Royal Rumble#Match
{{short description|WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming event series}}
{{about|the event series|games based on this event|WWF Royal Rumble (1993 video game)|and|WWF Royal Rumble (2000 video game)|the namesake match|Royal Rumble match}}
{{pp-protected|reason=Persistent addition of unsourced or poorly sourced content|expiry=04:42, January 30, 2016|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox wrestling PPV series
| name = Royal Rumble
| image =
| caption = WWE Royal Rumble logo
| alt = The current Royal Rumble logo, first used in 2017
| created_by = Pat Patterson
| promotion = WWE
| brands = Raw (2003–2011, 2017–present)
SmackDown (2003–2011, 2017–present)
ECW (2007–2010)
205 Live (2019)
| first_event = 1988
| last_event =
| signature_match = Royal Rumble match
}}
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified battle royal in which the participants enter at timed intervals instead of all beginning in the ring at the same time. After the inaugural 1988 event aired as a television special on the USA Network, the Royal Rumble has been broadcast via pay-per-view since the 1989 event and livestreaming since the 2015 event. The event is traditionally held in late January, but in 2025, it was held in early February. 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".
The Royal Rumble match is generally held as the main event of the annual event. There are some exceptions, such as the 1988, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, and 2023 events. In 1988, the main event was a tag team match, while for all the others, it was a men's world championship match. While originally only for men, a women's version of the Royal Rumble match was held as the main event at the 2018 event, which was also the first event to have two Rumble matches on one card. It subsequently became standard to have both a men's and women's Royal Rumble match at the annual event. The 2025 event was the first to be held in a National Football League stadium, while the 2026 event will be the first to take place outside of North America as it will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which will be the first of WWE's "Big Five" held in the country.
History
= Event =
The Royal Rumble match was created by wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson and the event was established by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). After the match was first tested at a house show in October 1987,{{cite web|last=Burkholder|first=Denny|title=The Lost Royal Rumble and how a signature WWE event survived despite early failure|url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/the-lost-royal-rumble-and-how-a-signature-wwe-event-survived-despite-early-failure/|date=January 26, 2017|work=CBSSports|access-date=December 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170127102925/https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/the-lost-royal-rumble-and-how-a-signature-wwe-event-survived-despite-early-failure/|archive-date=January 27, 2017|url-status=live}} the first Royal Rumble event took place on January 24, 1988, and was broadcast live as a television special on the USA Network.Ric Flair. Ric Flair: To Be the Man (p.161) The following year, the event started to be broadcast on pay-per-view (PPV),{{cite web|url=https://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/rumble.html#89|title=Royal Rumble results|publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com|access-date=December 5, 2007}} and thus became one of the "Big Four" annual PPVs, along with WrestleMania, Survivor Series, and SummerSlam, the promotion's then-four biggest shows of the year.Brian Shields. Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s (p.166)Ian Hamilton. Wrestling's Sinking Ship: What Happens to an Industry Without Competition (p. 160) From 1993 to 2002, it was considered one of the "Big Five", including King of the Ring, but that PPV event was discontinued after 2002 (although it returned to PPV in 2024).{{cite book|last=Sullivan|first=Kevin|author-link=Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|title=The WWE Championship: A Look Back at the Rich History of the WWE Championship|date=November 23, 2010|publisher=Gallery Books|isbn=9781439193211|page=124|quote=At the time, SummerSlam was one of WWE's "big five" Pay-Per-Views (Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, King of the Ring, and Survivor Series were the others), ...}} In August 2021, Money in the Bank became recognized as one of the "Big Five".{{cite web|author=News 3 Staff|title=Las Vegas to host WWE's Money in the Bank in 2022|url=https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-to-host-wwes-money-in-the-bank-in-2022|website=KSNV|access-date=May 31, 2022|date=August 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823161938/https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-to-host-wwes-money-in-the-bank-in-2022|archive-date=August 23, 2021|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Lambert|first1=Jeremy|last2=Sapp|first2=Sean Ross|title=WWE Money In The Bank 2023 To Be Held At O2 Arena In London On July 1|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/exclusives/wwe-money-bank-2023-be-held-02-arena-london-july-1-0|work=Fightful|date=January 5, 2023|access-date=January 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105120351/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/exclusives/wwe-money-bank-2023-be-held-02-arena-london-july-1-0|archive-date=January 5, 2023|url-status=live|quote=The O2 is one of the world's premier venues and the perfect home for Money In The Bank. We are excited to bring one of our 'Big 5' events to the UK and look forward to welcoming the WWE Universe to London on July 1.}}
