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The Royal Rumble officially kick-starts the Road to WrestleMania in Vince McMahon's promotion. The Premium Live Event also provides the WWE Universe with historic moments that shape the careers of many a superstar.
Some of them have even gone on to define the eras they were in. Those eras have in turn shaped much of professional wrestling history as we know it.
From current Hall of Famers making sure we will never forget them, to future ones putting themselves on the map, the Rumble has been a showcase of the current state of Sports Entertainment.
In this list, we'll take a look at five such historic Royal Rumble moments that have shaped the eras they were in. As always, if there was any other moment that stood out to you, please feel free to let us know in the comments section below!
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#5. Madison Square Garden crowns WWE's Franchise Player - John Cena at Royal Rumble 2008
John Cena was quite literally WWE's Franchise Player for nearly 15 years. From his debut in 2002 to his iconic feud with AJ Styles, he was the face of the company.
Although he was a three-time champion by Royal Rumble 2008, the Cenation leader's dominance over the main event scene didn't truly begin until that moment. In actuality, he wasn't even supposed to be a part of the match.
Cena suffered a legitimate torn pectoral muscle during an episode of Monday Night RAW in October 2007. There were multiple reports stating that he could be missing six months to a year of in-ring action.
Leave it to the man himself to prove to the world that he is indeed superhuman, as he seemingly made a full recovery to enter the Rumble in 2008 as entrant #30. When 'The Time is Now' began blaring through the speakers at the Garden, fans in attendance lost it.
The Leader of the Cenation was welcomed back with one of the loudest pops in WWE history. He went on to win the whole thing and headline WrestleMania XXIV.
The moment ushered in an entire era of dominance for John Cena. He would have 13 more world title reigns, establishing himself as one of the greatest to ever do it.
#4. The Greatest Luchador of All Time takes his rightful place at WrestleMania - Rey Mysterio at Royal Rumble 2006
Rey Mysterio entered the 2006 Royal Rumble at number two. His entrance was an incredible homage to the late, great, Eddie Guerrero. He lasted over an hour in the match, setting a Rumble record, en route to winning the whole thing.
Heading into WrestleMania 22, he was The Ultimate Underdog challenging for the World Heavyweight Championship. In a Triple Threat match against then-champion Kurt Angle and Randy Orton, he would win it all by pinning The Viper.
This moment cemented him as the Greatest Luchador of All Time. It even ushered in an era where wrestlers of similar stature could hold world titles. We may never have gotten CM Punk or Daniel Bryan as world champions if not for Rey Mysterio.
#3. The Texas Rattlesnake steals victory from The Hitman - Stone Cold Steve Austin at Royal Rumble 1997
One of the most iconic Stone Cold Steve Austin moments was the Austin 3:16 promo at the King of the Ring in 1996. But he was still performing as a heel at that point in time. He wasn't the renegade that stood up to authority just yet.
His rise to superstardom may have begun then, but it truly kicked into gear at the Royal Rumble in 1997. Bret Hart eliminated Austin close to the end, but the ringside referees were too busy separating a brawl between Terry Funk and Mankind to notice.
This allowed Austin to re-enter the match, gain a couple more eliminations, and toss Hart over the top rope to steal a victory. He not only established himself as someone who wouldn't play by the rules but also got under The Hitman's skin.
Come WrestleMania the same year, Steve Austin and Bret Hart would execute one of the finest double turns ever. The rest, as they say, is history.
#2. The Man comes around - Becky Lynch at Royal Rumble 2019
2019 was Becky Lynch's year, and the Royal Rumble kicked her entire story arc into overdrive. To start the night, she lost her match against defending champion Asuka for the SmackDown Women's Title.
In the Rumble contest, Lana was injured during her entrance at number 28. Becky Lynch took her place and went on to win the whole thing by last eliminating Charlotte Flair. She would go on to be in the main event of WrestleMania 35 against Ronda Rousey and The Queen.
Not only were the three of them the first women to ever main event the Show of Shows, but Lynch also became the first woman to win it and hold two titles at the same time. Becky 2 Belts will also go down in history as the first woman to pin Ronda Rousey in WWE.
She also main evented four pay-per-views, competed in 11, opened SmackDown's debut episode on FOX, and was on the cover of WWE 2K20, Muscle & Fitness, as well as ESPN Magazine. 2019 was definitely the year that The Man came around, and it started off at the Royal Rumble.
#1. The Heartbreak Kid rewrites the rulebook - Shawn Michaels at Royal Rumble 1995
Shawn Michaels is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer and has had one of the most storied careers in history. One of the most memorable moments in his early run with the company was at Royal Rumble 1995.
Not only was he the first-ever wrestler to win it as entrant number one, but he also rewrote the rulebook in the process. The British Bulldog threw him over the top rope, but only one of Michaels' feet hit the floor. The Heartbreak Kid would pull himself back into the ring and eliminate Bulldog to win the whole thing.
The victory set up a series of events that have gone on to shape the wrestling industry as we know it today. For every subsequent Rumble, WWE has made sure to let everyone know that superstars must not only be thrown over the top rope, but both their feet must touch the floor.
On a personal level, much of Michaels' Hall of Fame career took place after this moment. Another Rumble victory, a curtain call, a screwjob, a few factions, and even retirements followed.
What was undeniable throughout it all was that Shawn Michaels was one of the most gifted performers in WWE history. As uncontroverted as his Hall of Fame career is, one of the very first moments to start it all off was at the Royal Rumble in 1995.
