Latest news with #RoyalRumblePLE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
R-Truth Names His Favorite Comedy Moments in WWE
One of the funniest characters in professional wrestling is former 24/7 Champion R-Truth. His jokes have made people in the crowd laugh, and have also sometimes made wrestlers break character too. Recently, Truth named his favorite moment in which wrestlers broke character. While speaking to Chris Van Vliet on his Insight podcast, R-Truth shared that his favorite moment was when he made The Beast, Brock Lesnar, break character. It was back in 2020, ahead of the Royal Rumble PLE. Truth came out during an episode of Raw, seemingly challenging Lesnar, but instead called out Paul Heyman. Truth also shared how the segment came to fruition. Advertisement 'Definitely the Brock Lesnar thing, which I got my friend Chris Dunn, he's is a writer. I kept forgetting to tell people that he was the one that helped me with that in the back. And Paul just surprising everybody, We're not going to let Brock know what we're going to do. It's just going to be a free fall. I'm like Brock is a beast. I think we should let Brock know what we're going to say about Brock. So funny thing is, I mean, I love Brock. Brock walked into gorilla, and it was simply just like he walked in. He's like, so what are we doing? And I'm looking at everybody for somebody to say something to this dude. Nobody said nothing. He's like, alright, well, guys, we just go out there and talk there and talk then. And I'm like, Oh y'all got this dude going out there. But it turned out to be one of the best moments,' R-Truth said. What is your favorite R-Truth moment? The post R-Truth Names His Favorite Comedy Moments in WWE appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NXT's Jordynne Grace has the strength and desire to put the team on her back
The date is January 27, 2024. WWE's Royal Rumble PLE is in motion, with the women's Rumble having introduced its first four entrants. The surprise to this point has been entrant No. 3, Naomi, former multi-time WWE Women's Champion and most recently a member of the TNA roster. She's a welcome, familiar surprise as a fan-favorite who has history with so many of the participants. When the Rumble clock buzzer hits for the fifth entrance, a Scott Steiner-inspired emergency siren hits, and those in the know tense up and look toward the entrance, knowing another surprise is on its way. Advertisement Jordynne Grace, the bruising boulder of a woman and then-TNA Knockouts Champion, immediately shows her mettle, tossing, slamming and spiking everyone in sight. She briefly shows solidarity with Naomi, the woman she defeated for the Knockouts Title, then the two mutually come to blows. While winning the Rumble — and in turn getting a World Championship match at WrestleMania — is the ultimate goal, Grace was more focused on making sure her first appearance in WWE wouldn't be her last. "I was definitely more nervous before the Rumble because I was terrified to mess anything up — and I didn't mess anything up," Grace told Uncrowned. "Just thankful that nothing went wrong." She parlayed that successful cameo into a Wolverine-like role between companies. She was one of TNA's primary gifted children, but still found time to serve alongside the superteam that is NXT. Four months after her surprise Royal Rumble appearance, Gracie popped out on NXT television as the next challenger to Roxanne Perez's NXT Women's Championship at the 2024 Battleground PLE. Advertisement While talents from both NXT and TNA appear on the other brand's programming, Grace was the most consistent, challenging for titles while also defending her Knockouts Championship against TNA and NXT talent alike. It wasn't something she planned, or even aspired to do, but when called upon, she proved to be the perfect catalyst to create ongoing synergy between the two companies. She'd been a solid contributor in TNA, but focused in on her craft after what she deemed to be a lackluster first title run. "I've been lifting for years, since I was 15 years old, but I never dieted and I never really did cardio at all," Grace said. "Honestly, those are two of the main things that you have to do, unfortunately, to get your body to look in any type of way you want it to look like. "I had just won the Knockouts Championship for the first time, and Deonna Perrazzo had come over to TNA, and she won the title from me her very first weekend there. And I remember feeling so expendable and so just off-put by that, I just thought to myself, 'Well, something has to change, because if someone can just come in here and just take my spot, I have to do something. I have to change something in order for that not to happen ever again.' ... I actually got my first [fitness] coach that following week." With her improved physique and electric offense, Grace dominated TNA's Knockouts division through its deepest and most consistent period to date. And even with that dominance, she's quick to point out that she may have stabilized the division, but it was already buzzing before she arrived. Advertisement "I was in TNA for so long that the Knockouts Division, I didn't really help build it per se, but I think the division was built around me," Grace said. "I had my hand in everything. I was always doing a story with one of