SRS #RetroRumble: Royal Rumble 2008-2016: Names From The Past Emerge, Surprises, Failures, More!

Sean Ross Sapp Jan 21, 2020 11:00AM

2017 marked the first Royal Rumble I attended. I'm not much of a traveler -- a lot of my work I can do remotely. It's always been a bucket list item, however, so I jumped at the opportunity to go. To prepare, I re-watched every Royal Rumble event, and used the #RetroRumble hashtag (originally #RumbleRetro). I'll be bringing you these in installments of every ten years, with links to additional series. Enjoy!

You can see part one (1988-1997) at this link, part two (1998-2007) at this link, and part four (Lost Rumbles) at this link!

2008: The biggest surprise of all-time?

I have a deadline, so it's #RetroRumble 08 time!
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Bruce is the better Buffer brother #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

"You can't wrestle" chants from the crowd at Khali. I'm glad those don't happen anymore #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

HBK busted open early #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Joey Styles did a good job battling through five other voices to get over that Dreamer wanted to win to get ECW title shot #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Batista. Bidness. It's picking up #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

In retrospect, Hornswoggle is a waste of an spot, but the crowd loved it, so what's it really matter? #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

These Rumbles make me miss watching CM Punk wrestle #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Taker's clothesline on Punk was sick #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Shelton Benjamin was always so impressive #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Well this is timely. Jimmy Snuka #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

. @DaveBautista in there selling for 62-year old Snuka. This is a fun Rumble #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Piper vs. Snuka. The whole Rumble just stops in awe. #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Pre-TNA World Champion Mick Foley #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Man. Mr. Kennedy was over #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

HBK superkicks Taker out, and their saga continues #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Here comes @DaBlackPope! #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

WOW! That elimination of @RealMickFoley and @DaBlackPope was sweet #retrorumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

I remember thinking Lashley would be number 30. Nope. Jeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannn Cenaaaaaaaah #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

No big final four face off. Final three. Cena, Batista, Triple H #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Cena and Triple H. Divided crowd. Great stuff #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Cena with an iconic return and victory. All-time great Rumble stuff #RetroRumble 08
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 16, 2017

Royal Rumble 09: I guess that group thing works

Carlito with an awesome double springboard moonsault! #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

A bunch of guys that could were predicted to be high-level talents, but reasons #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

MVP was an agile dude #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Khali was much better two years later, and he's still the absolute shits. #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Kozlov threw out Khali. Then MVP. I see what's up here. #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Triple H wasn't having any of that Kozlov shit #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Lol JTG won a coin toss with a two-headed coin over Shad #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

There was a lot of unfulfilled potential in this Rumble. Many at no fault of their own #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Orton just hit three RKOs and got Pedigreed. HHH eliminated Miz/Morrison the same way Burke/Foley did last year #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

The Undertaker! Don't remember this #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Taker, Punk, Mysterio, HHH, Orton, Jericho, among others. Nice #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Rob Van Dam's famous ONE-SHOT DEAL! #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

A record 15-entrants were in for a few seconds, until Kofi Kingston was eliminated #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

This is a really star-studded Rumble in retrospect #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Santino beat Warlord's record. I remember videos on Youtube trying to discredit it. Wow #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Big Show was facing off with Taker and Kane just SOCKED him #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

As Show enters, we have a much more extended 15-man field. Again, a record outside of that tag Rumble #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Two things I hate: illegal eliminations and babyfaces bitching about eliminations #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

This Rumble played out as it should have with Legacy #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Man, Orton's body language on that elimination tease. Good stuff. He wins seconds later #RetroRumble 09
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

2010: Punk steals the show

Ziggler and Evan Bourne start off. I hope Rob Naylor is #3 and he DECKS BOURNE #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Ah shit. Striker on the call #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

CM Punk was total gold here. Nothing we'd seen before. I liked Serena a lot in her role #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Jesus. Striker calling Punk Ben Grimm. We get it, man #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Rainjin Singh. Still with WWE #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Punk made Khali look like a million bucks #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Beth Phoenix broke the 40 yard dash record in Royal Rumble entrances #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

We didn't deserve Beth Phoenix #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Phoenix may have been my favorite "Diva" to watch ever #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

ahhahahahahah Punk's mic swerve on Zack Ryder #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Of course Triple H eliminated Punk #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

