5 Best runner-up performances in Royal Rumble match history

#4 John Cena (2005)

This performance marked the beginning of Cena's run at the top.

The 2005 Royal Rumble was kind of a historic one for WWE as it featured the start of a transition in the organization. Not only did it feature the last successful World Heavyweight Title defense for Triple H, but it also featured a bunch of up and coming Superstars who were starting their climb to superstardom.

Two of those superstars were Batista and John Cena, both of whom were not only the final two participants in the Royal Rumble match but also the eventual winners of World Heavyweight and WWE Title respectively at WrestleMania 21. At Rumble though, Cena was not lucky enough to walk out with a victory as Batista took the win that night.

Their tussle, however, was full of excitement. After dispatching the rest of the field, the two had a mini showdown before a blunder resulted in both of them going over the top rope at the same time. Once the match was restarted, The Animal wasted no time in eliminating Cena to win the 2005 Royal Rumble, making The Doctor of Thuganomics wait for three more years to win the contest.