10 Wrestlers In The 2000s Who Didn't Deserve To Be In The Royal Rumble
Fans absolutely love it when the countdown clock appears during a Royal Rumble match, counting down the seconds until the next mystery entrant into WWE’s most iconic match type comes out. That split second when someone’s music hits has led to some all-time great moments and largest pops in Rumble history.
10 Royal Rumble Matches WWE Fans Can Re-Watch Forever
There are some Royal Rumble matches that WWE fans can go back and rewatch forever, and still not get bored!Sometimes though, fans were hugely let down by a Royal Rumble entrant, and often this comes down to the fact that a particular wrestler did not deserve to be in the Rumble. In the 2000s, there were a few dud entries who should have been nowhere near the 30-man match for a variety of reasons.
10 Bull Buchanan Offered Very Little In WWE
Royal Rumble 2001
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
2 | None | 02:08 | Matt & Jeff Hardy |
Bull Buchanan was someone who failed to showcase much charisma during his time in WWE. The 2001 Royal Rumble was one of the more exciting of all time featuring an array of great characters from the Attitude Era, though Buchanan stuck out like a sore thumb.
He didn’t last too long in the match, being the first one eliminated from the Rumble. Buchanan was used as fodder due to not really deserving a spot in such a historic match in the first place.
9 Mike Knox Was Another Bland Monster Heel In WWE
Royal Rumble 2009
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
12 | None | 32:42 | Big Show |
WWE decided that Mike Knox was next in line for a monster heel push in 2009, even though fans didn’t buy into it in the slightest. His role in the 2009 Royal Rumble was ultimately pointless.
Knox didn’t offer much at the time and didn’t connect with the fans, so his spot in the match definitely deserved to go to someone else who could bring more of a reaction out from the audience.
8 Daniel Puder Was Not Ready To Be In The Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble 2005
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
3 | None | 04:09 | Hardcore Holly |
WWE’s Tough Enough winner Daniel Puder was thrown to the wolves in the 2005 Royal Rumble as some sort of “lesson” due to alleged backstage heat which came after a segment with Kurt Angle. Puder was given a lot of punishment, though it must be said that he sold well and did his job to the best of his ability.
Unfortunately though, Puder was still far too green and not ready due to only having minimal training. For this reason, he did not deserve to be in the Royal Rumble match in 2005, and the only reason he was in it was due to WWE’s sometimes perverse traditions when it comes to paying your dues and getting comeuppance.
7 Chuck Palumbo Was A Non-Factor On WWE Programming
Royal Rumble 2008
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
10 | Jamie Noble | 04:00 | CM Punk |
Chuck Palumbo might have played a role in the early 2000s alongside Billy Gunn and in the FBI group, but upon his return to the company after a hiatus, he didn’t do anything of note. He had a pretty bland biker gimmick and zero heat to speak of. For that reason, he did not deserve a spot in the 2008 Royal Rumble match.
10 Most Overrated WWE Royal Rumble Moments Ever
While fans look back fondly at these Royal Rumble moments, some of them were severely overrated.Palumbo would even score an elimination in the match over Jamie Noble - something that should have gone to someone else who needed to look strong. The lack of reaction tells you all you need to know about why Palumbo should not have been in this one.
6 Jonathan Coachman Took A Spot Away From Actual Wrestlers
Royal Rumble 2006
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
7 | None | 00:30 | Big Show |
Perhaps one comedy spot in 2005 for Jonathan Coachman would have been okay, but to have him in the match two years in a row was a farce and completely undeserved.
In the 2006 Rumble especially, he was thrown out of the ring very quickly, so it wasn’t even beneficial from a comedic standpoint to have him appear in the match. There were other full-time wrestlers on the WWE roster, and many legends waiting for a phone call, who could have been a much better Rumble entrant.
5 Fans Did Not Care About Elijah Burke Entering The Rumble
Royal Rumble 2008
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
28 | None | 02:11 | Triple H |
The final stages of the Royal Rumble match were getting tense, but then Elijah Burke came out as number 28 and the audience could not have been quieter. By the time 2008 rolled around, Burke didn’t have much of a role to play in WWE, and did not deserve such a prominent entry number.
He was quickly thrown out anyway and didn’t provide much of a purpose to the 2008 Royal Rumble match.
4 Mosh Represented The Headbangers In The Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble 2000
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
3 | None | 03:37 | Rikishi |
The Headbangers reunited in the late 1990s, though they were never a top tier tag team, and even less effective as singles names. In 2000, Mosh was the only one in their tandem who entered the Royal Rumble match.
Not that it would’ve been much better if they both entered, but fans just didn’t really care all too much by just seeing Mosh compete in the Rumble. He didn’t really deserve to be in the match given that he was one of the names with the least star power in the bout.
3 Kevin Thorn’s Run In ECW Was Completely Forgettable
Royal Rumble 2007
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
21 | Viscera | 06:15 | Chris Benoit |
The 2007 Royal Rumble incorporated ECW superstars for the first time, and Kevin Thorn was one of them. He had a dead-end vampire gimmick and a level of in-ring work that did not stand out in the slightest.
Across RAW, SmackDown, and even elsewhere on the ECW brand, there were plenty of other wrestlers who deserved a spot in the 2007 Royal Rumble over Thorn.
2 Luther Reigns Was A Failed Project In WWE
Royal Rumble 2005
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
12 | Muhammad Hassan | 00:54 | Booker T |
Vince McMahon sometimes went for looks over talent, and Luther Reigns was an example of that. He had a great look but not much else, but that didn’t stop WWE putting him in the 2005 Royal Rumble match.
WWE: 10 Harsh Realities About The Royal Rumble Fans Need To Realize
While the Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated events of the year, WWE fans need to realize some harsh truths when it comes to the show.He did not particularly deserve this spot, especially when comparing him to some of the other hot up and comers in the match such as Batista, John Cena, Edge, and more, who were far more talented than Reigns.
1 JTG Represented A Struggling Cryme Tyme In 2009
Royal Rumble 2009
Entry Number | Wrestlers Eliminated | Time In Match | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|
9 | None | 11:59 | The Undertaker |
Cryme Tyme’s momentum was dwindling quickly in 2009, going from contenders to just another team on the WWE roster. In the 2009 Rumble match, JTG won the coin toss out of their duo to enter the match.
JTG is one of the best examples of an entry that fans did not buy. He obviously had no chance of winning the match, so his entry felt like a complete waste of time in truth.