This was a period where WWE were dead set on making everyone midcarders #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Morrison missed Starship Pain with alarming regularity #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

A pre-broken @MATTHARDYBRAND eliminated quickly by Kane #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Shawn Michaels, gunning for a WrestleMania rematch for the Undertaker. A great story #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Cena, Michaels, Triple H. Stallions, as they say #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Michaels superkicks HHH over!! #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Shelton comes in, gets some offense, tossed out. He'd only have 8 more WWE matches on TV before his cut #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

HBK and Big Show's skinning the cat spot was nice #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Mark Henry slams Big Show like it's a warm up #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

They said Masters earned his way into the Rumble on SUPERSTARS. Imagine #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

UHHHHHHHHHHH. R-Truth eliminates Show and Mark Henry by himself!??! #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

The look on Jack Swagger's face just killed me #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Reigns would eventually adopt these lame jumping clotheslines of Kofi's #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Kofi counters some bad Rumble psychology (throwing legs over the ropes) by eliminating Truth with a cool headscissors #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

This was before Striker went downhill. He's doing pretty damn good #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

The return of Edge! I remembered knowing it was coming when they had the camera on Jericho. #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Edge, Batista, HBK, Cena. Great Final Fours are back! #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Batista had the Smackdown logo on his trunks for some reason #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Another iconic moment: @DaveBautista's desperate elimination of HBK as @ShawnMichaels even more desperately tries to hang on #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

Edge won a Royal Rumble. I think this made him among the most decorated performers in WWE history #RetroRumble 10
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 18, 2017

2011: The Biggest Rumble in History

A 40-man rumble should have been super cool, but WWE had slotted almost everyone as midcarders #RetroRumblw 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

CM Punk looked different in every Rumble #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Daniel Bryan and Punk starting out. Single tear #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Zack Ryder had some cool Nasty Boys inspired gear #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Morrison's offense just never landed. #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

That Spidey spot was great. #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Ol' Husky Harris #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Chavo hitting like ten straight suplexes was just fantastic #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

We're like twelve entrants in and I'm sick of this Corre/Nexus shit #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Chris Masters had improved a ton by this Rumble #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Nexus clears the ring. Cool dynamic #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Khali returned after a four month absence and eliminates Harris to a big pop. Mason Ryan tosses him out. All Nexus again #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Booker T just blew the roof off that damn place #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Matt Striker ruined a lot of it with the "mark out moment" #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Booker had a great facial expression when eliminated, lol #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Cena breaking up the Nexus party #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

I guess Cena had to make sure he got over on every version of the Nexus. #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Hornswoggle hits an Attitude Adjustment on Tyson Kidd. Another dove cries. #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

They added ten entrants, but this was a simple, lazy Rumble #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

They had a Kofi/Cena stare at the WrestleMania sign moment. Okay #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Diesel was one of the all-time great surprise entries #RetroRumble 11. He called an audible in the ring and refused to eliminate Ziggler
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Man, this just wasn't that good #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Alex Riley's botch self elimination causing changes on the fly #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Del Rio wins....but Santino's still there. He sells the hell out of it and the crowd is nuts #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Del Rio. Victorious. #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

Starting to worry these will burn me out before San Antonio #RetroRumble 11
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 19, 2017

2012: WE AIN'T GOT NO STAR POWER.

Miz and Riley starting was a nice touch. Miz's fake tan wasn't #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Easily the worst first six entrants in Rumble history #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Foley having the time of his life #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Ricardo stealing Del Rio's entrance and gear is the best thing he ever did in WWE #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Santino and Foley battling with their gimmicks. Heh. #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Lawler throwing better dropkicks at 60something than the women are taught to throw in WWE today #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Khali and Mahal were storyline brother-in-laws. I'm sure I blacked out that trauma before, but life has no mercy. #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Hunico enters. I always wanted @TrueKofi to land on his bike and do bunnyhops around the ring before coming back in. #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The announcers wearing their gear under all their suits was pretty funny #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kofi's handstand spot! THE BIKE IS RIGHT THERE @TrueKofi! DO SOME SWEET JUMPS! #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

