The luck of the draw is an often-used phrase when discussing the Royal Rumble. Naturally, one would want to get a higher number in the lottery, thus assuring they are fresh nearing the end of the match. With that thought process, number 30 would be the ideal number to draw, but as we all know number 27 seems to have a better history.
During the Royal Rumble, number 27 has had some great moments. It is the number drawn of 4 winners and has had some truly great moments come from it. Below are the highlights of number 27 at the Royal Rumble.
Big John Studd – 1989 (Winner)
The Royal Rumble moved from 20 to 30 participants in 1989, and with that, many thought Hulk Hogan or perhaps Randy Savage would walk away the winner.
Instead, veteran Big John Studd was given the victory in an interesting move. Studd was a big name and held a ton of recognition with the audience, but he was well past his prime at this point.
Studd is not one many remember when it comes time to think about past winners. Coming in at 27 he lasted 12 minutes, eliminating only 2 men. It was an underwhelming time and one that didn’t get much of a reaction from the crowd.
Not a great start for number 27 but one that is there because of it being the winning draw.
Bushwhacker Luke – 1991
Not all 27th entrants are going to include a great appearance. Some are on this list because their time in the Rumble was so hilariously bad, like Bushwhacker Luke.
The goal of the Royal Rumble is to last as long as you can. Outside of winning the contest having the longest time in the match is a badge of honor. So, what happened to Luke has to be a black mark on his Rumble experience.
Marching down to the ring Luke stepped through the ropes and 4 seconds later was dispatched by Earthquake. It was one of the funniest moments in Rumble history that was brought to another level when he just continued marching. He was the lovable goof that everyone felt great about watching.
Yokozuna – 1993 (Winner)
Yokozuna was the next big thing in 1992. The “Sumo Champion” tore through everyone put in front of him, and he seemed poised for a main event run. That run came at the Royal Rumble where he dominated everyone en route to winning the match.
Yoko was a beast during the Rumble. He tossed 7 men out during his 17 minutes and at no time did anyone have a chance against him.
Even the mighty Earthquake, who rivaled Yoko’s size proved no contest. He was, amazingly, suplexed over the rope by the man from Japan. It was an amazing feat and one that he used to catapult himself into the main event of WrestleMania.
Bret Hart – 1994 (Winner)
In 1994, Bret Hart was the biggest star in the company. After being away from the main event scene for a year it was time for him to reclaim his rightful place at the top of the card. Following a double cross from his brother The Hitman was injured and many were wondering if he would even compete in the Rumble match.
When the 27th buzzer hit Bret Hart limped his way to the ring and to a share of the Royal Rumble purse. It was a heroic performance from The Excellence of Execution, making him the hottest act in the company.
Winning alongside Lex Luger took some of the shine away but this was only a small stepping stone on his way to the WWE Championship
Steve Austin – 2001 (Winner)
Stone Cold was a man on a mission in 2001. He had returned from injury and made it his business to hold the WWE Championship once again. The only thing that stood in his way was 29 other men trying to make it to WrestleMania.
Being a two-time winner, Austin knew what it took, but we saw a deeper desperation during this match. He wanted to make it to the WrestleMania main event and had his every move dripping with tension. It was a great way to tell his story and had a further sense of drama as the match neared its conclusion.
The story was told so well that the pop when Austin dumped out Kane was thunderous. In one of the best Rumbles in history, the Rattlesnake notched a record-breaking third victory.
Rey Mysterio – 2018
Surprise returns are one of the best parts of the Royal Rumble. They always get a pop from the crowd and become one of the best memories of the evening. A great example of this is in 2018 when Rey Mysterio returned to WWE.
The last time Rey was in the rumble he was on the receiving end of a chorus of boo’s when the fans realized Daniel Bryan wasn’t going to participate.
Luckily, this time around, Mysterio got a much better reaction when he came out. It was a return that no one was expecting and one that was welcome. Seeing Mysterio back in the company was fantastic.
Mysterio didn’t rack up a ton of eliminations, but he had a great showing in the Rumble. He looked like he never lost a step while he took on The Miz and Finn Balor. The surprise was great and one that was worthy of the Royal Rumble.
Bad Bunny – 2022
The international superstar has been a fantastic addition to WWE. As a celebrity, he has brought mainstream attention to the product. He is also a great performer who takes the product seriously and puts the work in to get better.
As far as surprises go this was a great one for the Royal Rumble. Bunny had not been seen on television for a while so there was no chance that anyone suspected he would be in the match. It got a great pop from the crowd and was a highlight of a rather underwhelming match.
Seeing Bunny near the end of the match was also great when we got to see him lock up against men like Dolph Ziggler and Sheamus, even eliminating both men. Of course, his luck eventually ran out, but it was still a memorable entry from the number 27 slot.
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