There are new readers this week. Welcome.
Something you might note is the Royal Rumble doesn't contain the "royal rumble."
There is, however, a "royal rumble" - a Number One Contender Battle Royal that WWF does every other year, and has for the past two decades (note, I'd call it the Royal Rumble and I'd call the Royal Rumble "Justice Sunday", but I didn't want to change the names of the "big 4" for purposes of this exercise) and as Dos Caras, Jr. revealed in the open to Summer Slam, the battle royal is just a couple of weeks after Summer Slam, on the 900th episode of RAW.
When I get to that post, sometime in early September squeezed around fantasy football drafts, there will be a little preface, discussing some of the specific build to the battle royal - but it's essentially what you think it is, 30 men, a top rope, and the winner going to Survivor Series to face Edge for the WWF Title.
It's Battle Royal 11.
Below is some collected facts and figures about the previous 10.
Battle Royal 1
1991 – Following WM VII
First two entrants: Hawk and Animal.
First elimination: The Barbarian, by the Road Warriors.
Most eliminations: Undertaker – 10
Longest Performance- Shawn, 1 hour.
Final 4 Eliminated: Shawn, Bret, Taker, Sid
Winner: Davey Boy
Battle Royal 2
1993 – Following WM IX
First two entrants: Owen and Shawn
First elimination: Doink, by Owen and Shawn
Most eliminations: Luger – 7
Longest Performance: Shawn, 1 hour 10 minutes
Final 4 Eliminated: Owen, Perfect, Savage, Shawn
Winner: Razor
Battle Royal 3
1995 – Following WM XI
First two entrants: Waltman and Bob Holly
First elimination: Holly, by Hunter
Most eliminations: Davey Boy – 6
Longest Performance: Waltman – 35 minutes
Final 4 eliminated: Davey Boy, Candido, Shawn, Razor
Winner: Hakushi
Battle Royal 4
1996 – Following WM XII
First two entrants: Billy and Bart
First elimination: Marty, by Al Snow
Most eliminations: Austin – 7
Longest Performance: Owen, 45 min
Final Four eliminated: Cactus, Taker, Davey Boy, Austin
Winner: Owen
Battle Royal 5
1998 – Following WM XIV
First two entrants: Rock and HHH
First elimination: Mr Aguila, by HHH
Most eliminations: Austin – 9
Longest Performance: Rock, 52 min.
Final four eliminated: Taker, Regal, Shamrock, Austin
Winner: Cactus
Battle Royal 6
2000 – Following WM XVI
First two entrants: Angle and Bob Holly
First elimination: Crash, by Angle
Most eliminations: Angle – 8
Longest Performance – Angle, 1 hr, 6 min.
Final Four eliminated: Snow, Eddy, Angle, Jericho
Winner: Rock
Battle Royal 7
2002 – Following WM XVIII
First two entrants: Jericho and Edge
First elimination: Regal, by Jericho and Booker
Most eliminations: Diesel, 8 (many in coordination with the rest of the Clique)
Longest Performance: Shawn, 46 min
Final Four eliminated: Taker, RVD, Flair, Shawn
Winner: Rey
Battle Royal 8
2004 – Following Summer Slam 2004
First two entrants: Tajiri and Yang
First elimination: Yang, by Benjamin
Most eliminations: Leviathan, 12 (many in coordination with the rest of the Horsemen)
Longest performance: Chavo, 35 min
Final four eliminated: Leviathan, Jericho, Chavo, Christian
Winner: Eddy
Battle Royal 9
2006 – Following Summer Slam 2006
First two entrants: Punk and 2 Cold
First elimination: Kennedy, by Carlito
Most eliminations: Lashley, 5
Longest performance: Punk, 1 hr 20 min.
Final four eliminated: Fit, Orton, Edge, Jeff
Winner: Punk
Battle Royal 10
2008: Following Summer Slam 2008
First two entrants: Nitro and Santino
First elimination: Santino, by Nitro
Most eliminations: Edge, MVP 4
Longest Performance: MVP, 42 min.
Final Four eliminated: Matt, Leviathan, Jeff, Edge
Winner: Jericho
