Royal Rumble match#Other Royal Rumble matches
{{short description|Professional wrestling match type}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = Royal Rumble match
| image = WWE Royal Rumble match in 2009.jpg
| caption = WWE Royal Rumble match in 2009
| founded = {{Start date and age|October 1987}}
| organizer = WWE
| founder = Pat Patterson
Vince McMahon
| inaugural = 1988
| competitors = 30 (traditionally)
20 (1988)
40 (2011)
50 (GRR)
| tournament_format = Staggered entry battle royal
| champion = Jey Uso (men's)
Charlotte Flair (women's)
| most_champs = Stone Cold Steve Austin (three)
| qualification = World championship match at WrestleMania
| champ_season = 2025
}}
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic battle royal match 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/specialtymatches/royalrumble|title=Specialty Matches: Royal Rumble|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 3, 2007|archivedate=February 3, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203074519/http://www.wwe.com/inside/specialtymatches/royalrumble}}{{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 match is typically the main event of WWE's January pay-per-view and livestreaming event known as the Royal Rumble. The winner of the event is the last wrestler remaining after all others have been eliminated, and since 1993, the winner traditionally earns a world championship match at WrestleMania.{{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|author1=Dale Plummer |author2=Nick Tylwalk|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=December 9, 2007|date=January 30, 2006}} The Royal Rumble match was created by wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson and was first staged at a house show in October 1987.{{cite web |last1=Burkholder |first1=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/ |website=CBSSports |access-date=December 7, 2021 |date=January 26, 2017}}
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin holds the record for most victories at three, achieved in 1997, 1998, and 2001, while Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, Batista, Triple H, Randy Orton, Edge, Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, and Charlotte Flair have all won the match twice, with Hogan, Michaels, Austin, and Rhodes as the only four to win back-to-back matches, and Flair being the only two-time women's winner.
The term "Royal Rumble" is trademarked by WWE.{{cite web|url=https://trademarks.justia.com/870/29/royal-87029816.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20250121151238/https://trademarks.justia.com/870/29/royal-87029816.html|archive-date=January 21, 2025|title=ROYAL RUMBLE - Trademark Details|work=Justia|access-date=January 21, 2025}} However, multiple other professional wrestling promotions have introduced their own derivations of the Royal Rumble match, for example World War 3 in World Championship Wrestling, the Gauntlet for the Gold in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and the Casino Battle Royale in All Elite Wrestling.
Concept
The Royal Rumble differs from the classical battle royal as the contestants do not enter the ring at the same time, but instead are assigned entry numbers, usually via a lottery, although desirable spots are occasionally assigned by other means, the most common being winning a match. The match begins with the two wrestlers who have drawn entry numbers one and two, with the remaining wrestlers entering the ring at regular timed intervals, either 90 seconds or two minutes (60 seconds for the 1995 event), according to their entry number. This format is credited to Pat Patterson.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/patpatterson/bio/|title=Hall of Fame: Pat Patterson|access-date=2007-12-03|publisher=WWE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124132009/http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/patpatterson/bio/ |archive-date=2007-11-24}} To date, only six wrestlers who have been one of the starting two entrants have won the Royal Rumble: Shawn Michaels in 1995, Vince McMahon in 1999, Chris Benoit in 2004, Rey Mysterio in 2006, Edge in 2021, and Rhea Ripley in 2023. (Michaels, Benoit, Edge, and Ripley were entrant number 1 while McMahon and Mysterio were number 2), while only five wrestlers who have been the final entrant won the Royal Rumble: The Undertaker in 2007, John Cena in 2008, Triple H in 2016, Brock Lesnar in 2022, and Cody Rhodes in 2023. The most common number to win is 30, and 16 eventual winners entered at number 25 or later.
