IT'S TIME TO RUMBLE: A look back at Rumbles Past (Part IX)

2017

Winner: Randy Orton

(Entry: 23rd | Lasted: 20:52 | Eliminations: 1)

Bridesmaid: Roman Reigns

(Entry: 30th | Lasted: 5:05 | Eliminations: 3)

Iron Man: Chris Jericho

(Entry: 2nd | Lasted: 60:13 | Eliminations: 2)

Eliminator: Braun Strowman

(Entry: 7th | Lasted: 13:11 | Eliminations: 7)

First To Fall: Jack Gallagher

(Entry: 5th | Lasted: 3:20)

Loser: James Ellsworth

(Entry: 11th | Lasted: 0:15)

Notes:

Total Match Time: 62:06
Billed interval between entries: 90 seconds
 

• Randy Orton is the 7th man to win more than one Rumble (2009, 2017).  He is tied for 2nd most wins all time with five other men: Hulk Hogan (1990, 1991), Shawn Michaels (1995. 1996), Triple H (2002, 2016), John Cena (2008, 2013) and Batista (2005, 2014) and is behind only "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who has three (1997, 1998, 2001).
• Orton is the second man in history to win a Royal Rumble with only a single elimination.  The other was Big John Studd in 1989.
• Orton is also the second man to win the Rumble from the #23 spot.  Lex Luger (sort of) did it back in 1994.
• Chris Jericho set the record for most cumulative time spent inside the Royal Rumble at 4:54:17, breaking Triple H's mark set last year of 4:06:08.
• Jericho is the third competitor to go over an hour and not win the Rumble.  Bob Backlund went 61:10 and Triple H went 60:15 in 2006. 
• Jericho is also the first entrant in history to spend over 50 minutes in back-to-back Rumbles, though this one comes with an asterisk for him being such a sneaky snek.  He was in the ring for only 28 minutes and change.  This is the second year in a row the Iron Man spent significant time out of the ring.  Jericho was at least at ringside and got back in to do stuff (though wasn't very effective), but still, he spent more time on the floor than he did between the ropes.  If this is indeed an asterisk, then Sami Zayn takes his place with 47:12 from the number 8 spot.)
• Braun Strowman is the Eliminator for the second year in a row.  He has only been in two Rumbles, but already has 13 career eliminations.
• This is the first time back-to-back Royal Rumbles have been over 60 minutes since 2001/2002.  It's also the longest 30-man Rumble since 2006, which was six second longer.
• James Ellsworth is technically the "Loser", but he was at ringside for a good two minutes before he entered the ring.  Enzo Amore (#27) lasted 18 seconds, but jumped right in.

Who Walked Out of The Event As Champion?

Since last year, there's been a second brand split, with the Universal Title being introduced at Summerslam 2016 for Raw.  Kevin Owens left with that prize, while John Cena captured his sixteenth world championship, tying the (kayfabe) record of "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.  Neither man would be champion going into Wrestlemania 33 though, as Cena would drop the strap at Elimination Chamber to Bray Wyatt and Kevin Owens would be flattened by Goldberg.

Did The Winner Go On To Win The Championship?

Yes, which is getting rarer and rarer nowadays.  Out of the last ten years, only three Rumble winners have gone on to accomplish their goal: Sheamus (2012), John Cena (2013) and now, Randall Keith.  Orton beat Bray Wyatt in the most pedestrian World title match in Wrestlemania history (even in spite of the bugs Wyatt projected onto the mat).