the girls or two of the girls at the same time, because it was in flux constantly. Trinity came in — she was there for a time, but she wasn't there for very long. Deonna [Purrazzo] came in — she was there for a few years, but I was there for a very long time. I feel like I was the biggest constant in the Knockouts Division. The person they could always trust … to just go out there and have — or try to have — the best match on the card, no matter who I was wrestling.' Her nearly 300-day Knockouts Title reign came to an end at TNA's Bound For Glory pay-per-view event this past October, when she lost to her closest friend/coldest rival in the company, the roughhousing Russian Masha Slamovich. Grace's ability to not only sit atop the Knockouts Division, but to leave it better than she found it, speaks volumes about her appreciation for her peers, but also why WWE would want someone like that as a focal point of its own thriving women's division. In truth, Grace's foresight might out-lift her forearms, as she saw Slamovich as the perfect heir to keep the division thriving in her absence. Jordynne Grace and Stephanie Vaquer have already made magic in NXT. (Photo via WWE) 'I remember having the conversation about who I thought would be next," Grace said. "Honestly, they didn't have Masha's name in their head at all, which surprised me, but I really [feel] that Masha was the one. … I don't know any of the people that are really in charge, I don't have a relationship with them. But at the time, I don't think that her independent work and GCW work was translating over to TNA in the Knockouts Division. They didn't get it. It didn't click for them. Advertisement "But I knew how good she was, and I knew how important it was for her to be the one to be the next … leader of that locker room.' Grace officially joined WWE in January 2025, solidifying her new venture by entering her second consecutive Royal Rumble. She played coy on social media, claiming she was in Central Texas for her mother's birthday party. She eliminated NXT's Jaida Parker, then got tossed over the top rope by NXT Women's Champion Giulia, establishing herself as a perennial challenger for the brand's top women's title, parallel to the NXT Championship. As a full-time member of the NXT roster, she got her first crack at championship gold at NXT Stand Deliver, the brand's early morning PLE the day of WrestleMania 41, Night 1. Grace, Jaida Parker and Giulia all challenged Stephanie Vaquer in a Fatal 4-Way Match for the NXT Women's Championship. While not involved in the finish, she failed to secure the championship, as Stephanie Vaquer retained by pinning Jaida Parker. Grace once more earned a title shot at NXT Battleground this past weekend, this time in a singles match with Vaquer, but again fell short in her efforts to claim her first title in WWE. Advertisement While she sings the praises of the TNA Knockouts Division, a humbled, well-traveled Grace has no problem admitting that what she's faced in the WWE might be something she needs a bit more time to prepare for. And in some cases, it might be on a level she may not reach. Jordynne Grace has her eyes on NXT gold. (Photo via WWE) "The insecurity that I have with being placed at the front now is that the talent pool is so deep and diverse," Grace said. "I can work as hard as I want and be the best wrestler that I want to be. I feel like some of these NIL athletes were born with something that maybe I wasn't. … Someone like Bayley Humphrey, I can lift my heart out, and I probably will never be as strong as someone like that. She is an absolute monster. "I just feel like there's just more competition, there's more opportunity, and I feel comfortable with being where I am right now, but I always feel a little on guard because there's always someone they could move up next.' Advertisement An NXT Women's Championship may not have been in the cards for Grace, as the May 27 edition of NXT seemed to shake up not only the title landscape, but also the overall trajectory of the roster. Ricky Saints lost his NXT North American Championship to Ethan Paige, New TNA Champion Trick Williams looked down the barrel of the shotgun that is Mike Santana, and the untouchable Stephanie Vaquer found herself tagged by NXT veteran and new Women's Champion Jacy Jane. The big shift seems to be setting in motion a new time for WWE's main roster, where a revolution finds its new television station, folks get whooped via streaming service, and a certain juggernaut runs through a brand new set of unwilling opponents. But for Grace, this was always the goal, and she's never been closer to getting what she's been working for. She knows that to get there, it's a team effort, every single time. "It's what I've been working toward, I feel like, the past 15 years. Every sacrifice I've made, every win, every loss, every title I won at TNA has come down to finally being able to live [my] dream as a WWE champion," she said. "I want to be the one to give whoever comes in front of me their best match, no matter what. … I always ask the person I'm wrestling with, 'What was your favorite match?' They would tell me, I'd be like, 'We're going to have a better match than that. We're going to say it right now and we're going to speak it into existence.' That's what I always want to be for that person."
