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Canadian Bulldog Presents... 25 Royal Rumble Iron Men

By Canadian Bulldog Jan 17, 2012 - 10:17 AM

Who's the guy who can go longer than anyone else, sometimes an hour at a stretch? Before you ladies out there get too excited, I'm referring to the Royal Rumble.

Yes, this month marks the 25th Anniversary of the Royal Rumble, an event that actually began not an hour away from where I live (Hamilton, Ontario - a/k/a "Stinktown"). The pay-per-view is not only a personal favorite, it's typically a great one to follow for statistics geeks like myself. Every year, WWE whips up a video package that compiles totals and throws out interesting stats. And yours truly noted a few interesting (read: stupid) things about the Rumble a year ago.

But here's a new way to look at the January classic, or at least, one I haven't explored before: which wrestlers have had the most ring time riding the on-ramp to the Road to WrestleMania?

Here's how I crunched the numbers: using data supplied by Wikipedia (that hopefully hasn't been tampered with), I added up the ring times for all 273 competitors in the battle royale over the past quarter-century, and from there, a list of 25 Royal Rumble Iron Men. What's fascinating to me is that only two minutes and 19 seconds separate the two top competitors.

Oh, and one final note on my methodology - Let's say that Juan Rivera competed in various Rumbles as both Kwang and Savio Vega (he did). In that case, I combined the times. We all know they're the same dude, so why not give them full credit for his career accomplishments, right?    

And now.... for the thousands in attendance and the millions watching at home.... llllllllllet's get ready to rumblllllllllllle!

Royal_Rumble_1991_Poster.jpg
Ironically, not one of these guys in this poster made the cut. Wanna hear something else that's sad? Six of them are now dead.


Triple H (also competed as Hunter Hearst Helmsley)

Total Ring Time 3:44:50
Average Ring Time 32:07 (7 appearances)
Eliminations 26
Rumble Wins 2002

 

Who did The Game have to sleep with to get such a prime spot? Oh, right. In any event, lasting close to four combined hours is nothing to sneeze at, and it may be tough for anyone to replicate the feat.  And strangely enough, his BFF came pretty damn close.

Shawn Michaels

Total Ring Time 3:42:31
Average Ring Time 18:33 (12 appearances)
Eliminations 41
Rumble Wins 1995, 1996

 

Mr. WrestleMania is also Mr. Royal Rumble, as he's one of only three guys to win the event more than once. And for even more bragging rights, HBK can say he has more eliminations than anyone in Rumble history.

Rey Mysterio

Total Ring Time 2:55:03
Average Ring Time 35:01 (5 appearances)
Eliminations 12
Rumble Wins 2006

 

Booyaka! More than a third of Rey Rey's hang time came from his show-stopping performance in 2006, when he won the whole match and dedicated it to his hermanno Eddie Guerrero.

 

Kane (also competed as Isaac Yankem and Fake Diesel)

Total Ring Time 2:54:29
Average Ring Time 12:28 (14 appearances)
Eliminations 31
Rumble Wins

 

If I'm not mistaken (and I rarely am), The Big Red Machine has more Rumbles under his belt than anyone else, and has the best time on this list of a competitor that didn't win the match. Kane also has the third-biggest number of eliminations on this list, fueled by one year in particular where the guy was (ahem) on fire.

 

Stone Cold Steve Austin (also competed as The Ringmaster) 

Total Ring Time 2:45:29
Average Ring Time 12:28 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 36
Rumble Wins 1997, 1998, 2001

 

WHAT? Stone Cold has won more Royal Rumbles than anyone else. WHAT? I said, the Texas Rattlesnake also has the second-biggest number of eliminations on this list. WHAT? Had it not been for the Russoesque decision to have Vince McMahon win the Rumble in the 1999, the toughest SOB in the WWE may have even won a fourth honor.

 

Chris Benoit

Total Ring Time 2:37:23
Average Ring Time 32:07 (4 appearances)
Eliminations 15
Rumble Wins 2004

 

WWE has strictly forbidden me from talking about this guy, whomever he is, but there's no denying that 1:01:30 performance en route to winning the World Championship at WrestleMania XX will never be forgotten. Unless WWE gets its way, I guess.

 

The Undertaker 

Total Ring Time 3:44:50
Average Ring Time 15:06 (9 appearances)
Eliminations 30
Rumble Wins 2007

 

 

Not exactly a shocker here, as The Deadman is generally guaranteed to do some damage in a match like this, year in and year out. What's somewhat more surprising is that he lasted a mere 4:14 in 1993 before being eliminated by Giant Gonzales, of all people.

Randy Orton 

Total Ring Time 2:11:46
Average Ring Time 26:21 (5 appearances)
Eliminations 16
Rumble Wins 2009

 

Orton could definitely be seen as a rising star in this event (as he is at Survivor Series) as it doesn't make a ton of sense to eliminate him in a matter of minutes. Orton's longest Rumble was the event he won in 2009, lasting 48:27.

Edge 

Total Ring Time 2:09:22
Average Ring Time 21:34 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 15
Rumble Wins 2010

 

The 2012 Hall of Famer didn't really dominate any Rumbles during his career, but his average appearance times are longer than most. Strangely enough, his shortest appearance ever (EVER!!!) was a 7:19 stint in 2012 -- where he won the match.

Davey Boy Smith (also competed as The British Bulldog) 

Total Ring Time 2:06:02
Average Ring Time 21:00 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 12
Rumble Wins

 

 

 

The British Bulldog (no relation) is best known in Royal Rumble lore for starting the 1995 match along with Shawn Michaels and almost winning the whole thing, before HBK caught a lucky break.

