WWE: Top 5 Surprise Royal Rumble Entrants

The Royal Rumble whilst being one of my favourite ppvs in the WWE calendar, often provides you with more surprises within the space of 3 hours than any other show that they put out. The beauty for the company is that surprises don’t need to come in the form of decisions, finishes or title changes, they can simply come from the bodies that the put on their television show.

In the late 80s and early 90s Sean Mooney would list who was going to be entering the event in the weeks running up to the show and in much of the 2000s, they would broadcast clunky, goofy backstage segments during the ppv where wrestlers would go to pick their number from a selection of airhead Divas.

Of late, a few names enter themselves into the event via promo on Raw and these tend to be the top names; the likes of Cena, Orton and co who are in a position in the company where the viewer could arguably understand that if they bowl up and say “I’m entering that match” no one is going to say no because they draw and you wouldn’t want the match without them.

My top surprise entrants may feel obvious but the nature of the surprise sometimes comes in what the wrestler achieves during their time in the Rumble match rather than their physical appearance being a shock. Over the last few years, with the rise of Old School Raw and the clambering of old-timers to get one last pop or to raise money to pay for surgery/retirement/divorce/settlement (delete as appropriate), we’re seeing more and more ‘legends’ and ex-employees returning to the ring after the 10 count.

Chris Jericho (2013)

An obvious choice? What was so fun about this return was the build up as much as it was his 40+ minutes in the ring. On Twitter, Jericho claimed that he was “done with WWE” and put out pictures of himself skiing in Canada on the day before the event. When he was the papped going through security on the day of the Rumble by a fan, it was great to know that he was going to be entering and possibly coming back for a run.

Jericho went 47 minutes and had been out of the ring for months. He did some work with Lance Storm up at his academy in Calgary in the month before but was otherwise ring-rusty. Dolph cut a promo claiming he could take anyone and when Jericho came out at number two it was a wonderful moment. You knew that these two could set the ring alight and Jericho went from strength to strength in the match, feeding all those who came in, bumping all over for them and, generally, being selfless.

Jericho, a great wrestler, gave a much needed boost to what was otherwise a fairly mediocre event.

Diesel (2011)

In 2011, WWE went with 40 entrants in an attempt to gain interest in the event. At the time the roster was fairly thin and weak and the decision seemed an odd one. Much like Jericho last year, Diesel took to social media to deny that he would be there but was the filmed getting his bags at the airport by a fan and the internet was ablaze with the knowledge that he would be appearing.

It didn’t matter that the wrestling news sites had picked it up, or that he said that he would be there on the amateur video tape, what was great was the reaction he got from those fans who either didn’t know or just were delighted by his presence. He still moved well for his age and seeing him step over the top rope as he entered the ring made the match seem all the more relevant. With Diesel there is always that knowledge that Triple H backs him and, watching, the seed was planted in your mind that he might be back to do “one last run”. Of course, he wasn’t, at least not yet.

Goldust (2013)

This man’s return has to be the success story in WWE for 2013. Not only is he in the best physical shape that I recall seeing him in some time but he is in some kind of renaissance in terms of his ability in the ring. He moves extremely well, can play the plucky babyface in peril or he can take a hot tag and come in the ring and set the crowd off, bringing matches to life.

When he returned, a moustachioed Cody stared down the ramp at his flowing blonde locks and immediately the appetite was whet for what will eventually be a fantastic feud. For me, his work is summed up by one move that is completely ineffectual yet utterly delightful: he comes off the ropes, throws himself to the floor, looks up and slaps his opponent in the face. When he did that at this event, I was pleased to see him back only for moments later Cody to eliminate him.

The key with surprise entrants is that they don’t outstay their welcome. Goldust went nine minutes and didn’t eliminate anyone: sensible booking; fun watching.

Chyna (1999)

The Royal Rumble match of 99 featured a number of notable build-ups: on Raw, a Corporation vs. DX mini-Rumble was set up with the winner taking the number 30 spot; after all the apparent competitors had entered it seemed as if Triple H had won until Vince made his way to the ring. He entered himself on behalf of the Corporation and threw the distracted Triple H out of the ring.

During the match, it again seemed as if the winner would be Austin – who had won the match for the previous two years - until DX's Chyna made her way to the ring. The event would mark the first time a female wrestler had taken part in the Royal Rumble match. Yes, she lasted 35 seconds but it was clever, new and, crucially, a surprise.

I should note here that Chyna also appeared at the Royal Rumble the following year as well and was the only woman to enter the match until Beth Phoenix entered the Royal Rumble in 2010.

Ric Flair (1992)

OK, yes, I realise that he wasn’t a surprise entrant in 1992. The surprise was that he entered at number three, lasted for nearly an hour and won the vacant title.

The 1992 match is easily my favourite Rumble match: before 1993, a Royal Rumble win didn’t mean a main event spot at WrestleMania. When Flair was brought in from WCW along with their title belt, Jack Tunney decreed that the belt was vacant and that the winner of the Rumble would be the undisputed champion – a moniker that Flair had been giving himself in the run up to the match.

Flair is tremendous in the match. He works and feeds everyone; he takes huge bumps and just goes and goes and goes. Heenan’s commentary is a thing of beauty and the finish is so well-worked. Sadly, the Hogan v Flair feud was sidelined for a Sid Justice one and Flair would go on to lose to Savage and disappear fairly quickly back to WCW. But, entering third and being there at the end had never been done before and Flair was the ideal choice for the role.