They loved Duggan here. Big time USA chants #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Michael Cole enters. @MichaelCole in the shape he's in today would have shot on Hunico and dumped him over the top rope #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

KHARMA! This was a cool final appearance for her #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Ziggler making Kharma look like a DIAMOND. #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

It's really a shame that Kharma couldn't help spearhead the change we saw a few years later. #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Through 21 entrants, Ziggler was the only remotely possible winner #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Road Dogg was a hell of a surprise #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Barrett's theme was SHIT #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Good showing for Big Show. He's in the final four with Orton, Sheamus, Jericho #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

I don't think anybody has been better at falling to the apron and staving off elimination than @IAmJericho #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Sheamus won. Thank god that's over #RetroRumble 12
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

2013: At least it's not 2012

The Rock is in the hood, so this one isn't main eventing #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Lord almighty. Dolph and AJ were committed to the gimmick. I'll say that #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Jericho being number 2 was perfect. Was over huge and had continuity with Ziggler #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kofi with that weird corner punch where he put his legs over the top rope. Dumb in a Rumble #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Goldust. He was a surprise entrant again. He and Cody go at it in a nice spot. #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Announcers: "I love the unpredictability of the Royal Rumble! Who's next!?"
*David Otunga enters*#RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Cole keeps reading off quotes from former Rumble competitors. I don't know how I feel about it #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Mysterio had some weird ass gear back then #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kofi lands on Tensai's back, then pogo sticks his way back on JBL's chair. #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The Godfather did exactly what he should have. Show up. Get a pop, get eliminated, collect check #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Remember the one week Bo Dallas push in 2013? #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

It's that Cena guy. #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Daniel Bryan right as he was on his way to getting over huge #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Then we get Zack Ryder after he got himself over and was pooed all over #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The Kane and Daniel Bryan eliminations perfectly exemplified that great team #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Seems like we hadn't seen performers in the double digits in the ring for a few years. #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The original Sin Cara. Be damned #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

What was with that one glove Bo Dallas wore? #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The action got hot, and in 2013, Orton, Ryback, Ziggler, Jericho, Sheamus and Cena was a pretty cool way to close it #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

It's down to Ryback and Cena. Ryback seemed to be on his way to the top. He'd never really recover. Bummer #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Cena won and set up his rematch with the Rock. Makes sense, but they really should have made a giant story of it all year #RetroRumble 13
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

2014: The end of an Era

I'll always remember this as the last time we saw CM Punk wrestle. End of an era. #RetroRumble 14.
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Rollins is number two. This period was among the most loaded rosters ever, in my opinion. Maybe 2nd-3rd ever altogether #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Corporate Kane was YOLKED #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The debut of Alexander Rusev!! #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter were about 2-3 years ahead of their time #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kofi Kingston enters to a great reaction, then concusses Punk. Punk is in a bad way #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

That leap of Kofi's was unbelievable. Saved himself again #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kofi with another save, hanging onto the ropes by his toes. damn. #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kevin Nash! I wish he'd finger poke someone over the top rope. #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Reigns was much leaner and a lot more over in 2014 #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

What a great display of the Shield #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Goldust eliminates Cody! RECEIPT! #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Sheamus with dat return pop #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

I wonder if Fandango is still this over with big crowds. Either way, Summer Rae spinning out of shot was AWESOME #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Imagine what was going through a concussed and possibly staph filled CM Punk's head as he faced off with Torito #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Cesaro should have Cesaro Swinged Torito out of the ring #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

This Cesaro and the one of today aren't the same. #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

JBL on "people have won from this spot" duty #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Lol. JBL gets a "you still got it chant" #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

It's so crazy to see how people's reactions shrink from year to year #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The returning Batista. I wonder how different this would have been booked knowing what everyone knows now #RetroRumble 2014.
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Poor Rey. No Daniel Bryan killed it for the remaining 11 guys. Bryan chants ensue. #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

One of the all-time tone deaf moves in WWE history was this Royal Rumble #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

It's crazy to see Roman Reigns here. The crowd would have loved him winning. #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

And the last time we see CM Punk in WWE is him getting mollywhopped by Kane. #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Sheamus, who has had like four big pushes, in at the end with Batista and Reigns #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Roman chants from the crowd. #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Reigns doesn't have that model hair anymore. That must be the problem #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

