5 Best No. 19 Entries in the Royal Rumble Match

As has already been mentioned earlier in this series, statistically, coming out at the Royal Rumble between 10-20, puts you at a statistical disadvantage as more winners have come from entries 1-9 than 10-20. Of the 5 entrants that have won from entries 10-20, 2 of the five have come from the number 19 entry, one of only 11 to have more than one person win from that number.

In accordance with the numbers, the number 19 entry has produced 2 winners while the 26 hasn't produced any, making it better to come out at number 19 than 26, despite the difference in time spent in the ring. More than the 2 winners, the 19th entry from the WWE Royal Rumble has also produced 3 runners up, from the One Man Gang in the first ever Royal Rumble of 1988, to Dean Ambrose, who was the runner up in 2016 where he was last eliminated by Triple H for the WWE Title.

In the 1988 Royal Rumble, runner-up One Man Gang also set the benchmark for most eliminations at a Royal Rumble, at 6. While the number is pretty standard in the modern rumble, in the 1988 Rumble field of 20 participants, the One Man Gang essentially eliminated a third of the other competitors, the equivalent of 10 participants in the 30-man Royal Rumble. The One Man Gang's benchmark would be broken the next year by Hulk Hogan who eliminated 10 participants from the 30 man Royal Rumble.

You can see the other entries in this series below:

Part 1 is here; Part 6 is here; Part 11 is here; Part 16 is here

Part 2 is here; Part 7 is here; Part 12 is here; Part 17 is here

Part 3 is here; Part 8 is here; Part 13 is here; Part 18 is here

Part 4 is here; Part 9 is here; Part 14 is here

Part 5 is here; Part 10 is here; Part 15 is here

#5 Dean Ambrose (2016) - Eliminated 29th - 1 Elimination

Dean Ambrose sits across the ring from Triple H as the final 2 in the 2016 Royal Rumble

Dean Ambrose entered the 2016 Royal Rumble as the 19th entrant and made it all the way to the final 2 against the winner and entrant 30, Triple H. Despite being booked as the least successful members of the Shield following the factions split in 2014, Dean Ambrose was still booked as a serious threat.

With reigning WWE Champion Roman Reigns, as the number one entrant still in the ring, many believed that Reigns may follow the likes of Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold to go from number 1 to win the Royal Rumble. It was then a shock to have Triple H eliminate Roman Reigns, and leave himself and Dean Ambrose as the final two competitors.

Despite being in the Royal Rumble for just under 30 minutes, lasting a final time of 29 minutes and 57 seconds, Ambrose was only able to eliminate Chris Jericho.

Ambrose's performance was particularly impressive given that he had been in a Last Man Standing match against Kevin Owens for his Intercontinental title earlier in the event.

#4 John Cena (2010) - Eliminated 29th - 4 Eliminations

John Cena eliminated Batista from the 2010 Royal Rumble via a low bridge

The 2010 Royal Rumble saw John Cena enter the match as the 19th entrant and last all the way to the final two before being eliminated by Edge. Having won the last time he competed in the Royal Rumble, coming out at entry 30, 2010 was always going to more difficult. Despite the tough circumstances, and eliminated the next two entrants to the ring in ECW's Shelton Benjamin and Yoshi Tatsu and would later eliminate Kofi Kingston.

As the Royal Rumble reached the last four, Cena was left with eventual winner Edge, as well as Batista and Royal Rumble legend and two-time winner Shawn Michaels. In the finish to the Royal Rumble of 2010, Batista would eliminate Michaels, then Cena eliminated Batista before Edge would scoop the victory by eliminating John Cena.

While Edge would lose his World Heavyweight Championship match against Chris Jericho, John Cena would go on to defeat Batista for the WWE title. Shawn Michaels would steal the show losing to The Undertaker in the famous Streak vs. Career match at that years WrestleMania.

#3 One Man Gang (1988) - Eliminated 19th - 6 Eliminations

The One Man Gang came into the 1989 Royal Rumble and dominated the field, effectively eliminating almost a third of the superstars in the Royal Rumble. With both One Man Gang and Dino Bravo looking to team up together, it looked likely that one of them would go on to win the first ever Royal Rumble. Unfortunately for the One Man Gang, he was eliminated by 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan at the end of the Royal Rumble to end up as the runner up.

With Duggan, One Man Gang and Bravo being the last three competitors in the ring, the heelish duo of Bravo and the One Man Gang looked to gang up on the sole face left in 'Hacksaw'. As Bravo attempted to pin Duggan's arms behind his back, the One Man Gang attempted to clothesline him over the top rope.

However, Duggan moved at the last second meaning that the One Man Gang hit Bravo and sent him over the top rope. With just Duggan and the One Man Gang remaining, Duggan fought hard and eventually eliminated the gargantuan superstar.

During his time in the Royal Rumble, the One Man Gang eliminated B. Brian Blair, Jake Roberts, Hillbilly Jim, The Ultimate Warrior, Don Muraco, and Dino Bravo.

#2 John Cena (2013) - Winner - 4 Eliminations

Five years after coming back from injury at the 2008 Royal Rumble, Cena once again outlasted everyone else to win the 2013 Royal Rumble, this time from the 19th entry. Cena hit the ring and quickly eliminated Heath Slater and Cody Rhodes. As the match developed Cena outlasted more and more opponents on his way to victory.

He would clock a final time of 26 minutes and 39 seconds on the road to victory, and apart from Slater and Rhodes, Cena would also eliminate the US Champion Antonio Cesaro, and finally the number 30 entry, Ryback.

Cena would then go on to face the Rock at Wrestlemania 29, a rematch from the year before. The only differences being that the Rock was the defending WWE Champion heading into WrestleMania 29 and that the second time around would see John Cena overcome the Rock to retain the title and be crowned an 11 time WWE Champion.

#1 Roman Reigns (2015) - Winner - 6 Eliminations

This was possibly the most unpopular Royal Rumble finish in the history of the event, with Roman Reigns emerging victorious with the help of The Rock. The decision to book Roman over was so bad that the fans in attendance even booed The Rock. While the fans were mainly annoyed at the fact that Daniel Bryan was eliminated, many in the audience were hopeful that Rusev would win when it came to the final two.

Reigns entered the 2015 Royal Rumble only a month after returning from an incarcerated hernia which required surgery. Entering in as the 19th entry, Reigns entered to a chorus of boos from the crowd.

When he reached the ring, he quickly eliminated Goldust and Stardust before settling into a fight with Bray Wyatt and Rusev who were already in the Royal Rumble. Reigns would later eliminate Titus O'Neil with the help of Dean Ambrose, before eliminating Kane, The Big Show, and Rusev in succession to win.