The Top 10 Controversial WWE Royal Rumble

BY SACNILK

WWE has confirmed a stacked slate of European shows leading into the Royal Rumble, with fans across Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden, Hungary, and Ireland set to catch live action throughout January 2027. The tour opens on Friday, January 15, with SmackDown taking over Forest National in Brussels, Belgium. The following night, Saturday, January 16, the Road to Royal Rumble Supershow rolls into Gliwice, Poland, at the PreZero Arena, before continuing on Sunday, January 17, with another Supershow stop at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Raw kicks off the week on Monday, January 18, live from the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, UK. The tour then heads back to England for SmackDown on Friday, January 22, at Co-op Live in Manchester. The second weekend of Road to Royal Rumble Supershow events follows, with Stockholm, Sweden's Avicii Arena hosting on Saturday, January 23, and Budapest, Hungary's MVM Dome welcoming fans on Sunday, January 24. The European leg wraps up with Raw at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on Monday, January 25. With Royal Rumble season officially underway, these shows are expected to feature key build-up matches and storyline developments as WWE Superstars gear up for one of the promotion's biggest events of the year.

BY SACNILK

There's said to be strong internal interest in eventually growing the Rumble into a full multi-night destination weekend, following the template WWE has already used successfully with WrestleMania and, more recently, SummerSlam. According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, WWE gave serious consideration to expanding Royal Rumble 2027 into a two-night format. As things stand, though, the expectation within the company is that the show will remain a one-night event — though possibly for the final time, with significant interest internally in eventually turning the Royal Rumble into a multi-night destination event. WWE's multi-night experiment didn't begin by choice. The first two-night WrestleMania came in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the company to pre-tape the show behind closed doors at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, splitting the card across two broadcasts to help manage the workload with no live crowd involved. What started as a pandemic workaround became a permanent fixture once fans returned. WrestleMania 37 in Tampa kept the two-night format in 2021, and WrestleMania 38 the following year became the first two-night edition with a full live crowd both nights. From that point on, WrestleMania has stayed a two-night event every year. SummerSlam was the next show to get the treatment, going two nights for the first time in 2025 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Triple H explained at the time that the goal was to replicate what had already worked for WrestleMania — turning the show into a destination weekend that fans could plan trips and vacations around, rather than just a single night on the calendar. The results for WWE have generally been strong on the business side. The two-night SummerSlam produced strong revenue and attendance figures, and internal reporting following the show pointed to real appetite within WWE/TKO for expanding the multi-night model to more events going forward. Fan reaction, however, has been more split. Supporters of the format point to shorter, more digestible nightly runtimes compared to the marathon single-night shows of the past — WrestleMania 35, for example, drew praise for its matches but criticism for a bloated seven-and-a-half-hour runtime that left both the crowd and viewers at home exhausted. Splitting events across two nights has generally solved that specific problem. On the other hand, a recurring criticism from fans is that spreading a card across two nights can dilute the sense of occasion, with some nights feeling front-loaded and others feeling like filler, and ticket prices for two-night stadium weekends adding up quickly for fans traveling in. There's also been debate over whether every show needs the format, or whether it risks making multi-night events feel less special the more frequently WWE uses it. Given that framework, a two-night Royal Rumble would be a significant step for WWE, potentially applying the format to one of the promotion's traditionally leanest, most efficient shows — built almost entirely around the 30-man and 30-woman Rumble matches themselves rather than a full card of title bouts. For now, it sounds like the company isn't ready to make that leap for 2027, but the door is clearly open for it to happen down the line as WWE continues to lean into the destination-weekend model that's paid off with its two biggest shows of the year.