In May 2002, the WWF was renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) following a lawsuit with the World Wildlife Fund over the "WWF" initialism.{{cite web|title=World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Drops The "F" To Emphasize the "E" for Entertainment|date=May 6, 2002|work=WWE|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp|access-date=August 28, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050321172148/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp|archive-date=March 21, 2005}} In April 2011, the promotion ceased using its full name with the "WWE" abbreviation becoming an orphaned initialism.{{cite press release|last1=Sacco|first1=Justine|last2=Weitz|first2=Michael|date=April 7, 2011|title=The New WWE|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2011/04-07-2011|location=Connecticut|publisher=WWE|access-date=November 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503100415/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2011/04-07-2011|archive-date=May 3, 2018|url-status=live}} Also in March 2002, the promotion introduced the brand extension, in which the roster was divided between the Raw and SmackDown brands where wrestlers were exclusively assigned to perform on their respective weekly television shows{{cite press release|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|title=WWE to make Raw and SmackDown! distinct TV brands|publisher=WWE|date=March 27, 2002|access-date=April 5, 2012|archive-date=April 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417115226/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp}}—ECW became a third brand in 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/scifi|title=WWE brings ECW to Sci Fi Channel|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|access-date=June 2, 2006}} The first brand extension was dissolved in August 2011,{{cite web|last=Nemer|first=Paul|title=Raw Results – 8/29/11|url=https://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-raw-results/26309-raw-results-8-29-11/|work=WrestleView|date=August 30, 2011|access-date=November 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831224708/https://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1314677739|archive-date=August 31, 2011|url-status=live}} but it was reintroduced in July 2016 (other brands, including NXT, NXT UK, and 205 Live, would also be active during this second brand split).{{cite web|title=WWE's destiny to be determined during SmackDown's Live premiere|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/article/live-draft-smackdown-premiere|work=WWE|date=June 20, 2016|access-date=June 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621124817/https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/article/live-draft-smackdown-premiere|author=WWE.com Staff|archive-date=June 21, 2016|url-status=live}} The Royal Rumble, along with the other original "Big Four" events, were the only PPVs to never be held exclusively for one brand during either brand split periods. The 2008 Royal Rumble was the first WWE pay-per-view to be available in high-definition.{{cite web|last=Clayton|first=Cory|title=How do I get WWE HD on my HDTV|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/wwehdfaqs|publisher=WWE|access-date=January 20, 2008}} In 2015, the Royal Rumble began to air on WWE's online streaming service, the WWE Network, which launched in February 2014,{{cite web|last=Flint|first=Joe|title=WWE launching over-the-top network|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-wwe-network-20140108-story.html|date=January 8, 2014|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814041829/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-wwe-network-20140108-story.html|archive-date=August 14, 2014|url-status=live}} and in 2022, the event became available on Peacock as the American version of the WWE Network merged under Peacock in March 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/standalone-wwe-network-app-shutting-down-44-new-details-wwe-transition-peacock|title=Standalone WWE Network App Shutting Down In The US On 4/4, New Details On The Transition To Peacock|date=March 8, 2021|last=Defelice|first=Robert|work=Fightful|access-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308183858/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/standalone-wwe-network-app-shutting-down-44-new-details-wwe-transition-peacock|archive-date=March 8, 2021|url-status=live}}
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that began affecting the industry in March 2020, WWE had to hold its events behind closed doors. The 2021 event was in turn held in WWE's bio-secure bubble called the WWE ThunderDome, which at the time was hosted at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.{{cite web|title=WWE ThunderDome will head to Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field beginning Friday, Dec. 11|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/article/wwe-thunderdome-will-head-to-tampa-bays-tropicana-field-beginning-friday-dec-11|work=WWE|date=November 19, 2020|author=WWE.com Staff|access-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119150550/https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/article/wwe-thunderdome-will-head-to-tampa-bays-tropicana-field-beginning-friday-dec-11|archive-date=November 19, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|title=WWE ThunderDome Moving To Tropicana Field On December 11|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-thunderdome-moving-tropicana-field-december-11|work=Fightful|date=November 19, 2020|access-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119155121/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-thunderdome-moving-tropicana-field-december-11|archive-date=November 19, 2020|url-status=live}} WWE resumed live touring in July 2021 and the 2022 event was held at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri.{{cite web|title=WWE Announces Date And Location For Royal Rumble 2022|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-announces-date-and-location-royal-rumble-2022|work=Fightful|first=Jeremy|last=Lambert|date=September 27, 2021|access-date=September 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927133003/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-announces-date-and-location-royal-rumble-2022|archive-date=September 27, 2021|url-status=live}}
