IT'S TIME TO RUMBLE: A Look Back At Royal Rumbles' Past (Part VIII)

2016

Winner: Triple H

(Entry: 30th | Lasted: 8:05 | Eliminations: 3)

Bridesmaid: Dean Ambrose

(Entry: 19th | Lasted: 29:36 | Eliminations: 1)

Iron Man: Roman Reigns (technically)

(Entry: 1st | Lasted: 59:50 | Eliminations: 4 | Dumped: 28th)

Eliminator: Braun Strowman

(Entry: 17th | Lasted: 16:44 | Eliminations: 5 | Dumped: 20th)

First To Fall: Rusev

(Entry: 2nd | Lasted: 1:30)

Loser: Jack Swagger

(Entry: 24th | Lasted: 0:15 | Dumped: 18th)

NOTES:

• Total Match Time: 61:42
• This match was for Roman Reigns' WWE World Heavyweight Title.
• This is the longest Rumble in 10 years.  2006 was 62:12, had Triple H in the final three and emanated from the state of Florida.  Coincidence?  (...actually, yes.  Totally coincidence.)
• Though Roman Reigns officially had the longest time, he was backstage half the match after catching a beatdown from the League Of Nations.  Chris Jericho posted a time of 50:50, so if you're into asterisks...
• Triple H becomes the third man (and the first since 2008, where he placed 2nd) to win the Rumble from #30.
• The WWE C.O.O. also sets a new mark for the span between Rumble wins at 14 years.  This is a mark that may never be broken.
• Triple H also becomes a 14-time World Champion by virtue of his Rumble win.
• Mr. Paul "Hunter Hearst Helmsley" Levesque has now guaranteed himself a slot in the main event of Wrestlemania 32.  If he goes on last, he will become the oldest performer to do so, at 46 years and eight & 1/2 months of age (breaking Batista's mark from two years ago at 45 & change).

Who Walked Out of The Event As Champion?

Triple H.

Did The Winner Go On To Win The Championship?

No.  Haitch and Roman snored the house down in a 27-minute bore-fest after the first 7-hour PPV in company history.  The first of many, as we would unfortunately find out...

ALL-TIME STATS:

Longest Rumble: 2011 (69:49) [40-Man Rumble]

Shortest Rumble: 1988 (33:35) [20-Man Rumble]

Longest 30-Man Rumble: 2002 (69:22)

Shortest 30-Man Rumble: 1995 (38:41)

Average length of a Royal Rumble: 55:17

Most Wins:
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (3) (1997, 1998, 2001)

2nd Most Wins: TIE

Hulk Hogan (1990, 1991)
Shawn Michaels (1995, 1996)
Batista (2005, 2014)
John Cena (2008, 2013)
Triple H (2002, 2016)

Most Time In-Ring For A Winner:
Rey Mystetio (62:12) (2006)

Least Time In-Ring For A Winner:
Edge (7:19) (2010)

Most Eliminations for a Winner: TIE
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin (10) (1997)
Hulk Hogan (10) (1990)

Least Eliminations for a Winner:
"Big" John Studd (1) (1989)

All-Time Iron Man: Rey Mysterio (62:12)
(To put that in perspective, Rey lasted longer in 2006 than the length of almost every other Rumble match.  Only five were longer.  1989 was 65:08, 1991 was 65:15, 1993 was 66:40, 2002 was 69:22 and 2011 was 69:49.  And of course, he tied 2006 because that's...you get it.)

All Time Eliminator: Kane (43)

Most Rumbles Entered: Kane (19)
(The next closest is Shawn Michaels with 12, and he's retired)

Words written for this series of articles (including the ones after this sentence): 10,830

Thank you for reading!  It's been a lot of fun flexing my creative muscles again!  Maybe I'll do it again somewhere down the road...