BY SACNILK

Here is the list of all WWE Royal Rumble events.## The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and live-streaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE. It is one of WWE's five biggest events of the year, along with WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank referred to as the "Big Five".## Check out the full list below.## List of all WWE Royal Rumble events # Event Date City Venue Main Event Winner(s) Entry No. 1 Royal Rumble (1988) January 24, 1988 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Copps Coliseum The Islanders (Haku and Tama) vs. The Young Stallions (Paul Roma and Jim Powers) in a two out of three falls match Jim Duggan 13 2 Royal Rumble (1989) January 15, 1989 Houston, Texas The Summit 30-man Royal Rumble match Big John Studd 27 3 Royal Rumble (1990) January 21, 1990 Orlando, Florida Orlando Arena Hulk Hogan 25 4 Royal Rumble (1991) January 19, 1991 Miami, Florida Miami Arena 24 5 Royal Rumble (1992) January 19, 1992 Albany, New York Knickerbocker Arena 30-man Royal Rumble match for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship Ric Flair 3 6 Royal Rumble (1993) January 24, 1993 Sacramento, California ARCO Arena 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania IX Yokozuna 27 7 Royal Rumble (1994) January 22, 1994 Providence, Rhode Island Providence Civic Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania X Bret HartLex Luger 2327 8 Royal Rumble (1995) January 22, 1995 Tampa, Florida USF Sun Dome 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania XI Shawn Michaels 1 9 Royal Rumble (1996) January 21, 1996 Fresno, California Selland Arena Bret Hart (c) vs. The Undertaker for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship 18 10 Royal Rumble (1997) January 19, 1997 San Antonio, Texas Alamodome Sycho Sid (c) vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship Stone Cold Steve Austin 5 11 Royal Rumble (1998) January 18, 1998 San Jose, California San Jose Arena Shawn Michaels (c) vs. The Undertaker in a Casket match for the WWF Championship 24 12 Royal Rumble (1999) January 24, 1999 Anaheim, California Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWF Championship match at WrestleMania XV Mr. McMahon 2 13 Royal Rumble (2000) January 23, 2000 New York City, New York Madison Square Garden 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWF Championship match at WrestleMania 2000 The Rock 24 14 Royal Rumble (2001) January 21, 2001 New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans Arena 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWF Championship match at WrestleMania X-Seven Stone Cold Steve Austin 27 15 Royal Rumble (2002) January 20, 2002 Atlanta, Georgia Philips Arena 30-man Royal Rumble match for an Undisputed WWF Championship match at WrestleMania X8 Triple H 22 16 Royal Rumble (2003) January 19, 2003 Boston, Massachusetts FleetCenter 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XIX Brock Lesnar 29 17 Royal Rumble (2004) January 25, 2004 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wachovia Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XX Chris Benoit 1 18 Royal Rumble (2005) January 30, 2005 Fresno, California Save Mart Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 21 Batista 28 19 Royal Rumble (2006) January 29, 2006 Miami, Florida American Airlines Arena Kurt Angle (c) vs. Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship Rey Mysterio 2 20 Royal Rumble (2007) January 28, 2007 San Antonio, Texas AT&T Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 23 The Undertaker 30 21 Royal Rumble (2008) January 27, 2008 New York City, New York Madison Square Garden 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XXIV John Cena 30 22 Royal Rumble (2009) January 25, 2009 Detroit, Michigan Joe Louis Arena 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XXV Randy Orton 8 23 Royal Rumble (2010) January 31, 2010 Atlanta, Georgia Philips Arena 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XXVI Edge 29 24 Royal Rumble (2011) January 30, 2011 Boston, Massachusetts TD Garden 40-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XXVII Alberto Del Rio 38 25 Royal Rumble (2012) January 29, 2012 St. Louis, Missouri Scottrade Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XXVIII Sheamus 22 26 Royal Rumble (2013) January 27, 2013 Phoenix, Arizona US Airways Center CM Punk (c) vs. The Rock for the WWE Championship John Cena 19 27 Royal Rumble (2014) January 26, 2014 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Consol Energy Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania XXX Batista 28 28 Royal Rumble (2015) January 25, 2015 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wells Fargo Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 31 Roman Reigns 19 29 Royal Rumble (2016) January 24, 2016 Orlando, Florida Amway Center Roman Reigns (c) vs. 29 other wrestlers in a 30-man Royal Rumble match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple H 30 30 Royal Rumble (2017) January 29, 2017 San Antonio, Texas Alamodome 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 33 Randy Orton 23 31 Royal Rumble (2018) January 28, 2018 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wells Fargo Center 30-woman Royal Rumble match for a women's championship match at WrestleMania 34 Shinsuke Nakamura 14 Asuka 25 32 Royal Rumble (2019) January 27, 2019 Phoenix, Arizona Chase Field 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 35 Becky Lynch 28 Seth Rollins 10 33 Royal Rumble (2020) January 26, 2020 Houston, Texas Minute Maid Park 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 36 Charlotte Flair 17 Drew McIntyre 16 34 Royal Rumble (2021) January 31, 2021 St. Petersburg, Florida WWE ThunderDome at Tropicana Field 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 37 Bianca Belair 3 Edge 1 35 Royal Rumble (2022) January 29, 2022 St. Louis, Missouri The Dome at America's Center 30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania 38 Ronda Rousey 28 Brock Lesnar 30 36 Royal Rumble (2023) January 28, 2023 San Antonio, Texas Alamodome TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD ## Stay Tuned...##