The Royal Rumble match traditionally involves 30 wrestlers and usually lasts an hour (the 2011 edition had a 40-man field). The 2025 men's match was the longest installment to date, lasting one hour and 20 minutes while the first televised Rumble match in 1988 involved only 20 men{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/1988114/mainevent/|title=Royal Rumble 1988: Main Event|publisher=WWE| access-date=2007-12-03}} and lasted 33 minutes of the two-hour broadcast.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/facts/|title=Royal Rumble: Facts & Figures|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 30, 2007}} The 1998 match nominally had the traditional 30-man field, but only 28 individual wrestlers competed as Mick Foley entered the Royal Rumble match three different times as three different gimmicks—first as Cactus Jack, then Mankind and finally Dude Love.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/listthis/greatrawmoments/rawmoments5|title=Foley's Hat-trick|last=McAvennie|first=Mike| date=January 20, 2007|publisher=WWE |access-date=November 21, 2008}} The 2018 Royal Rumble PPV was the first to include a women's Royal Rumble match,{{cite web|last1=Powell|first1=Jason|title=12/18 Powell's WWE Raw Live TV Review: Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman return, Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak for a WWE Cruiserweight Title shot, the build to the Royal Rumble|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2017/12/18/12-18-powells-wwe-raw-live-tv-review-brock-lesnar-paul-heyman-return-cedric-alexander-vs-drew-gulak-wwe-cruiserweight-title-shot-build-royal-rumble/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=December 18, 2017}} contested under the same rules as the men's match, including having 30 participants.{{cite web|url=https://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2018/1/1/16839550/kurt-angle-announces-official-rules-for-womens-royal-rumble-match|title=Kurt Angle announces official rules for women's Royal Rumble match|work=Cageside Seats|access-date=January 2, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2018/article/mens-womens-royal-rumble-rules-revealed|title=Men's and Women's Royal Rumble Match rules revealed|date=January 1, 2018|author=WWE.com Staff|work=WWE.com|access-date=January 2, 2018}}
File:Stone Cold Steve Austin.jpg holds the record for most Royal Rumble match wins with three]]
According to the rules, participants are eliminated from the match if moved over the top rope and both feet touch the floor. Hence, a wrestler who exits the ring without going over the top rope is not eliminated from the contest. For example, during the 1999 match, both McMahon and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin left the ring only to return later in the match.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/19881143/mainevent/|title=Royal Rumble 1999: Main Event|publisher=WWE|access-date=2007-12-30}} Furthermore, a wrestler who only touches the floor with one foot is not eliminated from the match, a rule which greatly affected the 1995 match, allowing Michaels to re-enter the ring and win the match. Although he has not won a Royal Rumble match, Kofi Kingston has become synonymous with finding various ways to keep at least one of his feet from touching the floor.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/1988117/mainevent/|title=Royal Rumble 1995: Main Event|publisher=WWE|access-date=2007-12-05}} In the 1994 match, the last two participants (Bret Hart and Lex Luger) were declared co-winners when officials were unable to determine whose feet touched the floor first.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/198811421/mainevent/|title=Royal Rumble 1994: Main Event|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 5, 2007}} Although this was the intended outcome, a similar situation occurred by a legitimate accident in 2005, when Batista and John Cena eliminated each other and hit the ground at exactly the same time. This time, the match was restarted.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/198811/mainevent/|title=Royal Rumble 2005: Main Event|publisher=WWE|access-date=2007-12-05}} Though various referees are charged with observing the match, some eliminations have gone unnoticed to allow the eliminated participants to sneak back into the ring to continue. Austin was able to re-enter the ring in this way and win the 1997 match.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/1988114111/mainevent/|title=Royal Rumble 1997: Main Event|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 3, 2007|quote=Stone Cold was actually eliminated during the match, but the referees failed to detect it, so he sneaked back in.}}
Although eliminations are usually caused by active participants, eliminations caused by other means have been ruled legitimate, including self-eliminations (such as André the Giant after seeing a snake in 1989, Mil Máscaras diving out of the ring from the turnbuckle in 1997, Kane in 1999, and Pat McAfee in 2024, although Randy Savage's jump over the top rope in 1992 was not ruled as self-elimination), elimination by previously eliminated participants (such as The Undertaker eliminating Maven in 2002, Kurt Angle eliminating Michaels in 2005 or Sonya Deville eliminating Naomi in 2022) or non-participants (such as Shane McMahon eliminating Shawn Michaels in 2006 and The Miz eliminating John Cena in 2011). Furthermore, an injured wrestler can return to the ring as long as the match is still ongoing (such as Austin in 1999, Roman Reigns in 2016, and Randy Orton in 2021), but not if the match has already ended (such as Spike Dudley in 2004, Scotty 2 Hotty in 2005, and Rey Mysterio in 2023) and can also be replaced by another wrestler (such as Mick Foley replacing Test in 2004, Erick Rowan replacing Curtis Axel in 2015, Sami Zayn replacing Tye Dillinger in 2018, Nia Jax replacing R-Truth in 2019, Becky Lynch replacing Lana in 2019 and IShowSpeed replacing Akira Tozawa in 2025).