Chris Jericho

Total Ring Time 2:05:42
Average Ring Time 20:57 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 10
Rumble Wins

 

 

 

Y2J is probably one of the bigger names never to win a Royal Rumble, although it's possible he changes his look in 2012, what with the shiny jacket and everything.

CM Punk 

Total Ring Time 1:59:01
Average Ring Time 23:48 (5 appearances)
Eliminations 14
Rumble Wins

 

 

Punk is likely to get more ring time as his WWE career continues on; his 35:21 go-round last year included the elimination of seven wrestlers.

0431E362-B552-A52A-D2753A57E47E7DD8.jpg

The Rock (also competed as Rocky Maivia) 

Total Ring Time 1:58:02
Average Ring Time 29:30 (4 appearances)
Eliminations 9
Rumble Wins 2000

 

Although The People's Champ isn't likely to Just Bring It this year and Layeth the Smacketh Down... it doesn't MATTER what your name is! (sorry, I've got nothin'). The Great One had his greatest Rumble success after a controversial victory over The Big Show in 2000.

Hardcore Holly (also competed as Thurman "Sparky" Plugg) 

Total Ring Time 1:53:06
Average Ring Time 16:09 (7 appearances)
Eliminations 5
Rumble Wins

Wondering what in the blue hell Hardcore Friggin' Holly is doing on this list? You're not alone.

 

 

John Cena 

Total Ring Time 1:46:39
Average Ring Time 17:47 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 17
Rumble Wins 2008

This is more like it. It's almost surprising to think the guy hasn't lasted longer or won more than one Rumble since 2003, but the numbers don't lie. Cena's best ring time was last year, in which he went 33:17 before being eliminated by The Miz, who wasn't, technically, a competitor in the match. 

 

 

John Morrison (also competed as Johnny Nitro) 

Total Ring Time 1:44:00
Average Ring Time 17:20 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 3
Rumble Wins

 

Morrison's finest hour in the Rumble (well, 11:24, if we're being all technical about it) came last year when, after being tossed over the top rope by William Regal, he landed on the ringside barrier, without having his feet touch the ground. He then pulled himself up on to the barrier, walked about 15 feet, leapt to the ring steps, used one leg to kick Regal at ringside, and managed to make it still back into the ring.

Rick Martel

Total Ring Time 1:43:53
Average Ring Time 14:50 (7 appearances)
Eliminations 8
Rumble Wins

 

History may show Martel as a midcard heel during his WWE run as "The Model" but he was an essential part of the early Rumbles. In fact, he set the longevity record in 1991, lasting an impressive 52:17.

Bret Hart

Total Ring Time 1:39:21
Average Ring Time 19:52 (5 appearances)
Eliminations 4
Rumble Wins 1994 (co-winner)

Bret Hart was the original Royal Rumble Iron Man, lasting 25:42 in the 1988 event. Followers of the match will recall that he co-won the event with Lex Luger in 1994, and then almost won again three years later, when Steve Austin outsmarted The Hit Man.

 

Rob Van Dam 

Total Ring Time 1:39:10
Average Ring Time 16:32 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 9
Rumble Wins

RVD has hardly been "The Whole F'n Show" for an entire Rumble, but he's had some decent moments over the years. Perhaps the best one was his surprise appearance in 2009, where he lasted 13:56 without even being under WWE contract!

 

Greg Valentine 

Total Ring Time 1:28:46
Average Ring Time 22:11 (4 appearances)
Eliminations 2
Rumble Wins

 

Not much I can here add to this beyond the obvious stats. Good for The Hammer, I guess.

Ric Flair

Total Ring Time 1:27:02
Average Ring Time 14:24 (5 appearances)
Eliminations 8
Rumble Wins 1992

 

Nature Boy's Royal Rumble story begins and ends with 1992, when he entered the match third and defeated an all-star cast during an incredible 59:26 performance. Sure,  he was in the Rumble four other times thereafter, but with a couple fo sub-two minute performances, he never quite recaptured his past glory.

Rikishi (also competed as Fatu and The Sultan) 

Total Ring Time 1:26:13
Average Ring Time 8:37 (10 appearances)
Eliminations 12
Rumble Wins

 

Another perennial midcarder with some decent ringtime, although it's more due to numerous appearances than anything else. His most memorable moment came in 2000, when he danced with Too Cool teammates Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty, before eliminating both of them.

Tito Santana

Total Ring Time 1:23:56
Average Ring Time 13:59 (6 appearances)
Eliminations 2
Rumble Wins

 

See also: Valentine, Greg.

Matt Hardy 

Total Ring Time 1:20:47
Average Ring Time 32:07 (8 appearances)
Eliminations 3
Rumble Wins

 

Not entirely sure why this Huge Douche Canoe ended up getting so much more time than his brother Jeff (a combined 19:13 over four appearances), but at least there's always the magic Rumble moment in 2009 where the two brothers briefly squared off.

"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase 

Total Ring Time 1:17:27
Average Ring Time 19:22 (4 appearances)
Eliminations 10
Rumble Wins

 

The Million Dollar Man thought he could buy himself a good number in 1989, but that strategy didn't work. The next year, DiBiase entered at number one and lasted 44:47 before succumbing to The Ultimate Warrior.

Royal_Rumble_2011.17.jpg


 

Canadian Bulldog has been writing about professional wrestling since 2003, and became a WWI Superstar at  World Wrestling Insanity  in January 2006. Need more Bulldog? Check out his "Complete and Utter Bulldog" podcast at  Club WWI ; like his  Facebook  page, and follow him on  Twitter.

 

 


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