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE puts John Cena's final match up for grabs — Let the bidding war begin!
Image via WWE WWE is pulling out all the stops to make John Cena 's final match a major attraction for him and the company. John Cena embarked on the final leg of his illustrious WWE career, and his farewell tour was going on in full force. The Cenation Leader still has numerous dates left as part of his tour, but WWE is already looking ahead to his final match that will take place in December 2025. In a latest update, the Stamford-based promotion has come up with a brilliant strategy to build more hype for Cena 's final match while maximizing their revenues at the same time as a business. WWE might be planning a bidding war for John Cena's farewell match According to James Stewart of 98.5 The Sports Hub, the global juggernaut is promoting John Cena's final match as a weekend spectacle surrounded by major events. In doing so, WWE is seeking close to $1.5 million from potential cities to host this monumental and historic occasion that will surely attract huge numbers in terms of viewership and attendance records. Stewart's statement mentioned that WWE has proposed a schedule that includes a full week of captivating events that can start on December 10, 2025. The festivities would include The Undertaker's one-man show on December 11, SmackDown on December 12, and a WWE Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13, which will host Cena's final in-ring showdown. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo He also revealed that WWE began inviting bids two days after the 2025 Royal Rumble PLE and aimed to finalize the city by the end of April. One of the cities expected to win the bidding war is close to Cena's hometown of West Newbury, i.e., Boston, Massachusetts. However, the official statement is yet to be made. WWE realizes the importance and significance of John Cena's final match and is trying to capitalize on it in a big way. The Cenation Leader recently retained the Undisputed WWE Championship over Randy Orton at WWE Backlash. So it will be interesting to see how his final match festivities will eventually play out when December arrives and Cena would be set to end his career. Also read: WWE RAW Results & Highlights (5/12/25): CM Punk returns, tag team main event match and more
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Royal Rumble 2025: WWE's most iconic moments from wrestling's most chaotic event
WWE Royal Rumble week is officially underway, and fingers are firmly crossed that this Saturday's event will be one of the best in modern wrestling history. Right now, signs look positive, with the men's event in particular boasting the strongest roster in well over a decade. Still, breaking new ground is never easy, particularly when you have 37 years of Rumble history to contend with. Here are some of the most legendary moments that this thrilling event has delivered over the years. The best Rumble moments often tell a story that reverberates long after the event. And this one — from the second-ever Royal Rumble PLE — set the ball rolling on that front. Comprising former sworn enemies Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, the Mega Powers were the dominant tag team in the WWF. But when a split-second decision in the Rumble led to Hogan eliminating Savage (while the latter was grappling with Bad News Brown), old tensions threatened to spill over again. While their manager, Miss Elizabeth, was able to soothe things in the ring, it wasn't enough to stop the Mega Powers from imploding weeks later — leading to Hogan vs. Savage at WrestleMania. By 1992, the Royal Rumble had established itself as a fan favorite. Then, the serendipitous nature of a vacant championship gave the WWF the chance to take things to the next level — by putting the belt on the line for the 30-man showdown. In perhaps the most stacked Rumble match in history, it was Ric Flair — still in his first year in the WWF — who emerged victorious, signaling the arrival of a new era in world wrestling. Like many of the great Rumbles, 1992 was also rich with subplots. The most memorable has to be Sid Justice eliminating Hulk Hogan, eliciting an unexpected cheer from the audience. Not everything goes to plan in the Royal Rumble. But few sequences have been on the scale of the finish to the 1994 match, which saw two competitors — Bret Hart and Lex Luger — tumble over the ropes in sync with each other. The dumbfounded reaction of the crowd highlighted the scale of