Prize
Since 1993, the winner of the Royal Rumble match is traditionally awarded a title match for WWE's top championship at WrestleMania—WWE currently promotes two main roster brands with a top championship for each and the winner can choose which championship to challenge for, regardless of the brand they belong to. For the men, that is the World Heavyweight Championship on Raw and the Undisputed WWE Championship (respresenting both the WWE and Universal Championships) on SmackDown.{{cite web|last=Cohen|first=Eric|url=http://prowrestling.about.com/od/thewrestlers/a/rumblewinnerfat.htm|title=The Fate of the Royal Rumble Winner|publisher=About.com|access-date=2007-12-09|date=2007-04-25}} Similarly, the winner of the women's Royal Rumble match (first contested in 2018) is awarded a match at WrestleMania for their choice of one of WWE's top women's championships: Raw's Women's World Championship, SmackDown's WWE Women's Championship, or the NXT Women's Championship.{{cite web|last=Moore|first=John|title=2/16 NXT Takeover: Portland results – Moore's live review of Adam Cole vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship, Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair for the NXT Women's Championship, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly vs. Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne for the NXT Tag Titles, Finn Balor vs. Johnny Gargano|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/02/16/2-16-nxt-takeover-portland-results-moores-live-review-of-adam-cole-vs-tommaso-ciampa-for-the-nxt-championship-rhea-ripley-vs-bianca-belair-for-the-nxt-womens-championship-bobby-fish-and-kyl/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=February 16, 2020|access-date=February 16, 2020}} However, it has never been officially confirmed that a man or woman would be barred from challenging a different gender at WrestleMania. It has also not been confirmed, as of yet, if the NXT Championship is an eligible choice for the men's Royal Rumble match winner to face at WrestleMania.
With the first brand extension introduced in mid-2002, the 30 male entrants from 2003 to 2006 consisted of 15 wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands, respectively. At first, the winner of the match received a shot for their brand's top championship, either the original World Heavyweight Championship or the WWE Championship.{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2004/01/26/325195.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718053734/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2004/01/26/325195.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 18, 2012 |title=Benoit wins the 'Rumble'|first=John|last=Powell|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=2007-12-23|date=2004-01-26}} Starting in 2004, the Royal Rumble winner had the option of challenging for either brand's top championship. For instance, Chris Benoit switched from SmackDown to Raw after winning the 2004 event to challenge for Raw's top championship at the time. From 2007 to 2010, participants from the ECW brand competed along with the Raw and SmackDown brands, with the ECW Championship added as an option, although no winner ever chose it.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/02052007/|title=Tickets punched for WrestleMania|first=Brett |last=Hoffman|publisher=WWE|access-date=2007-12-05|date=2007-02-05}} During ECW's participation, the entries for each brand were not evenly divided.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/2007/matches/35535102/results/|title=A Phenom-enal Rumble|author=Louie Dee|publisher=WWE|access-date=2007-12-05|date=2007-01-28}} The ECW Championship was deactivated in 2010, leaving the two remaining titles until they were unified in December 2013 as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This singular option lasted until the brand extensions' return in 2016, which introduced the Universal Championship, as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship reverted to being called the WWE Championship. Like the first brand extension, the winner of the 2017 event earned a match for their brand's top championship, the Universal Championship or WWE Championship, but beginning with the 2018 event, the winner has a choice. NXT - WWE's developmental brand - was elevated to main roster status from September 2019 until September 2021, during that time NXT's top championships (the NXT Championship for men and the NXT Women's Championship for women) were also eligible choices. This ended when NXT reverted to developmental status in September 2021, though in February 2025, the NXT Women's Championship became an eligible choice once more, but it is yet to be confirmed if the NXT Championship is as well. Since the return of the brand extension, the number of participants from each brand has not been evenly divided, as matches have also featured NXT wrestlers, as well has surprise entrants such as WWE Hall of Famers and/or debuting wrestlers.
