Top Five Most Shocking WWE Royal Rumble Eliminations

The road to Royal Rumble officially started in Hamilton, Canada, with the iconic WWE Royal Rumble Event in 1988 and, ever since, it has been one of the most thrilling wrestling events in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The hardcore fans of WWE eagerly wait every year for a whole new season of WWE Royal Rumble, which is generally broadcast in January and brings along a whole new saga of intense rivalries, dynamic storylines, unexpected twists, and brutal eliminations. With past records, it’s only rational to warrant the fact that eliminations are the most thrilling part of WWE Royal Rumble that fans eagerly wait for every year and when these eliminations are done unexpectedly, it adds up even more drama to the whole scenario. 

In this article, we will take a look at the top five most shocking eliminations in the history of the WWE Royal Rumble. 

Top Five Most Shocking WWE Royal Rumble Eliminations

• The Undertaker vs Maven, 2002  

Well, nobody could probably have seen it coming! Maven, who was one of the most dynamic newcomers on the WWE scene, brutally defeated the Undertaker with his signature moves at the 2002 Royal Rumble, which came out as a major shock for the fans of WWE. The Undertaker, who was considered to be one of the most deadly and lethal wrestlers of WWE in that era, was caught off-guard by the newcomer Maven, who shockingly eliminated him with a powerful drop-kick. Although the Undertaker’s elimination was indeed shocking for the fans, it just proved the fact all over again that anything can happen at the Royal Rumble

• McMahon vs Stone Cold, 1999 

If you’ve ever been a fan of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), you would definitely have felt the rage against McMahon, who was considered to be nothing more than an authoritative villain who could easily manipulate his opponent wrestlers. Although McMahon was never considered to be a powerful wrestler by the fans, he actually ended up defeating a top-tier wrestler, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, at the 1999 Royal Rumble, which undoubtedly shocked everyone who witnessed the bout. McMahon’s victory was labeled “unjustified,” and fans called the bout “fixed.” Well, being honest, it just seemed like another scripted twist that undoubtedly left the fans in disbelief.

• Shawn Michaels vs Triple H, 2010  

Well, apart from the fact that Shawn Michaels brutally eliminated Triple H at the 2010 Royal Rumble, it was definitely a shocking reality for the fans, but the very fact that the two reigning wrestlers of the iconic tag team “D-Generation X” and great off-screen friends actually went against each other at the 2010 Royal Rumble was something that struck the fans even harder. While eliminations have always been a big factor in keeping the audience hooked on the event, for the first time in the history of WWE Royal Rumble, the fans were literally at the peak of their curiosity from the beginning of the match, witnessing two great allies locking horns against each other in order to take a shot at the WrestleMania against the Undertaker.

• Batista vs John Cena, 2005  

Do you know what’s more shocking than an elimination at the WWE Royal Rumble? A “double-elimination”! Often hailed as one of the most intense and, at the same time, chaotic matches in the history of the WWE Royal Rumble, the iconic clash between Batista and John Cena in 2005 left the fans shocked and confused, at the same time as both wrestlers fell from the top of the rope and hit the ground of the ring—at the same time, which technically called out for a double elimination. Later, Vince McMahon called for a rematch, and Batista eventually defeated John Cena.

• Kane vs Santino Marella, 2009  

Often hailed as the “fastest” elimination in the history of WWE Royal Rumble, Kane brutally defeated Santino Marella within just 1.9 seconds with his signature “single clothesline” at the 2009 Royal Rumble. Even before the fans could even notice that the match had begun, Kane actually defeated Santino Marella, bringing the match to an end. While the fans were still in shock and disbelief over what just happened inside the ring, Santino Marella’s infamous and humorous reaction—”I”wasn’t prepared!”—left” them laughing. Santino Marella’s elimination is still hailed as one of the most shocking and hilarious eliminations in the history of WWE Royal Rumble.

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