From its inception in 1988 up through the 2024 event, the Royal Rumble was held annually in late January. On June 24, 2024, WWE announced a partnership with the Indiana Sports Corp which would see the 2025 Royal Rumble, as well as a future WrestleMania and a future SummerSlam, held at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, marking the first Royal Rumble held in a National Football League stadium. The date for the 2025 Royal Rumble was announced for February 1, thus marking the first Royal Rumble held outside of January. This was also the first Royal Rumble, and WWE's first PPV and livestreaming event, to air on Netflix following the international WWE Network's merger under the platform in January 2025.{{cite web|last=Keller|first=Wade|title=WWE announces Indianapolis, Ind. will host WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble in first-of-its-kind multi-event deal with a city|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2024/06/24/wwe-announces-indianapolis-ind-will-host-wrestlemania-summerslam-and-royal-rumble-in-first-of-its-kind-multi-event-deal-with-a-city/|date=June 24, 2024|work=PWTorch|access-date=June 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240624174603/https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2024/06/24/wwe-announces-indianapolis-ind-will-host-wrestlemania-summerslam-and-royal-rumble-in-first-of-its-kind-multi-event-deal-with-a-city/|archive-date=June 24, 2024|url-status=live}}
In early 2018, WWE began a 10-year strategic multiplatform partnership with the Ministry of Sport (formerly General Sports Authority) in support of Saudi Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's social and economic reform program. The first event in this partnership was the one-off Greatest Royal Rumble, which featured a 50-man Royal Rumble match.{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/worldwide/article/saudi-arabia-to-host-greatest-royal-rumble-april-2018|title=Saudi Arabia to host the Greatest Royal Rumble|work=WWE|date=March 5, 2018|author=WWE.com Staff|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305211345/https://www.wwe.com/worldwide/article/saudi-arabia-to-host-greatest-royal-rumble-april-2018|archive-date=March 5, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=National Transformation Program 2020|url=https://vision2030.gov.sa/sites/default/files/NTP_En.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828193836/https://vision2030.gov.sa/sites/default/files/NTP_En.pdf|archive-date=August 28, 2017}} In May 2024, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, announced that the country was in talks with WWE to bring either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania to the country in 2026 or 2027.{{cite web|url=https://wrestletalk.com/news/saudi-arabia-wwe-wrestlemania-royal-rumble/|title=Saudi Arabia Hosting WWE WrestleMania Or Royal Rumble Update|website=WrestleTalk|date=May 15, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515231052/https://wrestletalk.com/news/saudi-arabia-wwe-wrestlemania-royal-rumble/|archive-date=May 15, 2024|url-status=live}} Ahead of Raw{{'}}s premiere on Netflix on January 6, 2025, WWE officially confirmed that the 39th Royal Rumble would be happening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of Riyadh Season in January 2026, marking the first Royal Rumble to be held outside of North America, and the first of the "Big Five" held in Saudi Arabia.{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-royal-rumble-2026-take-place-saudi-arabia|title=WWE Royal Rumble 2026 To Take Place In Saudi Arabia|date=January 6, 2025|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=January 6, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250106202950/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-royal-rumble-2026-take-place-saudi-arabia|archive-date=January 6, 2025|url-status=live}}
Due to the Royal Rumble matches taking up a large amount of time (most Rumble matches last roughly one hour), the Royal Rumble event tends to have a smaller card than most other pay-per-view events. The men's Royal Rumble match is usually the main event, though there have been exceptions, namely the 1988, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2018, and 2023 events.{{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2007/01/29/old-guard-dominates-rumble/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724024349/https://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2007/01/28/3473071.html|url-status=live|archive-date=July 24, 2012|title=Old guard dominates Rumble|first1=Dale|last1=Plummer|first2=Nick|last2=Tylwalk|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=December 9, 2007|date=January 29, 2007}} In these cases, 1988's main event was a tag team match, while the others were men's world championship matches, except in 2018. The 2018 Royal Rumble was the first to include a women's Royal Rumble match, which was the main event for that year. It was subsequently the first in which two Rumble matches were contested on one card and it is now standard for the event to include both a men's and women's Rumble match.{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/royal-rumble-womens-match|title=The first-ever 30-Woman Over-The-Top Royal Rumble Match|date=December 18, 2017|author=WWE.com Staff|work=WWE|access-date=December 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221004309/https://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/royal-rumble-womens-match|archive-date=December 21, 2017|url-status=live}}
= Match =
{{main|Royal Rumble match}}
