Has a Royal Rumble winner ever lost at WrestleMania?

For WWE Superstars, winning the 30-man Royal Rumble implies getting their spot in the headliner of WrestleMania, a cycle that everything except concretizes their legacy as the next champion. Yet, as far as some might be concerned, these WrestleMania dreams immediately become a bad one. Not all Royal Rumble winners prevail in ousting the champion when their opportunity arrives at the Grandest Stage of Them All. The Regal Thunder match was first started in January 1988, however, it was only after the 1992 occasion that there was an award for winning it. At that event, the empty WWF World Title was available to all in a fight that was won by The Nature Boy, Ric Flair.

From 1993 onwards, a World Championship at WrestleMania was granted to the winner. Yet again, that has been the situation for each Royal Rumble match since, aside from 2016, when the WWE Title was on the line once more. Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1997, Mr. McMahon in 1999, and John Cena in 2008 came out as the winner of the Rumble match, yet didn't seek a World Title at the following WrestleMania. Steve Austin was deprived of his opportunity at the title, owing to the controversial nature of his match-winning. McMahon offered up his chance, and Cena traded out his Money in the Bank early and lost it at the event of No Way Out 2008.

Also read: Who has the most Eliminations in Royal Rumble History?

Royal Rumble Winners Who Lost at WrestleMania

Based on ITR wrestling.com, The are 14 WWE Superstars who won the Royal Rumble but failed to utilize their opportunity at WrestleMania as of March 2025. The Rated-R Superstar and former WWE wrestler Edge is the only person to taste defeat twice in his career. The other names are Lex Luger, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Randy Orton, Alberto Del Rio, Batista, Roman Reigns, Shinsuke Nakamura, Asuka, Edge, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, and Cody Rhodes.

1. Lex Luger

Lex Luger had been seeking the WWF Champion Yokozuna since the mid-year of 1993. He had beaten Yokozuna via countout in the headliner of SummerSlam in what was acknowledged as Lugar's main shot at the title gold. Luger acquired himself one more break at the WWF Title when he co-won the Royal Rumble with Bret Hart in 1994. Luger had his shot at Yokozuna at WrestleMania X card however, he faced a disappointing disqualification by Mr. Perfect, the guest referee of that match. Luger left the next year and never returned to the Federation.

2. Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels was the first participant in the 1995 Royal Rumble match. HBK went from one coast to another and won the match with a shot at WWF Titleholder Diesel at WrestleMania XI. Michaels missed the mark and failed to clinch the belt from 'Big Daddy Cool.' However, Mr. WrestleMania returned quickly at the 1996 Rumble match and effectively won the WWF Title from Bret Hart.

3. The Rock

The Rock won the Rumble match in 2000 after eliminating Big Show. Fans expected that the WrestleMania 2000 main event would be The Rock against then-WWF Titleholder Triple H. A progression of exciting bends in the road prompted the Rock and Triple H to impart the spotlight to The Big Show and Mick Foley, with McMahon in each corner, favoring the members. Triple H and The Rock were the last two members in that elimination match. However, in a stunning ending, Vince McMahon turned on The People’s Champion and fell in line with Triple H. Triple H turned into the first-ever person in the history of WrestleMania as the WWF Champion as a heel. The 'Brahma Bull' took the gold away from 'The Game' at Backlash after four months.

4. Randy Orton

Randy Orton won the Rumble in 2009 as the 8th participant and eliminated Triple H at the end. However, 'The Game' got the WWE Title at Elimination Chamber, the in-between event of the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. Orton fruitlessly tested Triple H for the title in the main event of WrestleMania 25. 'The Viper' at last ousted Triple H for the WWE Title in a Six-Man tag team match at Backlash.

5. Edge

Edge and Chris Jericho won the Unified Tag Team Titles in 2009. Soon after coming out on top for the championships, Edge was sidelined until the end of the year for his Achilles Tendon injury. Y2J ridiculed his fallen partner, and Edge returned during the 2010 Royal Rumble, where he wiped out John Cena to win the session. It established the setup for a World Heavyweight Title challenge between Edge and Jericho. Shockingly, Edge missed the mark in said session and left WrestleMania XXVI with nothing. He avenged at the post-WrestleMania SmackDown when he speared Jericho. That incident empowered Jack Swagger to trade out his briefcase to grab the belt.

