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The WWE Royal Rumble is filled with great spots and surprises. However, the fast-paced, chaotic matches have also had their fair share of mistakes.
At times, WWE has made some big mistakes with the bookings. From questionable eliminations to missing superstars and incorrect winners, the match has faced some criticism from fans.
Other times, superstars in the ring tend to make mistakes and have a few botches that have a lasting effect. While the botches are not deliberate, they do end up impacting the overall match.
Check out the five biggest mistakes in WWE Royal Rumble history.
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#5. Beth Phoenix's presentation in 2010
The Great Khali was once promoted as a monstrous star in WWE. Towards the end of his career, he was reduced to nothing but a comedic act and an enhancement talent.
In the 2010 Men’s Royal Rumble, Khali entered as a great threat to CM Punk, who was already in the ring. However, his attention was quickly diverted as Beth Phoenix entered right after him.
Beth became the second woman to ever enter the men’s Rumble, and many fans wanted her to show her strength against the top male stars. Instead, WWE booked her to eliminate The Great Khali by simply kissing him and pulling him over the ropes.
Instead, WWE could have done her a huge favor by having her overpower Khali and eliminate him. Beth Phoenix was arguably a bigger star than Khali at that point, and she could have benefited from the show of strength.
Not showing The Glamazon’s true strength in the ring was a big mistake. She lasted less than two minutes in the Royal Rumble and was eliminated by CM Punk.
#4. Daniel Bryan missing the 2014 Royal Rumble
Daniel Bryan was one of the hottest WWE stars in 2010. He defied the company's norms of being someone who was not extremely built to become a fan favorite and win top titles.
At the 2014 Royal Rumble, Bray Wyatt defeated Daniel Bryan in the first match of the night. The men’s Rumble match was the main event of the contest.
Many fans wanted to see Bryan come out as one of the entrants in the Rumble and win the contest. Instead, Batista took that spot and won the competition.
Fans were livid about WWE’s decision, and it turned out to be a huge mistake. Bryan took to social media as fans continued to vent their frustration at the booking mistake.
"Sorry guys, the machine wanted me nowhere near the Royal Rumble match. But I thank everyone for their support," he wrote on X/Twitter.
In the end, WWE was forced to add Daniel Bryan to the main event picture at WrestleMania XXX after stretching the storyline. It turned out to be a favorable move in the end.
#3. Chris Jericho failed to win in 2012
Chris Jericho has a long list of wrestling achievements, many of which came during his time in the WWE.
The Royal Rumble is one of the very few big matches Y2J has ever won in his career. However, he was the favorite to win in 2012.
Sheamus entered the match at No. 22, and few expected him to win. However, he eliminated Chris Jericho last to win the contest, which many saw as a mistake.
The Celtic Warrior couldn’t get a push beyond his WrestleMania moment after the win. Jericho could have done a lot more had he won the Royal Rumble, as he was at the pinnacle of his career.
#2. The Rock won the 2000 Rumble after a major botch
WWE has created many top superstars over the years, but none have been able to match The Rock’s popularity.
The Great One was a favorite to win the 2000 Royal Rumble, as he was reaching the peak of his popularity at the time. He was the final man left in the ring with The Big Show, and the two brawled to determine who would get their WrestleMania dream match.
The Rock was able to reverse the Big Show on the ropes and eliminate the giant, but it created a controversy in the process. He won the contest, but it was evident that his feet hit the floor first before the seven-footer was taken out.
Later in his career, Rock jokingly admitted that Big Show won the match because of the mistake, but the script led to him getting the WrestleMania main event.
#1. Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon couldn’t believe what happened in the 2005 Royal Rumble
The 2005 Royal Rumble had one of the worst botched endings, and the match needed to be restarted to get the real winner.
Batista and John Cena were the final two men remaining in the ring as Vince McMahon and the WWE Universe watched on. The two overzealous stars tried to throw each other out of the ring and ended up landing on the floor together.
Referees were torn between who hit the floor first. Meanwhile, Vince McMahon ran down to the ring and tore his quads while entering the ring.
The match was restarted, and both men entered the ring as the final two stars again. In the end, Batista eliminated Cena to get the golden ticket to Mania.
