WWE Royal Rumble: Ranking Every Winner After Lynch, Rollins Wins

Credit: WWE.com

28. Batista (2014)

Wrestling fans clamored for Batista’s return to WWE for years. Unfortunately, when they finally got it, it was presented to them in perhaps the least appealing way possible. From the jump, it was clear that WWE viewed Batista in the same way it viewed The Rock: a star with some mainstream credibility who could drum up publicity for the company by carrying its top prize on the movie PR circuit.

Making his return to the ring in January of 2014, Batista was booked not as the arrogant heel he portrayed on his way out of the company, but as a dominant babyface force. The moment Batista announced his intention to enter the Royal Rumble, a massive portion of the audience turned against him, viewing him as the corporately preferred alternative to fan favorite Daniel Bryan. When Bryan failed to even turn up in the match, the fan response somehow became even angrier.

When the match reached its final two, Batista and Roman Reigns, fans backed Reigns 100% (imagine that!), and Batista’s second Royal Rumble victory was booed violently. He went on to turn heel ahead of WrestleMania, where he would tap out to Daniel Bryan in a triple threat match that also featured Randy Orton. He then reformed Evolution with Orton and Triple H, and feuded with The Shield through the summer before leaving the company again to promote Guardians of the Galaxy.

Batista has yet to return to WWE, but seems to believe that he has one more run left in him. Whatever he does, it will likely turn out better than his 2014 Royal Rumble win.