The WWE Royal Rumble, an annual PPV event since 1988, stands out as one of the most exciting events each year. Based on the classic Battle Royal match, the Royal Rumble features 30 wrestlers competing to eliminate each other, with the winner earning the coveted No.1 contender spot for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.
Drew McIntyre was the victor of the Royal Rumble in 2020, eventually winning the title at WrestleMania the following year. However, in the subsequent three years, the winners of the Battle Royal—Edge (2021), Brock Lesnar (2022), and Cody Rhodes (2023)—all failed to secure victories in their respective matches at WrestleMania.
Who was the last Royal Rumble winner to successfully win at WrestleMania?
Royal Rumble 2020 was the last event where the Battle Royal match-winner went on to win the title at WrestleMania. The last superstar to do that was Drew McIntyre, who won the pay-per-view (PPV) event after eliminating Roman Reigns. ‘The Scottish Warrior’ McIntyre delivered a ‘Claymore’ to ‘The Tribal Chief’ and threw him outside to get his first Road to WrestleMania moment.
Drew McIntyre won the WWE Championship from the ‘Beast Incarnate’ Brock Lesnar in WrestleMania 36. Since Drew won that year’s Royal Rumble, he naturally became the No:1 contender for the title.
Both Lesnar and McIntyre used every move to best one another. Brock delivered four F-5s to The Scottish Warrior. Drew, who was equally as ruthless as Lesner, delivered four Claymore before he pinned the Beast and won the title.
How many Royal Rumble winners went on to win at WrestleMania?
WWE Royal Rumble winners are celebrated as some of the greatest wrestlers in the company. Despite facing 30 opponents, they emerge victorious, earning the opportunity to headline WrestleMania later in the same year. This year’s match is also highly anticipated and fans are expecting either Cody Rhodes or CM Punk to win Royal Rumble 2024.
However, not always every winner gets the title they deserve and even sometimes lose their opportunity in WrestleMania. According to WWE.com, ‘The Patriot’ Lex Luger, ‘HBK’ Shawn Michaels, ‘The Great One’ The Rock, ‘The Cenation Leader’ John Cena, ‘The Viper’ Randy Orton, the ‘Rated R Superstar’ Edge, Alberto Del Rio, and ‘The Animal’ Batista, are the Royal Rumble winners, who went on to lose at WrestleMania.
Interestingly, some Royal Rumble winners went on to win their respective matches in WrestleMania the same year. Yokozuna won the Battle Royal match in on1993, then he went on to challenge Bret Hart to win the WWF Championship.
Other wrestlers who also emerged victorious at the Royal Rumble event and then won their title at WrestleMania are Bret Hart (WrestleMania X 1994), Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XII 1996), “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (WrestleMania XIV 1998), “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (WrestleMania X-Seven 2001), Triple H (WrestleMania X8 2002), Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania XIX 2003), Chris Benoit (WrestleMania XX 2004), Batista (WrestleMania 21 2005), Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 22 2006), The Undertaker (WrestleMania 23 2007), Sheamus (WrestleMania XXVIII 2012), John Cena (WrestleMania 29 2013), Randy Orton (WrestleMania 33 2017), Seth Rollins (WrestleMania 35 2019), and Drew McIntyre (WrestleMania 36 2020).
The upcoming Royal Rumble on January 2024, will be held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Fans are excited to see their favorite WWE superstars in action again. What do you think of Royal Rumble 2024? Who do you think will win? Let us know in the comments section below!