BY SACNILK

The future moves of seasoned competitors are always a topic of heated debate among fans and industry insiders alike. One such figure currently in the eye of the storm is none other than Mercedes Mone, whose next steps have become a subject of speculation and rumor. ## According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), Mercedes' recent injury has thrown a wrench into the original plans for Giulia, causing a ripple effect that has left many questioning Mone's trajectory in the wrestling landscape. The report suggests that Giulia, the reigning NJPW Strong Women's Champion, might have a change in plans due to Mercedes' unexpected setback.## Giulia's contract with STARDOM is set to expire in March, adding a layer of complexity to the situation. While there is hope within WWE that Mercedes might make a triumphant return, rumors persist that Giulia could be making her way to the global wrestling giant. The original script had Mercedes dethroning Giulia for the NJPW Strong Women's Championship, but with the current circumstances, nothing seems certain.## WON's report indicates that Giulia is still slated to defend her title in Chicago, where she is expected to drop the belt. The initial plan, however, was for Mercedes Mone to be the one to snatch victory from Giulia in the Windy City. The uncertainty surrounding Mercedes' return has left fans eagerly anticipating developments in the coming months.## Speculation also runs rampant regarding Mercedes' potential jump to AEW (All Elite Wrestling). Some insiders suggest that a deal could be in the works, with expectations of an announcement within the month. However, conflicting reports from WWE circles suggest that there is still a glimmer of hope for her return at the upcoming Royal Rumble, adding another layer of intrigue to the ongoing saga.## Notably, wrestling veteran Booker T has expressed doubts about Mercedes Mone being a good fit for AEW, adding yet another perspective to the already multifaceted debate. As the wrestling world holds its collective breath, the puzzle of Mercedes Mone's next move continues to confound fans and industry pundits alike.## One certainty in this complex situation is the potential for Mercedes to capture the NJPW Strong Women's Championship if she continues to work with the Japanese promotion. WON reiterates earlier claims that the title was specifically created for Mercedes, as Bushiroad aimed to have Mayu Iwatani hold the prestigious IWGP Women's Championship. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

