WWE Royal Rumble 2017: Ranking All 30 Match Winners

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18. Randy Orton – 2009

In 2009, Randy Orton was in the midst of one of his hottest runs with WWE. He ran the Legacy faction with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase underneath him. Neither of his proteges got off the ground much during this faction’s go-around, but Orton turned a corner as a heel and had plenty of momentum heading into the Royal Rumble match.

After eliminating Triple H, who had just dumped DiBiase and Rhodes over the ropes, Orton tossed his former mentor out of the ring to become the winner. It earned him a WWE Championship opportunity at WrestleMania, which also came against the Game.

Things did not go well for the Viper after his Royal Rumble win, though. He got his title match, but lost during one of the hottest parts of his career to someone nearing the end of his run. WWE would then put the title on Orton just one PPV later at Backlash in a six-man tag team match. If they were going to have the belt change hands just one big show later, why not pull off the title switch at the more important of the two shows?

A strange call hurt Orton’s Royal Rumble win and drops him further on the list than he probably should be.