5 best "Iron Men" in Royal Rumble history

In a Royal Rumble match, the one gets all the spotlight is the guy who wins the match. As the credits of the event unfold, the victor would point his or her finger at the Wrestlemania sign - indicating his or her journey to Wrestlemania. However, one set of athletes is completely overlooked by the fans.

The iron man of a rumble match is the superstar who is the longest standing superstar in a Royal Rumble match. Finn Balor was the Iron man of the 2018 Men's Royal Rumble. Most of the Royal Rumble matches have one or more iron men.

Mostly, babyfaces are elected for this role to establish an "against all the odds" image. Over the past few years, we have seen a lot of superstars portraying this role to perfection. In this article, we will be taking a look at five of the best iron men in Royal Rumble history.

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#5. Ric Flair - 1992 Royal Rumble

Ric Flair won his first ever Royal Rumble.

Critics consider the 1992 Royal Rumble to be one of the best of all times. With great storytelling, this edition of the Rumble quickly won the hearts of many WWE fans. Royal Rumble 1992 was the first ever Rumble that had the WWE Championship at stake.

The primary guy around which the whole Rumble match evolved was the Nature Boy Ric Flair. Flair had been a massive name in the rival companies for years, and within one year of his signing with the company, WWE awarded him the Royal Rumble match and in turn the WWE championship.

Ric Flair entered the match at number 3, and with his cunning tactics, survived the entire Rumble. Flair lasted in the ring for just more than an hour - 1 hour and 2 seconds, performing five eliminations. Even though Flair did not headline the Wrestlemania of the same year, his epic performance in the 1992 Royal Rumble was enough to warrant a ticket to this list.

#4. Chris Benoit - 2004 Royal Rumble

Chris Benoit eliminated Big Show to win the 2004 Royal Rumble

Chris Benoit is one of those names WWE would never mention, for good reason. However, his in-ring action was impeccable, and his 2004 Royal Rumble victory is a testament to his strength, technique, endurance and stamina.

The Rabid Wolverine entered the Royal Rumble at the most dangerous number - Number 1. Benoit had to fight through opponents more than double his size. These facts play a considerable role in making this victory even sweeter. When Benoit used the ropes as the fulcrum to toss the Big Show over the top rope, the whole arena erupted.

Even though Shawn Michaels won the Rumble from number 1 position in 1995, his performance was not nearly as exciting as Chris Benoit's. Benoit lasted the Rumble for 1 hour, 1 minute and 31 seconds - a record at that time.

#3. Sasha Banks - 2018 Royal Rumble

Sasha Banks was the first ever iron woman

When the women of WWE got their exclusive Royal Rumble match, not many predicted it to as good as it was. Even with a few botches here and there, the inaugural women's Royal Rumble match was a breath of fresh air and a well-deserved push for the women's division.

At the time, a lot of women wrestlers were struggling to break into the main event. Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Bayley were always on TV but could never make it to the top.

In the Royal Rumble, Sasha Banks got the opportunity to be the first ever iron woman of the Royal Rumble. The Boss greeted the opportunity with both hands and put forward a brilliant performance.

Entering the Rumble at number 1, Banks added three eliminations to her account and survived almost whenever someone tried to eliminate her. She made it to the last four, amassing a total of 54 minutes and 46 seconds.

#2. Rey Mysterio - Royal Rumble 2006

Rey Mysterio held the record of the longest time in a single Royal Rumble match for 12 years

Some people speculate Rey Mysterio got his time in the spotlight in 2006 due to the unfortunate passing of Eddie Guerrero. However, the 2006 Royal Rumble was the biggest proof that Mysterio deserved every accolade that came in his way.

The Master of the 619 entered the Rumble in the most dangerous position available - number 2 (both number 1 and number 2 positions are equally dangerous in a Royal Rumble match). What we then saw was a masterful performance from the little magician.

With a total of 6 eliminations, Mysterio stood his ground for 62 minutes and 12 seconds - a record that would stand for another 12 years. Mysterio eliminated some big names like Randy Orton and Triple H during the bout. Since Triple H was the number 1 in the Rumble, many expected the Game to pick up the victory.

#1. Daniel Bryan - Greatest Royal Rumble 2018

Daniel Bryan went through hell and high water during the Greatest Royal Rumble

Regardless of what anyone says, WWE considers the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia to be canon. Thus, officially, Braun Strowman has the most number of eliminations in a Royal Rumble match, and Daniel Bryan holds the record for the longest time spent in a single Rumble match.

With that being said, Bryan's performance in the Greatest Royal Rumble was nothing short of miraculous, and the fact that he had just returned from a long hiatus adds another feather to his cap.

Bryan started the proceedings in the Greatest Royal Rumble and saw 47 other participants being eliminated before him. Even though he made just three eliminations, the fact that he went through hell and high water, barely taking any rests in between and amassing a total time of 76 minutes and 5 seconds puts him on the top of this list.