Lucky #30.
For any WWE Superstar, being the 30th and final entrant into a Royal Rumble match is a win in and of itself. After all, the #30 spot is mathematically the best position to be in and has produced winners including John Cena, Triple H, The Undertaker, and Cody Rhodes.
- Advertisem*nt -
But we’re not here to talk about the winners.
While #30 has produced plenty of winners, entering last is far from a guaranteed Rumble victory. Over the decades, we’ve seen plenty of #30 entrants be eliminated as quickly as they entered.
Here are some Superstars who squandered their coveted spot as the #30 entrant.
- Advertisem*nt -
The Warlord (1992)
Until Santino Marella broke the record in 2009, the Warlord’s name was synonymous with having the shortest stint in a Royal Rumble with 2 seconds at the 1989 Rumble. Well two years later, the Warlord had better luck, but still had an abysmal performance. Lasting 1:43, Warlord scored no eliminations in the 1991 Rumble before being eliminated for the third time in his career by Hulk Hogan.
Adam Bomb (1994)
When Adam Bomb made his way to the ring as part of the 1994 Royal Rumble, Vince McMahon on commentary declared “ADAM BOMB IS GOING TO WIN THE ROYAL RUMBLE!” Now mind you, the match still had Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Lex Luger all in the bout. As you’ve figured out by now, Bomb didn’t live up to McMahon’s declaration as he was flattened and thrown out by the bigger stars in 4:55
Duke ‘The Dumpster’ Droese (1996)
We can’t help but wonder what the fans in Fresno’s Selland Arena felt when Duke Droese was the final participant in the 1996 Royal Rumble match. Seriously, did a single person think it’d be Bret Hart Vs ‘The Dumpster’ at WrestleMania 12? Droese eliminated nobody before being thrown out by Diesel and Kama after 1:10.
- Advertisem*nt -
Vader (1998)
Once a top star of Japan and WCW, Vader’s WWF run did not do the superheavyweight justice. Never was that more evident than the 1998 Royal Rumble match, in which Vader lasted just 2:15. His sole elimination saw Vader throw out comedy cameo the Honky Tonk Man, making it clear that the powerhouse was not meant to be taken seriously as a possible winner.
Chyna (1999)
The first woman to enter a Royal Rumble match, Chyna did score a single elimination in the 1999 match, which is more than what most people on this list can boast. But at 35 seconds, it felt like WWE wanted Chyna out of the match as quickly as she came in.
Booker T (2002)
Perhaps the biggest name who joined WWF after WCW’s 2001 demise, Booker T had a rough start in the promotion. While he was Vince McMahon’s pick in the 2002 Rumble match, Booker would last just 33 seconds before being tossed out. It’d be a long time before the talented wrestler would be treated as a main eventer.
Rey Mysterio (2014)
One of wrestling’s most beloved heroes, Rey Mysterio’s entrance as the #30 entrant in 2014 was quite a shock to behold. Simply put, fans wanted Daniel Bryan, and Rey’s arrival snuffed out their last hope. Rey lasted 2:10 and scored 0 eliminations, making his role seem even more egregious.
Dolph Ziggler (2018)
After surrending his newly-won U.S. title in late 2017, fans were curious as to what was to come for Dolph Ziggler. For months, Ziggler was nowhere to be seen, until he returned to programming as the #30 entrant in the 2018 Men’s Rumble match. Unfortunately for the Show-Off, his return was entirely anti-climactic, and he would be eliminated in 2:01 by Finn Balor. Ziggler’s only elimination would see him toss out the cameoing Goldust, who lasted longer in the match than Dolph himself.
Nia Jax (Men’s 2019)
Nobody expected R-Truth, the original #30 entrant in the 2019 Men’s Rumble to win, but the decision to replace him with Nia Jax was entirely bizarre. The following sequence which saw a bunch of male Superstars hit their finishers on Jax wouldn’t help matters either, especially as some fans online seemed too eager to watch her get ganged up on. Jax would eliminate Mustafa Ali before being dumped out herself at 3:09.
Nia Jax (Women’s 2023)
Four years on from her bizarre entry into the Men’s Royal Rumble, Nia Jax made a surprise return to WWE during the 2023 Women’s Rumble. Her big return is probably best remembered for WWE displaying graphics with her name on over ten seconds before her return. Jax eliminated nobody in her 1:57 stint in the match.
Who can fans expect to appear at the 2024 Royal Rumble event…
