saw two different performances from two very different men.

Shawn Michaels entered the bout at No.1, and the British Bulldog followed at No. 2. Both ran the gauntlet until they were the last two men standing. It was Michaels who overcame the Bulldog to win his first Royal Rumble.

What makes Michaels more impressive than the Bulldog? One word comes to mind: ingenuity.

The British Bulldog clotheslined Michaels over the top. As he celebrated on the turnbuckle, Michaels pushed him over to win the bout. It turns out Michaels dangled his left foot while using his right to plant himself.

Exhaustion clearly left Michaels fatigued, and this would mark the first time HBK went that long in the ring. He went on to wrestle in multiple Ironman matches and become a Royal Rumble nightmare for other wrestlers.

What makes this moment for Michaels, who used the rules to his advantage, so impressive is that he became the first man to win the Rumble at No. 1.

If a wrestler is thrown over the top rope, both feet must touch the ground in order to be eliminated. Shawn Michaels was the first man to break that rule and succeed.

No wonder Kofi Kingston breaks that rule every chances he gets.

1. Rey Mysterio Defies All

Rey Mystiero’s career can be summed up in an old saying: It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

Mysterio entered the 2006 Royal Rumble at No. 2. He dedicated his performance to his departed friend Eddie Guerrero, who passed away earlier that November.

Mysterio had to outlast an all-star cast of WWE Superstars, including Kane, The Big Show, Bobby Lashley, Ric Flair and Booker T.

Mysterio needed to battle the final three men to headline WrestleMania 22. Triple H (who entered at No. 1), Randy Orton (No. 30) and the returning Rob Van Dam stood in Mysterio’s way.

He ended up eliminating Van Dam, Triple H and Orton in that order. The impossible had happened—the smallest man in the match became the biggest victor of the night!

Mysterio set a new record by going 62 minutes in the ring, and the fans were enthralled by him. He went on to become the world heavyweight champion by defeating Orton and Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 22.

To this day, Rey Mysterio set a record that likely won’t be passed any time soon. 

Statistics courtesy of Smark Out Moment.