WWE's top championship has been booked as on the line during the Royal Rumble match on two occasions. In 1992, the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship was contested in the Royal Rumble match, which was won by Ric Flair,{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/19881152/mainevent/|title=Royal Rumble 1992: Main Event|publisher=WWE|access-date=2007-12-05}} while in 2016, Roman Reigns was scheduled to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship as a participant of that year's Royal Rumble match as entrant number one. This has thus far been the only time that a reigning champion had to defend his title in the match, which was ultimately won by Triple H, who eliminated Reigns before lastly eliminating Dean Ambrose to win; Reigns would earn a rematch against Triple H at WrestleMania 32 and won back the title. In 2008, ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero entered the Royal Rumble match as entrant number 26 before being eliminated by eventual winner John Cena. This was the first time in which a reigning world champion competed in the match in which the winner could challenge them. In 2020, although he did not defend his title in the match, WWE Champion Brock Lesnar entered the Royal Rumble match as entrant number 1, feeling as if no one on any brand deserved to challenge him at either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania. Lesnar's participation was used as a way to set up his WrestleMania challenger, which ended up being Drew McIntyre, who eliminated Lesnar, won the Rumble match and then challenged Lesnar for his title at WrestleMania 36. In 2022, although she did not defend her title in the match, SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair entered the Royal Rumble match as entrant number 17, feeling as if no one on any brand deserved to challenge her at either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania. This was the first time in which a reigning women's champion competed in the match in which the champion could choose their opponent; Flair's participation was used as a way to set up her WrestleMania challenger, which ended up being Ronda Rousey, who eliminated Flair, won the Rumble match and then challenged Flair for her title at WrestleMania 38.
The Royal Rumble winner may also choose to put his championship opportunity on the line in a match. This was first done in 1996, when Shawn Michaels risked his WrestleMania XII WWF Championship opportunity in a match against Owen Hart at In Your House 6. The second time was in 2002, when Triple H lost his WrestleMania X8 Undisputed WWF Championship opportunity at No Way Out to Kurt Angle, but regained his spot in a rematch against Angle on the following episode of Raw. The third time was in 2006, when Randy Orton defeated Rey Mysterio at No Way Out for Mysterio's WrestleMania 22 World Heavyweight Championship opportunity, though Mysterio was reinserted into the title match, making it a triple threat match. The fourth time was on the February 25, 2013 edition of Raw, where John Cena successfully defended his WrestleMania 29 WWE Championship opportunity in a match against CM Punk. The fifth time was in 2015 at Fastlane, where Reigns defended his WrestleMania 31 WWE World Heavyweight Championship opportunity against Daniel Bryan. In a reverse case in 2008, John Cena decided that instead of waiting until WrestleMania XXIV, he would use his world championship opportunity and challenge WWE Champion Orton at the preceding No Way Out event, though won the match but not the title when Orton intentionally got himself disqualified; however, after Triple H became Orton's WrestleMania opponent, Cena earned another opportunity and was inserted into that championship match, making it a triple threat match. In another case in 2017, Randy Orton relinquished his WrestleMania 33 WWE Championship opportunity after his stablemate Bray Wyatt won the title, but later turned on Wyatt and reverted his decision; he then defeated AJ Styles, who had become the new title challenger, to re-earn his title shot at WrestleMania.