The Royal Rumble is a big deal for wrestling fans, and it's exciting to see who will come out on top. Winning the men's or women's Royal Rumble means getting a shot at the World Championship at WrestleMania. ## But the real challenge is endurance – the longer you stay in the Royal Rumble match, the better. The person who lasts the longest is called the "Iron Man" or "Iron Woman." There's no special prize for it, but it's still a cool accomplishment to stick it out in the Royal Rumble for a long time. As the 2024 Royal Rumble approaches, let's look back at some records set by wrestlers over the years.## #1. Daniel Bryan - 76:05 (2018 Greatest Royal Rumble) ## WWE acknowledges Daniel Bryan as the person who spent the most time in a single Royal Rumble. The 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble had a record 50 participants, which is more than the usual 30 in a regular Royal Rumble. Despite this, Bryan worked hard all night to reach the final three. Although he fell short in the end, it seemed like nobody could stop Braun Strowman that night. He managed to eliminate an impressive thirteen opponents on his way to victory. Interestingly, Daniel Bryan was not one of those thirteen. ## #2. Gunther - 71:40 (2023) ## Gunther holds the second spot with a total time of 71:40. However, it's important to mention that Gunther is recognized as the record holder in traditional 30-man Rumble matches with a time of 1:11:40. Daniel Bryan's time of 1:16:05 was achieved in a 50-man Rumble. ## Gunther entered first and got eliminated by Cody Rhodes, the winner of the 2023 Royal Rumble. ## #3. Rey Mysterio - 62:12 (2006) ## In the 2006 Royal Rumble, Rey Mysterio stood tall against the WWE giants. He endured physical attacks for over an hour, making it to the final three against former Evolution members Triple H and Randy Orton. ## By eliminating both, Rey Mysterio secured a significant victory, elevating himself in the WWE. This triumph paved the way for him to solidify his position by winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22, defeating Randy Orton and Kurt Angle. Rey Mysterio, known for his thrilling style, never had to go back to being a mid-carder after that. ## #4. Chris Benoit - 61:31 (2004) ## Although WWE may want to overlook its history with Chris Benoit, there's no denying the impact the "Canadian Crippler" had at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia in 2004. In that year's Royal Rumble, Benoit entered as the first participant, breaking a decade-old record for the longest time in a single rumble. He was also only the second winner up to that point to enter at #1. ## Benoit's significant victory paved the way for him to compete for and win his only World Heavyweight Championship later that year at WrestleMania 20. In a triple threat match, he defeated Triple H and Shawn Michaels. ## #5. Rhea Ripley - 61:08 (2023) ## Rhea Ripley's move from NXT to the main roster has been impressive in WWE. In the 2023 Women's Royal Rumble, Ripley came in first and stayed in the match until the end, ultimately winning it. This adds up to a total time of 61 minutes and 8 seconds, making her the first woman in WWE to achieve such a feat. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Stamford, December 7 - As the much-anticipated 37th annual Royal Rumble Premium Live Event looms on the horizon, excitement and speculation among WWE fans have reached a fever pitch. The iconic showdown, known for catapulting its winners to the grand stage of WrestleMania, is the subject of fervent discussions as enthusiasts place their bets on the potential victors. ## One of the most eagerly awaited contests is the Women's Royal Rumble Match, a thrilling spectacle where 30 formidable competitors vie for the chance to challenge for the Women's World Championship, the Women's Championship, or even the coveted NXT Women's Championship. This event is notorious for its surprises, dramatic returns, and the possibility of witnessing new debuts. ## Sky Bet has released the early betting odds for this epic showdown. The frontrunner, to the surprise of many, is none other than Bayley, boasting odds of 10/11. Although Bayley has yet to secure a Royal Rumble victory, her storied history in the event is undeniable. She has entered the fray in 2018, 2019, 2021, and most recently in 2023. ## Other superstars are closely trailing as near-favorites according to Sky Bet's odds. These include Jade Cargill (2/1), Becky Lynch (10/1), Raquel Rodriguez (10/1), Charlotte Flair (12/1), Liv Morgan (14/1), Bianca Belair (16/1), IYO SKY (16/1), and Rhea Ripley (16/1). ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Here is the full list of the Top 10 Controversial Royal Rumble. ## These controversial finishes have often caused frustration and disappointment among fans, and have led to calls for more fair and unpredictable outcomes in future https://wwe.sacnilk.com/tag/Royal_Rumble matches. Despite this, the Royal Rumble remains one of the most popular and highly-anticipated events on the WWE calendar, and continues to draw in large audiences each year. ## The 1995 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which Lex Luger and Bret Hart simultaneously eliminated each other, resulting in a co-winner and no clear challenger for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.## The 1999 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which Vince McMahon, the owner of WWE, entered the match and eliminated Stone Cold Steve Austin, the fan favorite, to win the match and earn a title shot at WrestleMania.## The 2000 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which The Rock, the reigning WWE Champion, was eliminated by the Big Show, who had been eliminated earlier in the match but was able to re-enter and eliminate The Rock, causing confusion and frustration among fans.## The 2011 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which Alberto Del Rio, the eventual winner, eliminated Rey Mysterio, who had already been eliminated earlier in the match, causing confusion and frustration among fans.## The 2013 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which John Cena, the eventual winner, eliminated Ryback, who had been a dominant force in the match, causing confusion and frustration among fans.## The 2014 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which Batista, who had returned to WWE after a four-year absence, won the match, despite the fact that many fans had been rooting for Daniel Bryan, who had been a fan favorite for several months.## The 2016 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which Roman Reigns, who had been heavily pushed as the next top star in WWE, won the match, despite the fact that many fans had been rooting for other wrestlers, such as Dean Ambrose or Kevin Owens.## The 2018 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which Shinsuke Nakamura, who had been heavily pushed as the next top star in WWE, won the match, despite the fact that many fans had been rooting for other wrestlers, such as Finn Balor or AJ Styles.## The 2020 Royal Rumble match, which featured a controversial finish in which Drew McIntyre, who had been heavily pushed as the next top star in WWE, won the match, despite the fact that many fans had been rooting for other wrestlers, such as Roman Reigns or Braun Strowman.## The 2022 Royal Rumble match The event received mixed to negative reviews from fans and critics, with the men's Royal Rumble being widely panned. ## To stay updated with all the latest combat sports news, add Sacnilk.com to your Google News feeds and follow us on Twitter.