The Royal Rumble match is based on the classic battle royal, in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the floor. The difference between a Royal Rumble and a standard battle royal is that in a standard battle royal, all participants start the match in the ring at the same time, where in a Royal Rumble match, two participants start and then the rest enter at timed intervals.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/specialtymatches/royalrumble|title=Specialty Matches: Royal Rumble|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 3, 2007|archive-date=May 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512230454/http://www.wwe.com/inside/specialtymatches/royalrumble|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Waldman|title=Statistical survival – breaking down the Royal Rumble|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2005/02/01/917194.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714085840/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2005/02/01/917194.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 14, 2012|first=Jon|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=December 9, 2007|date=February 2, 2005}} The winner of the match is the last wrestler remaining after all others have been eliminated. Since the 1993 event, the prize for winning is a world championship match at WrestleMania, with the exception of the 2016 event, where the prize was the WWE Championship (at the time known as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship) as reigning champion Roman Reigns defended the title in the match.{{cite web|url= http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2006/01/30/1418142.html|archive-url= https://archive.today/20120629143618/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2006/01/30/1418142.html|url-status= usurped|archive-date= June 29, 2012|title=Mysterio claims Rumble; Cena reigns again|author=Dale Plummer and Nick Tylwalk|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=December 9, 2007|date=January 30, 2006}} According to Hornswoggle, who worked for WWE from 2006 until 2016 and participated in two Rumbles, participants may learn their eliminations by knowing the two wrestlers who are eliminated before them and which wrestlers are entering the Royal Rumble before and after their elimination.{{cite AV media |title=YouShoot Swoggle (Hornswoggle) |url=http://www.kayfabecommentariesuk.com/category-19/ysswog.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914174327/http://www.kayfabecommentariesuk.com/category-19/ysswog.html|archive-date=September 14, 2016|publisher=Kayfabe Commentaries |url-status=dead}}
Events and winners
Video box set
In March 2007, WWE released a complete DVD box set titled Royal Rumble: The Complete Anthology, which showcases every Royal Rumble event in its entirety, up to the 2007 Royal Rumble.{{cite web|url=http://www.royalrumble.org/| title=Royal Rumble 2015|publisher=Royal Rumble|access-date=January 18, 2015}}
References
; General
- {{cite web|url=http://www.profightdb.com/longest-wrestling-matches.html|title=Longest Pro Wrestling Matches|publisher=Internet Wrestling Database|access-date=December 1, 2013}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.mondaynightwarriors.com/other-royalrumblestats.php|title=Royal Rumble Statistics|publisher=MondayNightWarriors.com|access-date=December 5, 2009|archive-date=March 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307063529/http://www.mondaynightwarriors.com/other-royalrumblestats.php|url-status=dead}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/rumble.html#89|title=Royal Rumble results|publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com|access-date=December 5, 2007}}
- {{cite web|url=http://prowrestling.about.com/od/ringresults/a/royalrumble_2.htm|title=Royal Rumble History|author=Eric Cohen|publisher=About.com|access-date=December 9, 2007|archive-date=December 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208114111/http://prowrestling.about.com/od/ringresults/a/royalrumble_2.htm|url-status=dead}}
- {{cite book|author=Ian Hamilton|title=Wrestling's Sinking Ship: What Happens to an Industry Without Competition|isbn= 1-4116-1210-8|publisher=Lulu.com|year=2006}}{{sps|date=February 2020}}
- {{cite book|author=Ric Flair|title=Ric Flair: To Be the Man|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2004|isbn=0-7434-5691-2}}
- {{cite book|author=Brian Shields|title=Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2006|isbn=1-4165-3257-9|url=https://archive.org/details/mainevent00bria}}
; Specific
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book|author=Harley Race and Gerry Tritz|title=King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story|publisher=Sports Publishing|year= 2004|isbn=1-58261-818-6}}
- {{cite book|first=Ross|last=Davies|title=Kevin Nash|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|year=2002|isbn=0-8239-3492-6}}
- {{cite book|first=Dave|last=Meltzer|title=Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Professional Wrestlers|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|year=2004|isbn=1-58261-817-8|url=https://archive.org/details/tributesii00dave}}
- {{cite book|author=Brian Fritz and Christopher Murray|title=Between the Ropes: Wrestling's Greatest Triumphs and Failures| publisher=ECW Press|year=2006|isbn=1-55022-726-2}}
- {{cite book|author=Steve Austin and Jim Ross|title=The Stone Cold Truth|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2003|isbn=0-7434-7720-0|url=https://archive.org/details/stonecoldtruth00aust}}
- {{cite book|author=Scott Keith|title=Wrestling's One Ring Circus: The Death of the World Wrestling Federation|publisher=Citadel Press|year=2004|isbn=0-8065-2619-X}}
External links
{{commons category|Royal Rumble}}
{{Wikiquote}}
- {{Official website|http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble|Royal Rumble Official Website}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080512230454/http://www.wwe.com/inside/specialtymatches/royalrumble WWE.com: Royal Rumble match description]
- [http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/facts/ WWE.com: Royal Rumble Facts & Figures]
- [http://prowrestling.about.com/od/ringresults/a/royalrumble_2.htm Royal Rumble History at About.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208114111/http://prowrestling.about.com/od/ringresults/a/royalrumble_2.htm |date=December 8, 2008 }}
- [http://www.royalrumble.net/ WWE Royal Rumble] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031105041/http://royalrumble.net/ |date=October 31, 2017 }}
{{WWE}}
{{WWEPPV|Royal Rumble}}
{{Royal Rumble winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Rumble, Wwe}}