wwe royal rumble

The Royal Rumble is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The event's main featured match is a Battle Royal-type match, entitled the Royal Rumble match. The pay-per-view is part of WWE's "Big Four", along with WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series.The Royal Rumble is also one of WWE's more popular pay-per-views.

The Rumble was originally aired on the USA Network before it was rebranded as a pay-per-view. The rules and format of the Rumble match have changed since the match's debut.Since 1993, the winner of the Rumble match has received a world title match at that year's WrestleMania.

2000 - The Rock

'The People's Champion' gained his first and only Royal Rumble victory in controversy at Madison Square Garden, New York, following a plum draw of 24.

Too Cool members Grand Master Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty and Rikishi dominated the early exchanges, but The Big Show and The Rock were the final two men left to battle it out.

After delivering a spinebuster and the people's elbow to the seven-foot 500-lbs giant, the tables quickly turned and only The Rock's superior athleticism saw him awarded the win despite replays showing his feet touched the ground before Show's at the end.

2001 - Steve Austin

Comedian Drew Carrey entered the ring at number five to become the first celebrity entrant into the Royal Rumble at New Orleans Arena, Louisiana, but he did not last long.

After waiting for the Hardys to eliminate each other his attempts to make friends with Kane met with short shrift and he opted to eliminate himself rather than face annihilation.

'The Big Red Machine' went on to dominate - knocking out Grand Master Sexay, Steve Blackman, Al Snow, Raven, Saturn, Honky Tonk Man, Tazz, Crash Holly, Albert, Scotty 2 Hotty (with help from his brother the Undertaker) and The Rock - before Stone Cold succeeded where all others had failed to claim a record third Rumble crown.

2002 - Triple H

'The Game' overcame a final four featuring 'The Texas Rattlesnake', Kurt Angle and Mr Perfect to reign supreme in Atlanta, Georgia.

Undertaker picked up where his brother had left off the year before by dominating early on, before the element of surprise allowed Maven to get the better of 'The Phenom'.

Austin put up a strong defence of his title, while high flier Rob Van Dam also made his spectacular debut, but at the conclusion it was Triple H that came out on top to show why he has come to be known as 'the King of Kings'.

2003 - Brock Lesnar

Lesnar's stay in the WWE might have been all too brief, but no one can question the intensity and desire the powerhouse brought with him every time he entered the ring.

At 25 years of age he went on to conquer all in his path with his trademark F-5 manoeuvre a fitting finisher.

After defeating Big Show in the night's first match in Boston, Massachusetts, to qualify for the Rumble he went on to defeat 'Taker to ensure his name would forever be remembered in the WWE record books.

2004 - Chris Benoit

'The Rabid Wolverine' became only the second superstar after 'HBK' to win the Rumble from the number one spot.

Eliminating 'The World's Strongest Man' Henry, Bradshaw, Rhyno, Matt Morgan, A-Train and lastly Big Show en route to victory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Benoit used the stipulation for winning to go on and fulfill his dreams by claiming the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XX.

2005 - Batista

The late, great Eddie Guerrero entered the ring first in Fresno, California, but the former WWE champion failed to reach a last four that consisted of Batista, John Cena, Edge and Rey Mysterio.

Cena and Batista battled it out at the end and there was again controversy as both men toppled out of the ring at the same time following an attempted FU by the 'The Doctor of Thuganomics'.

Keen to avoid a repetition of the 1994 Luger-Hart affair Mr McMahon ordered both men to return to the ring and 'The Animal' promptly deliver a spinebuster before going on to win the match.

2006 - Rey Mysterio

The opening pairing of Triple H and Rey Mysterio survived the onslaughts of Kane and Big Show before going on to make the final four in Miami, Florida.

Fighting in honour of his recently departed best friend Eddie Guerrero it seemed only fitting that diminutive underdog Mysterio go on and win.

Overcoming all the odds, including a double team of 'The Legend Killer' Randy Orton and 'The Cerebral Assassin' at the end, he rounded off victory with a superbly executed headscissors that 'Latino Heat' himself would have been proud of.

2007 - Undertaker

Incredibly the Undertaker had not won the Royal Rumble in seven attempts before heading to the AT&T Centre, in San Antonio, Texas.

But with the aid of two-time Rumble champion Michaels, The Deadman overcame World Tag Team champions Edge and Randy Orton in the final four.

Michaels then managed to deliver one dose of Sweet Chin Music to 'Taker, only to be sent tumbling over the top rope when he next tried to deliver the finisher, in what turned out to be a 'Phenom'-enal night of action.

2008 - John Cena

'The Champ' defied the odds to make his unexpected return from four months out with a pectoral muscle tear at Madison Square Garden.

'HBK' got his own back on Undertaker early on in the match, while The Great Khali, John Morrison, Batista, Hornswoggle, CM Punk, Mick Foley and Mr Kennedy all featured.

Cena came out at number 30 though to the delight of the New York crowd to eliminate Carlito, Henry, Chavo Guerrero and finally Triple H to take the acclaim of the crowd.

2009 Cody Rhodes

Working in cohesion with Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, the Legend Killer Randy Orton refined his “Legacy” and cemented himself in the history books as the winner of the 2009 Royal Rumble.