5 WWE Superstars you may have forgotten won the Royal Rumble match

#2 Sheamus won the Royal Rumble match in 2012

In 2012, Sheamus pulled off an upset to win the 30-man Royal Rumble match. In a match that also saw Michael Cole enter, the Irishman stood tall and earned his place at WrestleMania after entering the contest at #22.

The accolade of winning the over-the-top-rope match added to his already long list of achievements in WWE. Six months after his main roster in-ring debut in June 2009, The Celtic Warrior had won the WWE Championship, defeating John Cena in a Tables match.

Following his Rumble victory, Sheamus challenged Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. The match kicked off the show of shows, with the Dublin-born star defeating Bryan in just 18 seconds.

---

#1 Vince McMahon won the Royal Rumble match in 1999

Yes, that's right. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon once won a Royal Rumble match to earn himself a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania.

It came amid his all-time great feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin. He and McMahon entered the match at #1 and #2, respectively. The Texas Rattlesnake gave The Chairman an early beating before the latter exited the ring under the bottom rope.

Austin and McMahon eventually brawled through the arena. Somehow, at the end of the contest, it was just Stone Cold, and McMahon left in the ring after they returned.

However, WWE Champion The Rock distracted Austin, only for Vince to throw the beer-swilling superstar over the top rope to win. The following night, McMahon forfeited his win for the benefit of The Rock.

The move backfired as then-WWE Commissioner Shawn Michaels revealed that runner-up Stone Cold Steve Austin would be handed a WrestleMania championship match because of the forfeit. The Rattlesnake proceeded to win the title at WrestleMania.