During the 50 men-Greatest Royal Rumble in April 2018, the winner Braun Strowman received a trophy and the Greatest Royal Rumble Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/look-wwe-awards-awesome-special-championship-title-for-greatest-royal-rumble/|title=LOOK: WWE awards awesome special championship title for Greatest Royal Rumble|access-date=1 May 2018}}
Dates, venues, and winners
= Men's Royal Rumble winner's championship opportunity =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope=col|Championship
!scope=col|Victories !scope=col|Attempts !scope=col|Success rate |
|---|
| scope="row"|WWE Championship{{efn|The WWE Championship has had various names due to company name changes and title unifications. Since the 1993 Royal Rumble, these include the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, the WWF Championship, the Undisputed WWF Championship, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (in tandem with the WWE Universal Championship), and the Undisputed WWE Championship.}}
|11 |20 |{{Winning percentage|11|9}} |
| scope="row"|World Heavyweight Championship {{small|(2002–2013 version)}} |5 |7 |{{Winning percentage|5|2}} |
| scope="row"|WWE Universal Championship{{efn|From April 2022 until April 2024, the WWE Championship and Universal Championship were held and defended together as the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, with both titles together being a singular choice as the Undisputed title.}}
|2 |5 |{{Winning percentage|2|3}} |
| scope="row"|World Heavyweight Championship {{small|(current version)}} |1 |1 |{{Winning percentage|1|0}} |
| scope="row"|Total
!18{{efn|At WrestleMania XL in 2024, the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship were held together as the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, with the latter being retired upon Roman Reigns's loss in the match. This is counted as one instead of two separate victories.}} !31{{efn|At WrestleMania 39 in 2023 and WrestleMania XL in 2024, the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship were defended together as the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. These are each counted as one instead of two separate attempts.}} !{{Winning percentage|18|13}} |
:{{color box|#c3fdb8|border=silver}} – WrestleMania victory
:{{color box|#fbb|border=silver}} – WrestleMania loss
:{{color box|#fff|border=silver}} – Did not receive title match
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ ! !Winner !Event !Year !Championship match |
| style="background:#c3fdb8;"
|{{sort|01|1}} |scope="row"|Yokozuna |1993 |Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart to win the WWF Championship but lost it shortly afterwards to Hulk Hogan in an impromptu match. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|rowspan="" 2 '|{{sort|02|2}} |rowspan="" 2 '|Lex Luger |rowspan="" 2 '|WrestleMania X |rowspan="" 2 '|1994 |Luger lost to WWF Champion Yokozuna by disqualification. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|02|2}} |1994 |Hart defeated Yokozuna to win the WWF Championship. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|03|3}} |1995 |Michaels lost to WWF Champion Diesel. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|04|4}} |1996 |Michaels successfully defended his title shot against Owen Hart at In Your House 6. Michaels went on to defeat Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron Man match to win the WWF Championship. |
| {{sort|05|5}}
|1997 |Austin was declared the winner after eliminating Bret Hart. Hart had actually thrown Austin out of the ring moments earlier, but the officials at ringside were distracted and did not see it. WWF President Gorilla Monsoon refused to give Austin the WrestleMania title shot due to his actions; Austin and Hart, along with The Undertaker and Vader, would face off in an elimination match at In Your House 13: Final Four. The winner was originally to face the WWF Champion at WrestleMania, but Shawn Michaels relinquished the title just before the event; the match would instead be contested for the vacant WWF Championship, which was won by Hart. Hart would lose the championship to Sycho Sid the night after winning it; Sid would, in turn, lose the title to The Undertaker at WrestleMania. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|06|6}} |1998 |Austin defeated Shawn Michaels to win the WWF Championship. |
| {{sort|07|7}}
|1999 |The following night on Raw Is War, Mr. McMahon relinquished his opportunity to challenge for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania and promised to name a replacement challenger at his discretion. However, WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels informed him that the rules stated that the runner-up in the Royal Rumble, in this case Stone Cold Steve Austin, would receive the title match in his stead. Austin defended his championship opportunity against McMahon at St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House, then defeated The Rock in a no disqualification match at WrestleMania. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|08|8}} |2000 |The Rock was initially declared the winner after last eliminating The Big Show. However, Big Show produced a video replay that showed Rock's feet touch the floor before his; after trading victories in matches for the WrestleMania title match against WWF Champion Triple H, it was decided initially that the three men would face off in a triple threat match for the title; this would lead to a fatal four way match at WrestleMania after Mick Foley was added to the match. Triple H won after last eliminating Rock. |