BY SACNILK

The Royal Rumble features a 30-man over-the-top-rope battle royal match, with the winner receiving a world championship match at WrestleMania. Throughout the years, there have been many memorable and brutal eliminations in the Royal Rumble match. ## Here is a list of the top 10 brutal Royal Rumble match eliminations (This is subjective and based on personal opinion): ## 1. Mick Foley being thrown off the Hell in a Cell by The Undertaker (1998)## 2. Kane throwing Pete Gas, Rodney, and Joey Abs through a table (2000)## 3. Rey Mysterio eliminating Eddie Guerrero by hitting him with a 619 and clotheslining him over the top rope (2005)## 4. Edge spearing Mick Foley over the top rope, causing him to land on the announce table and breaking it (2007)## 5. Kane chokeslamming CM Punk over the top rope and through a table set up at ringside (2014)## 6. Big Show throwing Mark Henry through the ringside barricade and into the crowd (2011)## 7. Randy Savage eliminating Ric Flair by clotheslining him over the top rope, causing him to land on the Spanish announce table and breaking it (1992)## 8. Steve Austin eliminating Vince McMahon by clotheslining him over the top rope and onto the Spanish announce table, causing it to collapse (1998)## 9. The Miz eliminating John Morrison by throwing him off the top rope and into the ringside barrier (2010) ## 10. Drew McIntyre eliminating Brock Lesnar by lifting him over the top rope and onto the floor with a fireman's carry (2020) ## Note that these eliminations are not considered as brutal in real life as they are performed by professional wrestlers and are a part of the script, but they are memorable and spectacular moments in the WWE history. ## ## To stay updated with all the latest combat sports news, add Sacnilk.com to your Google News feeds and follow us on Twitter.