the maneuver. After a contrived in-ring sequence in which two referees argued about the result, Howard Finkel declared that both Luger and Hart would be regarded as joint winners. It was a situation that remains unique in Rumble history — and probably for the best. In almost 40 years of Rumbles, only six wrestlers have won after entering as one of the two starting entrants — and the first to achieve that rare accolade was 'The Heartbreak Kid' himself. Arguably, Michaels did benefit from a slight twist of fate in that he was the first-ever competitor to take advantage of the rule that being eliminated required both of a wrestler's feet to touch the floor, rather than just one. This previously unknown rule soon became etched into the memory of WWF fans when Michaels returned to the ring — having seemingly been 'eliminated' — to toss out a celebrating British Bulldog. It was a controversial win that perfectly embodied the combination of strategy and spectacle on which the Rumble thrives. Having stormed to victory in King of the Ring six months earlier, Stone Cold Steve Austin was on his way to becoming the legendary antihero who'd be synonymous with WWF's return to popularity in the late 1990s. At the 1997 Royal Rumble, Austin took another massive step on that journey when he used dirty tactics — notably a distracted referee who failed to see Austin's elimination — to send one of the WWF's biggest babyfaces tumbling over the ropes. Whatever name you knew him under, Mick Foley was a true trailblazer in wrestling. In an era when the WWF was still dominated by identikit tough guys in tiny trunks, the disheveled Foley brought the creativity and verve that went on to shape the Attitude Era. Few moments capture the anarchic spirit of the disheveled daredevil more than the 1998 Royal Rumble, where Foley used a trio of his distinct personas — including the ludicrous Dude Love — to enter the match three times. The Austin vs. McMahon feud was the lifeblood of the Attitude Era. And few moments did more to pour fuel on the fire of this rivalry than Mr. McMahon's underhanded win in the 1999 Royal Rumble. The two men had been the first entrants in the match, with Stone Cold Steve Austin leaping at the chance to put the boots to the WWF's biggest authority figure. In a classic Rumble escapade, though, McMahon was able to escape under the bottom rope (thus avoiding elimination) and take cover on commentary. In the final moments of the match, the tracksuit-clad McMahon slid back into the ring, using a distraction from The Rock to tip his opponent over the ropes and seal this most unexpected of victories. Let's face it: There's something a tad ridiculous about the idea of having 30 men (or women) brawling for one prize. So it makes sense that the Rumble leans into that by tossing in a nice comedy segment every now and then. One of the most memorable of these came in 2000, when the intimidating Samoan Rikishi found himself sharing the ring with Too Cool, the deliberately naff tag team whose Vanilla Ice shtick had won over even the most serious of fans. When the 425-pound Samoan joined the duo in a spot of disco dancing, complete with dimmed lights and music, the crowd lapped it up — only to roar even louder when he dumped his dance partners out of the ring in stereo moments later. Few wrestlers are as associated with the Rumble match as Kane, who has appeared in 20 separate events and eliminated 46 competitors in total — albeit without ever winning the match. Arguably, his most dominant appearance unfolded back to 2001, when 'The Big Red Machine' set a new record — at the time — by tossing 11 men over the ropes during his 53-minute appearance in the ring. That record remained in place for more than a decade before finally being bested by 'The Big Dog' Roman Reigns in the 2014 event. It was the lucky shot heard around the world. Maven Huffman was the 22-year-old who'd just landed a pro wrestling contract after winning Tough Enough, WWF's "The Apprentice"-style reality television program. A brief appearance in the 2002 Royal Rumble seemed a fitting prize in the circumstances. What no one expected was that the fresh-faced rookie would implausibly eliminate The Undertaker after landing a perfectly timed dropkick. Sure, it backfired slightly when Taker pulled Maven over the ropes for an immediate and brutal post-elimination beatdown, but it still left most of us shellshocked at the time. As the cruiserweight king of modern wrestling, Rey Mysterio has spent a career defying the odds. But few moments come close