| style="background:#c3fbb8"
|{{sort|09|9}} |2001 |Austin defeated The Rock in a No Disqualification match to win the WWF Championship. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|10|10}} |2002 |Triple H lost his WrestleMania X8 title shot to Kurt Angle at No Way Out. The following night on Raw, Triple H was given a rematch by WWF co-owner Ric Flair and defeated Angle to win his title shot back. Triple H went on to defeat Chris Jericho to win the Undisputed WWF Championship at WrestleMania X8. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|11|11}} |2003 |As a member of the SmackDown! brand, Lesnar earned a match for his own brand's WWE Championship and defeated Kurt Angle to win the title; had Angle gotten counted out or disqualified, he would have lost the title per the stipulation. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|12|12}} |2004 |Benoit won the Rumble as a SmackDown! wrestler, but switched to the Raw brand to challenge Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. Shawn Michaels, who was feuding with Triple H, later added himself to the match to make it a triple threat match. At WrestleMania XX, Benoit defeated Triple H and Michaels to win the title. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|13|13}} |2005 |Batista from Raw chose to challenge for his own brand's World Heavyweight Championship and defeated Triple H to win the title. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|14|14}} |2006 |Mysterio from SmackDown! chose to challenge for his own brand's World Heavyweight Championship, but lost his title shot to Randy Orton at No Way Out. On the following episode of SmackDown!, General Manager Theodore Long re-added Mysterio to the World Heavyweight Championship match, making it a triple threat match. At WrestleMania 22, Mysterio defeated champion Kurt Angle and Orton to win the title. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|15|15}} |2007 |The Undertaker from SmackDown! chose to challenge for his own brand's World Heavyweight Championship and defeated Batista to win the title. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|16|16}} |2008 |Instead of waiting until WrestleMania XXIV, Cena from Raw used his championship shot at No Way Out to challenge for his own brand's WWE Championship. Cena defeated champion Randy Orton by disqualification, thus Orton retained as titles do not change hands by disqualification unless stipulated. Cena would nevertheless challenge for the title at WrestleMania XXIV in a triple threat match also featuring Triple H, with Orton again retaining. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|17|17}} |2009 |Orton won the Rumble as a Raw wrestler, but chose to challenge for SmackDown's WWE Championship, but lost to Triple H; had Triple H gotten counted out or disqualified, he would have lost the title per the stipulation. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|18|18}} |Edge |2010 |Edge from SmackDown chose to challenge for his own brand's World Heavyweight Championship, but lost to Chris Jericho. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|19|19}} |2011 |Del Rio from SmackDown chose to challenge for his own brand's World Heavyweight Championship, but lost to Edge. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|20|20}} |2012 |Sheamus chose to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship and defeated Daniel Bryan to win the title. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|21|21}} |2013 |Cena chose to challenge for the WWE Championship and successfully defended his title shot against CM Punk on the February 25 episode of Raw. At WrestleMania 29, Cena defeated The Rock to win the title. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|22|22}} |2014 |After months of feuding, Triple H agreed to face Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania XXX, with the stipulation that whoever won would be inserted into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between champion Randy Orton and Rumble winner Batista to make it a triple threat match. Bryan defeated Triple H in the opening match and went on to defeat Orton and Batista to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|23|23}} |2015 |Reigns successfully defended his title shot against Daniel Bryan at Fastlane. At WrestleMania 31 during Reigns' match against champion Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, converting the singles match between Reigns and Lesnar into a triple threat match. Rollins then defeated Lesnar and Reigns in the impromptu triple threat match by pinning Reigns to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|24|24}} |2017 |As a member of the SmackDown brand, Orton earned a match for his own brand's WWE Championship. After his fellow Wyatt Family member Bray Wyatt won the championship at Elimination Chamber and retained it on the following SmackDown, Orton relinquished his championship opportunity. On the next episode of SmackDown, however, Orton reverted his decision and turned on Wyatt. The following week, Orton defeated AJ Styles, who had become the new number one contender for the title, to re-earn his title shot. At WrestleMania 33, Orton defeated Wyatt to win the title. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|25|25}} |2018 |Nakamura from SmackDown chose to challenge for his own brand's WWE Championship, but lost to AJ Styles. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|26|26}} |2019 |Rollins from Raw chose to challenge for his own brand's WWE Universal Championship and defeated Brock Lesnar to win the title. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|27|27}} |2020 |McIntyre from Raw chose to challenge for his own brand's WWE Championship and defeated Brock Lesnar to win the title. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|28|28}} |Edge |2021 |Edge won as a free agent and chose to challenge for SmackDown's WWE Universal Championship. After a controversial finish in the main event of Fastlane, which saw champion Roman Reigns retain the title against Daniel Bryan in a match where Edge served as the special guest enforcer, a decision was made to add Bryan to the match at WrestleMania, making it a triple threat match. At WrestleMania 37, Reigns defeated Edge and Bryan to retain the Universal Championship. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|29|29}} |2022 |Lesnar, who came into the Royal Rumble event as Raw's WWE Champion and lost the title to Bobby Lashley, came back in the main event as the surprise #30 entrant in the Rumble match, won the Rumble, and chose to challenge for SmackDown's WWE Universal Championship. Lesnar would go on to win back the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber in an Elimination Chamber match. It was then announced that the match between Lesnar and Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38 would be a Winner Takes All match for both the WWE and Universal Championships. At WrestleMania 38, Reigns defeated Lesnar to retain his Universal Championship and win Lesnar's WWE Championship, subsequently becoming recognized as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. |
| style="background:#fbb"
|{{sort|30|30}} |2023 |Rhodes won the Rumble as a Raw wrestler, but due to Roman Reigns simultaneously holding Raw's WWE Championship and SmackDown's WWE Universal Championship as the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, Rhodes earned a match against Reigns for the Undisputed title. At WrestleMania 39, Reigns defeated Rhodes to retain. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8"
|{{sort|31|31}} |2024 |Rhodes won the Rumble as a Raw wrestler, but chose to challenge for SmackDown's Undisputed WWE Universal Championship and defeated Roman Reigns in a Bloodline Rules match to win the title. |
| style="background:#c3fdb8
|{{sort|32|32}} |2025 |Uso from Raw chose to challenge for his own brand's World Heavyweight Championship and defeated Gunther to win the title. |
= Women's Royal Rumble winner's championship opportunity =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope=col|Championship
!scope=col|Victories !scope=col|Attempts !scope=col|Success rate |
|---|
| SmackDown/Women's World Championship
|2 |4 |{{Winning percentage|2|2}} |
| WWE (Raw) Women's Championship
|2 |3 |{{Winning percentage|2|1}} |
| NXT Women's Championship
|1 |1 |{{Winning percentage|1|0}} |
| Total
|5 |8 |{{Winning percentage|5|3}} |
:{{Color box|#c3fdb8|border=silver}} – WrestleMania victory
:{{Color box|#fbb|border=silver}} – WrestleMania loss
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ ! !Winner !Event !Year !Championship match | |
| style="background: #fbb"
|{{sort|1|1}} |2018 |Asuka won the Rumble as a Raw wrestler, but chose to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship, but lost to Charlotte Flair. | |
| style="background: #c3fdb8"
|{{sort|2|2}} |2019 |Lynch won the Rumble as a SmackDown wrestler, but chose to challenge for the Raw Women's Championship. Lynch was removed from the match and suspended after continuously attacking the McMahon family and was replaced by Rumble runner-up, Charlotte Flair. At Fastlane, Lynch defeated Flair thanks to interference from champion Ronda Rousey, and as per the stipulation of that match, she was reinserted into the match at WrestleMania, making it a triple threat match. Flair then won the SmackDown Women's Championship on the March 26 episode of SmackDown, leading Stephanie McMahon to announce that both titles would be on the line in a Winner Takes All match. At WrestleMania 35, Lynch defeated Rousey and Flair to win both titles. | |
| style="background: #c3fdb8"
|{{sort|3|3}} |2020 |Flair won the Rumble as a Raw wrestler, but chose to challenge for the NXT Women's Championship, and defeated Rhea Ripley to win the title. | |
| style="background: #c3fdb8"
|{{sort|4|4}} |2021 |Belair from SmackDown chose to challenge for her own brand's SmackDown Women's Championship, and defeated Sasha Banks to win the title. | |
| style="background: #fbb"
|{{sort|5|5}} |2022 |Rousey won as a free agent and chose to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship, but lost to Charlotte Flair. | |
| style="background: #c3fdb8"
|{{sort|6|6}} |2023 | Ripley won the Rumble as a Raw wrestler, but chose to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship, and defeated Charlotte Flair to win the title. |
| style="background: #c3fdb8"
|{{sort|7|7}} |2024 |Bayley from SmackDown chose to challenge for her own brand's WWE Women's Championship, and defeated Iyo Sky to win the title. | |
| style="background: #fbb"
|{{sort|8|8}} |2025 |Flair from SmackDown chose to challenge for her own brand's WWE Women's Championship, but lost to Tiffany Stratton. |
Notes
{{notelist}}