The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

The history of the Royal Rumble Match is filled with statistics. With enough free time on your hands, you can determine everything from the Superstar who spent the most time in the ring during the annual brawl to the guy who won the bout with the least amount of effort. But there was a certain number that interested us the most. 

Watch controversial Royal Rumble Match eliminations 

WWE.com looked back through every Royal Rumble Match and kept a close eye on the Superstars who were regularly chucking dudes out of the ring. After crunching some numbers, we came up with the 10 competitors who eliminated more challengers during their careers than anyone else. Hold on tight.

#10 (tied) Roman Reigns — 18

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

He's only been in two Royal Rumble Matches, but Roman Reigns has already earned his place on the list of Superstars with the most eliminations, racking up 18 across his twin performances. In his first Royal Rumble Match in 2014, the powerhouse set a record by tossing 12 competitors in the bout. The following year, he won the whole thing, dumping six opponents on his path to victory. Keep your eye on this unstoppable Superstar. In a few years he may be at the top of this list.

Relive Roman Reigns' historic 2014 Royal Rumble Match performance

#10 (tied) CM Punk — 18

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

Whether he was attempting to convert The Great Khali to the Straight Edge way of life or hiding behind his cronies in The New Nexus, CM Punk always proved to be as entertaining as he was effective in the Royal Rumble Match. The former WWE Champion’s will to win — which was always the driving force behind his sports-entertainment career — never earned him a Rumble victory, but it did drive him to eliminate 18 other Superstars in the six Royal Rumble Matches he competed in. 

Watch CM Punk sermonize during the 2010 Royal Rumble Match

#9 Randy Orton — 19

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

When Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble Match in 2009, he did it with more than just a little help from Legacy cohorts Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase. Still, The Viper has proven himself to be a dangerous Rumble competitor in his own right with 19 individuals purged in his seven appearances. Orton never had the most eliminations in a single Rumble, but his personal best was in 2004 when he booted five. 

Randy Orton wins the 2009 Royal Rumble Match

#8 John Cena — 22

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

You don’t win two Royal Rumble Matches without sending a few dudes overboard. So it should come as no surprise that John Cena — the 2008 and 2013 winner — has launched 22 opponents across his seven attempts to survive the 30-man melee. Cena actually has the least total eliminations for a Superstar with multiple Rumble wins, but his impact — particularly in 2011 where he eliminated seven opponents — is impossible to deny. 

Watch John Cena clear house in the 2013 Royal Rumble Match

#7 Hulk Hogan — 27

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

Although he only appeared in four Royal Rumble Matches, “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan was the first Superstar to win back-to-back in 1990 and 1991. With a winning ratio of 50 percent — a record matched only by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin — The Hulkster eliminated a total of 27 Superstars in his four appearances. The WWE Hall of Famer is also tied with “Stone Cold” for the third-most eliminations in a single Rumble with 10. In terms of dominant Royal Rumble Match performances, Hulk Hogan no doubt set the bar high for only a handful of Superstars to surpass.

See The Hulkster squaring off with Ultimate Warrior in the Rumble

#6 Triple H — 28

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

When it comes to the Royal Rumble Match, Triple H is all about longevity. The Game has appeared in eight Royal Rumble Matches — claiming victory in 2002 — and eliminated a total of 28 Superstars. However, the most impressive Rumble feat for The Game is the total amount of time he stayed in the ring. Proving his resilience — possibly more than any statistic in his career — Triple H has spent 231 minutes and 32 seconds in the contest. With more than three hours in the fray, The Game guaranteed that every other Superstar was in for the fight of their life.

#5 Big Show — 30

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

The World’s Largest Athlete has never won a Royal Rumble Match (although he came damn close in 2000), but he’s made his mark in each of his nine appearances in the over-the-top-rope free-for-all. Since his 2000 Rumble debut, Big Show has eliminated 30 Superstars total — usually by flinging them into the mezzanine. The giant’s most impactful year was 2009 where he dumped six opponents, including Rey Mysterio, CM Punk and The Undertaker.

How close did Big Show come to winning in 2000?

#4 The Undertaker — 35

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

The Undertaker has only claimed victory once in his 10 Royal Rumble Match appearances. Nevertheless, The Phenom is always a target of allies and enemies alike any time he enters the bout given his reputation. In 2002 alone, The Deadman eliminated seven Superstars. Over the course of his 10 entries into the Royal Rumble Match, The Undertaker has amassed 35 eliminations total, making him one of the bout's most feared entrants.

Relive the night The Deadman won the Rumble

#3 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin — 36

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s reputation as the toughest S.O.B. in WWE history is no doubt supported by the Royal Rumble Match. The Texas Rattlesnake competed in six Rumbles, claiming victory in three — back-to-back in 1997 and 1998, then again in 2001. “Stone Cold” is also responsible for 36 total eliminations in his six appearances. As a result of his victories in 1999 and 2001, Austin would go on to WrestleMania and win the WWE Championship.

Watch Austin winning his second Royal Rumble Match

#2 Shawn Michaels — 39

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

Across 12 Royal Rumble Match appearances, Shawn Michaels’ agility and in-ring capabilities have led to him racking up the second most total eliminations in the bout's history with 39, and two back-to-back victories in 1995 and 1996. The victory in '95 was the most impressive, considering that HBK was the first entrant and narrowly escaped defeat — holding onto the ropes with only one foot touching the mat, allowing him to reenter the match and eliminate an unsuspecting British Bulldog.

Relive the night HBK entered at No. 1

#1 Kane — 42

The 10 Superstars with the most Royal Rumble Match eliminations

Kane has never won a Royal Rumble Match, but he has long been its most effective participant. With more Rumble appearances than any other Superstar in WWE history, Kane holds the record for the second most eliminations in a single Royal Rumble Match, tossing 11 Superstars in 2001, and the record for most eliminations overall with 42. It’s no wonder Superstars hold on to the ropes for dear life whenever they are in the Rumble with Kane.

Watch Kane rack up a record breaking 11 eliminations

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