The WWE Royal Rumble has always been about making stars. That being said, not every former winner has achieved the goal WWE intended for them to accomplish. Both Big John Studd and Lex Luger won the high stakes match-up in 1989 and 1994, respectively. Yes, they had their moment the night they won the match. But what about their post-rumble career?
Luger found greater success in WCW, so him winning the Royal Rumble could be considered an accolade. The same, however, cannot be said about Studd, who failed to capitalize on any success the rumble win gave him whatsoever. For these five men, winning the Royal Rumble was followed by underwhelming storylines and negative fan reception.
Sheamus (2012)
Sheamus was pushed to the moon during his rookie year on the main roster. The Celtic Warrior beat poster boy John Cena to win the WWE Championship mere months into his main roster arrival in 2009. He spent the following months engaged in a series of successful title defenses.
After an underwhelming stint as a heel, Sheamus turned babyface in the lead-up to Royal Rumble 2012. The Irish Superstar picked up his first and only rumble win thus far to earn himself a world title match at WrestleMania 28.
The match with Daniel Bryan (aka Bryan Danielson) turned out to be a stinker with one of the worst finishes to ever happen on a WrestleMania event. Sheamus beat Bryan within seconds of the opening bell. His title run would be overshadowed by CM Punk’s WWE Championship run.
Thankfully, Sheamus was able to reinvent himself during the pandemic and has since become one of WWE’s most consistent and entertaining performers.
Rey Mysterio (2006)
Dubbed WWE’s “Biggest Little Man,” Rey Mysterio entered the 2006 Royal Rumble at number two. He and number one entrant Triple H spent more than an hour without getting eliminated until the iconic luchador outsmarted the Cerebral Assassin.
Rey won the match but was goaded into putting his number one contendership on the line by Randy Orton. He would eventually be able to claim the World Heavyweight Championship in a triple-threat match at WrestleMania 22.
Fans weren’t ready for Rey Mysterio as the World Champion in 2006. Moreover, he would be constantly lose high-profile matches until finally dropping the title to Booker T to kick off a highly entertaining championship run.
Batista was booed heavily at Royal Rumble 2014
Batista’s second WWE run was preceded by multiple vignettes on television. The Animal made his return to Monday Night RAW on January 20, 2014. The reception, however, was not as gigantic as WWE had expected from fans.
The cheers turned into boos as Batista headed closer to Royal Rumble 2014. At the event, the former World Heavyweight Champion last eliminated fan favorite to earn his spot in the main event of WrestleMania XXX.
Thankfully, WWE capitalized on the overwhelming support for the Yes! Movement and crowned Daniel Bryan the WWE World Heavyweight Champion on the Grandest Stage of them All.
Alberto Del Rio (2011)
Alberto Del Rio couldn’t connect with the crowd despite being a great in-ring technician. Del Rio made history by winning the first and only 40-man Royal Rumble in 2011.
He’d, however, fail to defeat Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 27. Del Rio would find some success in the world title picture. He’d have a decent program with CM Punk over the WWE Championship before being relegated to mid-card and leaving the company in 2016.
Vince McMahon sabotaged Steve Austin’s WrestleMania bid at Royal Rumble 1999
Vince McMahon was the ultimate bad guy during the Attitude Era. His feud with Steve Austin helped WWE topple WCW in the Monday Night Wars. Both men didn’t leave a RAW without trying to humiliate each other in the worst possible way.
The boss pulled off a huge upset on the Rattlesnake when he eliminated him in the 1999 Royal Rumble. McMahon spent most part of the match trying to evade Austin. He then had The Corporation gang up on him and sent to the hospital.
Austin would return to finally get his hands on McMahon before being blindsided by The Rock for a shocking loss at the Rumble event. Austin would end up getting his title match against Rocky by beating McMahon in their Steel Cage match at Valentine’s Day Massacre.
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