6. Alberto Del Rio

Alberto Del Rio might be the most underwhelming winner of the Royal Rumble ever. Del Rio won the biggest Rumble match ever, with 40 wrestlers. 'The Pride of Mexico' had just a minor impact on the session. Entered as the 38th contestant, Del Rio wiped out Randy Orton and Santino Marella to procure a World Title opportunity at WrestleMania XXVII. Del Rio faced Edge for the World Heavyweight Title, and Edge shot his challenger with a Spear to hold the title.

7. Batista

Batista, the former WWE Titleholder, made his anticipated return to WWE on January 20, 2014, during the pre-Royal Rumble event. The Animal won the Rumble match by eliminating Roman Reigns at last. Daniel Bryan and his 'Yes Movement' constrained Triple H into a WrestleMania fight with himself, with the additional limitation of the champ being added to the headliner of WrestleMania. Bryan won the previously mentioned fight against Triple H and was added to the championship match. That forced Batista to share the spotlight with Bryan and the WWE Champion Randy Orton in a triple-threat match. Bryan lifted the WWE Title in the headliner after Batista tapped out to Bryan’s Yes Lock finisher.

8. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble in 2015 and procured a shot at WrestleMania. However, not at all like in 2014, WWE continued through to the end and introduced a WrestleMania headliner match between WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and ‘The Big Dog’. The WrestleMania 31 main event match will be remembered due to the usage of the briefcase by Seth Rollins. Rollins went for the Curb Stomp on Reigns when Lesnar was hurt and out of the ring, and left WrestleMania as the new WWE Champion.

9. Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura has experienced various fortunes since his debut in the main roster in 2017. Nonetheless, the previous IWGP Titleholder appeared to be bound for a long-lasting run in WWE's main event club when he last wiped out Roman Reigns to win the Rumble match in 2018. Nakamura failed to win the WWE Title over his opponent, AJ Styles, at WrestleMania 34 and in various rematches.

10. Asuka

Asuka was riding the peak of a wave and was heading into WrestleMania 34. She had not faced defeat since joining WWE in 2015. After winning the debut Women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018, Asuka appeared to be set to depose Charlotte Flair and win her first-ever Women’s Title as a main roster performer. Tragically, Flair was ready for the situation and beat Asuka in the women's main event at WrestleMania.

11. Edge

Edge turned into only the third grappler to win the Rumble match as the first entrant and last wiped out Randy Orton to win the challenge in 2021. However, very much like at WrestleMania XXVI, Edge missed the mark in his championship match. Edge appeared in a triple-threat match against the Universal Titleholder, Roman Reigns, and Daniel Bryan. Edge was pinned by the titleholder and left WrestleMania with nothing once more.

12. Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble 2022 following an almost three-year absence. Rousey entered the Rumble at number 28 and eliminated four grapplers, including Charlotte Flair, to win the session and procure a championship at WrestleMania. However, Flair got her revenge after beating Rousey and defending her SmackDown Women’s Title.

13. Brock Lesnar

Both the winners of the Royal Rumble 2022 missed the mark at WrestleMania 38. This was the second time this has occurred since 2018. Brock Lesnar eliminated five members and lastly, McIntyre, to win the Rumble for the second time, which was 19 years after his first Rumble win. In the meantime, Lesnar won the WWE Title at Elimination Chamber and put his focus on the Universal Title. They conflicted in a unification fight at the main event of WrestleMania, wherein Reigns brought together the titles.

14. Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes got back at the Royal Rumble 2023 after being sidelined for a very long time with a torn pectoral muscle. The American Nightmare entered the session as the last entrant and wiped out five grapplers, including the first entrant, Gunther, who was present in the fight for over 70 minutes. Rhodes failed to dethrone Roman Reigns at WrestleMania for the Universal Title after an interruption from Solo Sikoa.

Also read about: Who has won the most Royal Rumbles in WWE history?

List of Royal Rumble Winners Who Lost at WrestleMania

The list of 14 Royal Rumble-winning superstars who lost at WrestleMania, based on ITR wrestling.com, is as follows.