to his underdog victory in the 2006 Rumble, capped off by eliminating Triple H and Randy Orton in turn. It was a great moment in its own right. But the real emotional payoff came from watching the triumphant Mysterio use the moment to pay tribute to his late friend Eddie Guerrero, whose unexpected death had shaken the wrestling world just a few weeks earlier. There's a reason they still mention this one almost 20 years later. Reducing the field to the last two competitors is a turning point in any Rumble. But how many final pairings can hold a candle to Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, who memorably came face-to-face in 2007? The staredown itself was electric. But then the two followed it with an impressive physical showdown that felt — rather prophetically — like the seeds of a WrestleMania match in its own right. After an exchange of finishing moves, it was 'The Dead Man' who triumphed, setting in motion a turn of events that led to one of the most celebrated rivalries in WWE history. There are Rumble returns, and then there are Rumble returns. And John Cena's barnstorming comeback — months ahead of his expected recovery from a torn pectoral — towers above almost all of them. Not only did 'The Champ' stun the WWE Universe when he emerged as entrant number 30, but he went on to win the whole thing — sealing his victory by tossing Triple H over the ropes with a superb Attitude Adjustment. Unsurprisingly, given the circumstances, it remains the more memorable of Cena's two Rumble victories. But can he top it this year? Surviving in the Rumble requires grit and stamina. But how many stars have done it with the same flair as Kofi Kingston? After being knocked onto the apron, Kingston was given a hefty shove from The Miz, seemingly sealing his elimination. Instead, the New Day star somehow managed to leverage his incredible core strength to hold himself in a handstand position before walking (on his hands) to the steps and reentering the Rumble. In the years to come, Kingston pulled off more creative stunts, delighting the crowd and inspiring the likes of Naomi and Katana Chance to attempt similar feats. But this was the moment when the magic began. It's perhaps the most famous Rumble debut in modern history — and for good reason. After stellar runs in NJPW and TNA, AJ Styles had become the name du jour among discerning wrestling fans who found Vince McMahon's methods — particularly during the mid-2010s — to be a little corny. Now, rumors swirled that he was on his way to the big leagues… Entering at number three, Styles brought the Florida crowd to their feet, setting off a memorable WWE run that continues to this day. At the time of the 2019 Royal Rumble, Becky Lynch was riding high, having emerged from an exceptional feud with Ronda Rousey and the "WWE Raw" roster to become 'The Man.' When Lana's kayfabe injury left her struggling to claim her Rumble spot, 'The Irish Lass Kicker' saw an opportunity. Emerging to a gigantic pop from the fans, Lynch successfully pressured WWE management to let her enter the match instead. Lynch went on to emerge victorious, securing her spot at WrestleMania and setting up one of the most memorable main events in women's wrestling. It's the moment many of us have watched countless times in the years since — and perhaps the most surprising Royal Rumble return in modern history. At the time, Edge hadn't seen action for the better part of 10 years, having been sidelined with a devastating neck injury. 'The Rated R Superstar' was a beloved name among fans, but few even dreamed that he might return to the ring. Then, in a few short seconds, it happened: The iconic Rumble buzzer, followed by the telltale "You think you know me" — and one of the loudest crowd responses ever caught on film. Edge's emotional reaction — tears in his eyes — says it all. Words like indestructible get thrown around a lot in wrestling, but watching the presentation of Brock Lesnar in the first half of the 2020 Rumble, it's hard to think of a descriptor more fitting. For the first 20 minutes, 'The Beast Incarnate' stood tall in the ring, clearing out each opponent in turn. Throughout the match, Lesnar tossed out 13 competitors, setting a record that still stands today. But could anyone stop him? That honor went to Drew McIntyre, who solidified one of the hottest runs of his career by punting the champion over the ropes with a devastating Claymore Kick — much to the shock of Paul Heyman. For much of the 2010s, WWE's women's division was dominated by the Four Horsewomen — namely Sasha Banks, Bayley, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Then came the rise of NXT and a new generation of female superstars primed for the big stage. With several of the more established talents busy in other matches, 2021's women's Rumble looked like the perfect moment for a breakthrough — and so it proved to be. The final two contenders emerged as NXT champion Rhea Ripley and main roster newcomer Bianca Belair. While Belair's eventual victory may have been slightly dimmed by the pandemic-era setting, the finish still resonates as the dawn of a new era for women's wrestling Love him or hate him, 'The Social Media Megastar' has pulled off some incredible physical stunts during his time in WWE — and this was one of the best. Midway through the Rumble match, Paul found himself on the apron, staring across at Ricochet on the opposite side of the ring. Much to the shock of the fans, both men sprang onto their respective ropes before launching themselves some 10 feet into the air, colliding mid-flight like slabs of meat. Like many of Paul's best spots in WWE, it was acrobatic, hard-hitting and perfectly engineered to go viral on social media.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE Royal Rumble: The most iconic moments from wrestling's most chaotic event
WWE Royal Rumble week is officially underway, and fingers are firmly crossed that this Saturday's event will be one of the best in modern wrestling history. Right now, signs look positive, with the men's event in particular boasting the strongest roster in well over a decade. Still, breaking new ground is never easy, particularly when you have 37 years of Rumble history to contend with. Here are some of the most legendary moments that this thrilling event has delivered over the years. The best Rumble moments often tell a story that reverberates long after the event. And this one – from the second-ever Royal Rumble PLE — set the ball rolling on that front. Comprising former sworn enemies Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, the Mega Powers were the dominant tag team in the WWF. But when a split-second decision in the Rumble led to Hogan eliminating Savage (while the latter was grappling with Bad News Brown), old tensions threatened to spill over again. While their manager, Miss Elizabeth, was able to soothe things in the ring, it wasn't enough to stop the Mega Powers from imploding weeks later — leading to Hogan vs. Savage at WrestleMania. By 1992, the Royal Rumble had established itself as a fan favorite. Then, the serendipitous nature of a vacant championship gave the WWF the chance to take things to the next level — by putting the belt on the line for the 30-man showdown. In perhaps the most stacked Rumble match in history, it was Ric Flair — still in his first year in the WWF — who emerged victorious, signaling the arrival of a new era in world wrestling. Like many of the great Rumbles, 1992 was also rich with subplots. The most memorable has to be Sid Justice eliminating Hulk Hogan, eliciting an unexpected cheer from the audience. Not everything goes to plan in the Royal Rumble. But few sequences have been on the scale of the finish to the 1994 match, which saw two competitors — Bret Hart and Lex Luger — tumble over the ropes in sync with each other. The dumbfounded reaction of the crowd highlighted the scale of the maneuver. After a contrived in-ring sequence in which two referees argued about the result, Howard Finkel declared that both Luger and Hart would be regarded as joint winners. It was a situation that remains unique in Rumble history — and probably for the best. In almost 40 years of Rumbles, only six wrestlers have won after entering as one of the two starting entrants — and the first to achieve that rare accolade was 'The Heartbreak Kid' himself. Arguably, Michaels did benefit from a slight twist of fate in that he was the first-ever competitor to take advantage of the rule that being eliminated required both of a wrestler's feet to touch the floor, rather than just one. This previously unknown rule soon became etched into the memory of WWF fans when Michaels returned to the ring — having seemingly been 'eliminated' — to toss out a celebrating British Bulldog. It was a controversial win that perfectly embodied the combination of strategy and spectacle on which the Rumble thrives. Having stormed to victory in King of the Ring six months earlier, Stone Cold Steve Austin was on his way to becoming the legendary antihero who'd be synonymous with WWF's return to