He also looks like a ghost these days. He's eliminated. Batista wins to a chorus of boos #RetroRumble 2014
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The tradition of "LOL AT U" booking continued here. #RetroRumble 2014
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Everybody but ONE GUY knew better. Wonder who? #RetroRumble 14
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

2015: WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU. WE'RE TOO TONE DEAF

It seems like Miz always got a low number #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

This is where Truth was using a 22 year old rap lyric before matches #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Bubba Ray Dudley as a surprise entrant in Philly. They messed up by not getting D-Von for it. #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Did anyone else groan a little when they had Truth replace D-Von here? #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The crowd chanting for D-Von, they didn't get him #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Erick Rowan kicks off what we now know as AxelMania #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Harper turning on Rowan was another tone deaf move -- a term I'll be using a lot on this one #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Daniel Bryan with a giant pop, which was expected #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Tyson Kidd. I miss the dude #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

DDP shows up and hits a Diamond Cutter on Stardust! #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Super Diamond Cutter on Fandango! #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The total deflation from the crowd as Bryan hit the floor just halfway through the Rumble #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The boos haven't stopped since Bryan was eliminated #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kofi Kingston's Rosebud save is probably one of my favorites #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The boos are really REIGN-ING down. Ho-ho-ho #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Damien Mizdow having to give up his spot to Miz, only to take it back. Excellent part of the feud. #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Finally, Ambrose gets a really good reaction after the match was crapped on for a solid 20 minutes #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Bad News Barrett was so over. #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

A Superkick party for Ziggler, followed by a sweet double jumping DDT on Kane and Show #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kane breaks the eliminations record, well deserved. Wasn't the year for him and Show to be in the final three though #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

I've never understood the idea of forcing a babyface. Counterproductive #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Now the crowd is livid. Chanting "bullshit." It's Reigns, Kane, Show after Ambrose is eliminated #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Reigns wins, gets beaten up, Rock makes the save. The crowd loves it, but not the endorsement of Reigns #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Knowing what we know now, Bryan would have been a poor choice to win. But others wouldn't have been bad #RetroRumble 15
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

2016: One vs. All

And I'm finally at the 2016 Rumble. Roman Reigns defending his WWE title. #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Roman Reigns starts off. Always hated the idea of being forced into a selected number #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The AJ Styles debut. UNFORGETTABLE #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Michael Cole really fucked up New Day's troll. They made it look like Xavier would enter, but Cole announced it'd be Kofi #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Still never understood those who saw Titus as a future main player #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

R-Truth thinks this is a ladder match. I shouldn't have laughed. I did. Hard #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

There were kendo sticks under the ring too #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Big E saves Kofi. What do you think he'll do this year? Will Kofi's streak end? #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The League Of Nations attack Reigns. Remember that turdy group? #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Kevin Owens limping to the ring, followed by Ambrose gives me hope for a Reigns/KO/Styles/Cena entry this year #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Styles is out and the crowd is bummed #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

I still feel there is no more intimidating theme than Mark Henry's #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Brock Lesnar comes in, the building explodes. He goes after The Wyatt Family which results in a short, wonky feud #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Del Rio comes out to crickets after he got beat by Kalisto. I am SHOCKED #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Braun Strowman eliminated by Brock. Strowman bumps over the top like a mad man. #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

If you took everyone at their peak, 2016 was pretty loaded. But most of these guys had been flushed #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Triple H appears at number 30 saying "FUCK IT, WE'LL DO IT LIIIIIIVE" #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Reigns is back in the match, by the way. I hate that "hang out outside the ring for 20 minutes" thing #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

The faceoffs in the Rumble used to mean something #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Reigns, Ambrose, HHH, Sheamus as the final four. The place erupts when Reigns is out!! #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

Gotta say, @MichaelCole's commentary during this match was really good #RetroRumble 16
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

HHH wins, and the crowd is just happy it's not Reigns. #Retro 16. ON TO 2017!!!!!!!!
— Sean Ross Sapp (@SeanRossSapp) January 20, 2017

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CONTINUE

SRS #RetroRumble: 2008-2016: Names From The Past Emerge, Surprises, Failures, More!