popularity in the late 1990s. At the 1997 Royal Rumble, Austin took another massive step on that journey when he used dirty tactics — notably a distracted referee who failed to see Austin's elimination — to send one of the WWF's biggest babyfaces tumbling over the ropes. Whatever name you knew him under, Mick Foley was a true trailblazer in wrestling. In an era when the WWF was still dominated by identikit tough guys in tiny trunks, the disheveled Foley brought the creativity and verve that went on to shape the Attitude Era. Few moments capture the anarchic spirit of the disheveled daredevil more than the 1998 Royal Rumble, where Foley used a trio of his distinct personas — including the ludicrous Dude Love — to enter the match three times. The Austin vs. McMahon feud was the lifeblood of the Attitude Era. And few moments did more to pour fuel on the fire of this rivalry than Mr. McMahon's underhanded win in the 1999 Royal Rumble. The two men had been the first entrants in the match, with Stone Cold Steve Austin leaping at the chance to put the boots to the WWF's biggest authority figure. In a classic Rumble escapade, though, McMahon was able to escape under the bottom rope (thus avoiding elimination) and take cover on commentary. In the final moments of the match, the tracksuit-clad McMahon slid back into the ring, using a distraction from The Rock to tip his opponent over the ropes and seal this most unexpected of victories. Let's face it: There's something a tad ridiculous about the idea of having 30 men (or women) brawling for one prize. So it makes sense that the Rumble leans into that by tossing in a nice comedy segment every now and then. One of the most memorable of these came in 2000, when the intimidating Samoan Rikishi found himself sharing the ring with Too Cool, the deliberately naff tag team whose Vanilla Ice shtick had won over even the most serious of fans. When the 425-pound Samoan joined the duo in a spot of disco dancing, complete with dimmed lights and music, the crowd lapped it up — only to roar even louder when he dumped his dance partners out of the ring in stereo moments later. Few wrestlers are as associated with the Rumble match as Kane, who has appeared in 20 separate events and eliminated 46 competitors in total — albeit without ever winning the match. Arguably, his most dominant appearance unfolded back to 2001, when 'The Big Red Machine' set a new record — at the time — by tossing 11 men over the ropes during his 53-minute appearance in the ring. That record remained in place for more than a decade before finally being bested by 'The Big Dog' Roman Reigns in the 2014 event. It was the lucky shot heard around the world. Maven Huffman was the 22-year-old who'd just landed a pro wrestling contract after winning Tough Enough, WWF's "The Apprentice"-style reality television program. A brief appearance in the 2002 Royal Rumble seemed a fitting prize in the circumstances. What no one expected was that the fresh-faced rookie would implausibly eliminate The Undertaker after landing a perfectly timed dropkick. Sure, it backfired slightly when Taker pulled Maven over the ropes for an immediate and brutal post-elimination beatdown, but it still left most of us shellshocked at the time. As the cruiserweight king of modern wrestling, Rey Mysterio has spent a career defying the odds. But few moments come close to his underdog victory in the 2006 Rumble, capped off by eliminating Triple H and Randy Orton in turn. It was a great moment in its own right. But the real emotional payoff came from watching the triumphant Mysterio use the moment to pay tribute to his late friend Eddie Guerrero, whose unexpected death had shaken the wrestling world just a few weeks earlier. There's a reason they still mention this one almost 20 years later. Reducing the field to the last two competitors is a turning point in any Rumble. But how many final pairings can hold a candle to Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, who memorably came face-to-face in 2007? The staredown itself was electric. But then the two followed it with an impressive physical showdown that felt — rather prophetically — like the seeds of a WrestleMania match in its own right. After an exchange of finishing moves, it was 'The Dead Man' who triumphed, setting in motion a turn of events that led to one of the most celebrated rivalries in WWE history. There are Rumble returns, and then there are Rumble returns. And John Cena's barnstorming comeback — months ahead of his expected recovery from a torn pectoral — towers above almost all of them. Not only did 'The Champ' stun the WWE Universe when he emerged as entrant number 30, but he went on to win the whole thing — sealing his victory by tossing Triple H over the ropes with a superb Attitude Adjustment. Unsurprisingly, given the circumstances, it remains the more memorable of Cena's two Rumble victories. But can he top it this year? Surviving in the Rumble requires grit and stamina. But how many stars have done it with the same flair as Kofi Kingston? After being knocked onto the apron, Kingston was given a hefty shove from The Miz, seemingly sealing his elimination. Instead, the New Day star somehow managed to leverage his incredible core strength to hold himself in a handstand position before walking (on his hands) to the steps and reentering the Rumble. In the years to come, Kingston pulled off more creative stunts, delighting the crowd and inspiring the likes of Naomi and Katana Chance to attempt similar feats. But this was the moment when the magic began. It's perhaps the most famous Rumble debut in modern history — and for good reason. After stellar runs in NJPW and TNA, AJ Styles had become the name du jour among discerning wrestling fans who found Vince McMahon's methods — particularly during the mid-2010s — to be a little corny. Now, rumors swirled that he was on his way to the big leagues… Entering at number three, Styles brought the Florida crowd to their feet, setting off a memorable WWE run that continues to this day. At the time of the 2019 Royal Rumble, Becky Lynch was riding high, having emerged from an exceptional feud with Ronda Rousey and the "WWE Raw" roster to become 'The Man.' When Lana's kayfabe injury left her struggling to claim her Rumble spot, 'The Irish Lass Kicker' saw an opportunity. Emerging to a gigantic pop from the fans, Lynch successfully pressured WWE management to let her enter the match instead. Lynch went on to emerge victorious, securing her spot at WrestleMania and setting up one of the most memorable main events in women's wrestling. It's the moment many of us have watched countless times in the years since — and perhaps the most surprising Royal Rumble return in modern history. At the time, Edge hadn't seen action for the better part of 10 years, having been sidelined with a devastating neck injury. 'The Rated R Superstar' was a beloved name among fans, but few even dreamed that he might return to the ring. Then, in a few short seconds, it happened: The iconic Rumble buzzer, followed by the telltale "You think you know me" — and one of the loudest crowd responses ever caught on film. Edge's emotional reaction — tears in his eyes — says it all. Words like indestructible get thrown around a lot in wrestling, but watching the presentation of Brock Lesnar in the first half of the 2020 Rumble, it's hard to think of a descriptor more fitting. For the first 20 minutes, 'The Beast Incarnate' stood tall in the ring, clearing out each opponent in turn. Throughout the match, Lesnar tossed out 13 competitors, setting a record that still stands today. But could anyone stop him? That honor went to Drew McIntyre, who solidified one of the hottest runs of his career by punting the champion over the ropes with a devastating Claymore Kick — much to the shock of Paul Heyman. For much of the 2010s, WWE's women's division was dominated by the Four Horsewomen — namely Sasha Banks, Bayley, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Then came the rise of NXT and a new generation of female superstars primed for the big stage. With several of the more established talents busy in other matches, 2021's women's Rumble looked like the perfect moment for a breakthrough — and so it proved to be. The final two contenders emerged as NXT champion Rhea Ripley and main roster newcomer Bianca Belair. While Belair's eventual victory may have been slightly dimmed by the pandemic-era setting, the finish still resonates as the dawn of a new era for women's wrestling Love him or hate him, 'The Social Media Megastar' has pulled off some incredible physical stunts during his time in WWE — and this was one of the best. Midway through the Rumble match, Paul found himself on the apron, staring across at Ricochet on the opposite side of the ring. Much to the shock of the fans, both men sprang onto their respective ropes before launching themselves some 10 feet into the air, colliding mid-flight like slabs of meat. Like many of Paul's best spots in WWE, it was acrobatic, hard-hitting and perfectly engineered to go viral on social media.
