Top Five Wrestlers who never competed in the Royal Rumble

Since 1988, the Royal Rumble has become one of the most anticipated events of the year.  Throughout the thirty-six-year history of the event, we’ve had plenty of surprises, especially the main attraction of the show, the Royal Rumble match.

More than 1,200 wrestlers have competed in the Royal Rumble match with some of the biggest stars in wrestling history and wrestlers who you might not even remember.  Surprisingly, some wrestlers have never competed in the Royal Rumble match. This list is a look at the top five wrestlers who never competed in the Royal Rumble match. This list may surprise you. Could they have won the Royal Rumble?  That’s a debate wrestling fans can have at any time.  But these five wrestlers should’ve been in at least one Royal Rumble and never got their chance.

Colt Cabana

Some fans might not remember Cabana’s time in WWE as Scotty Goldman because he never was used that much on television.  But this jack-of-all-trades professional wrestler would’ve been an entertaining addition to any Royal Rumble match.

From his comedic antics to his technical style Cabana would’ve been very entertaining to watch in the Royal Rumble.  He could’ve been in a special group of wrestlers who make a Royal Rumble match entertaining. Some might think he could’ve been a Bushwhacker or Doink or Santino Marella as far as comedy wrestling goes but his style would’ve been different from the others.  While I don’t think he would’ve ever won a Royal Rumble, Cabana in this match would’ve made for some funny moments.

Dean Malenko

When Dean Malenko joined the WWF in early 2000 with Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Perry Saturn, the thought was these four wrestlers were going to leave a huge mark on the company.  Each of them did in their way, however, Malenko surprisingly was the only member of The Radicalz who never competed in the match. Saturn’s first Rumble was in 2001, Guerrero’s in 2003, and Benoit’s in 2004.  During that period Malenko was never a participant in the Royal Rumble.  His career was slowing down as he would retire a couple of years after he entered the WWF but having Malenko in this match could’ve been interesting.

Either as the technical machine or the ladies’ man, Malenko could’ve made a Royal Rumble intriguing in his own way.  We’ll never know what we would have with him in the Royal Rumble.  A wrestling crime that gets looked over.

Christopher Daniels

If people came out with a list of the top wrestlers who never competed on the main roster of WWE, Christopher Daniels would be on the list, maybe even near the top of the list. Daniels has wrestled all over the world and competed for some of the biggest wrestling promotions.  From his time in Ring of Honor to being a star in TNA to now being a locker room leader in AEW, Daniels has done it all in wrestling, except for one thing.

How would Christopher Daniels have fared in a Royal Rumble match?  Could he have been somebody who would’ve been an Iron Man in a match going past a half hour and possibly being one of the last four in the ring?  He very well could have.

Or would he have been somebody who came in for a minute or two and then quickly was eliminated?  There’s a possibility that could’ve happened as well.  But no matter what the outcome would’ve been, Daniels never competing in a Royal Rumble is a true head-scratcher that we might never have an answer for.

Razor Ramon

Before I talk about Razor Ramon, yes, he did compete in several Royal Rumble events, he never competed in the Royal Rumble match.  The four matches he had at the Royal Rumble were all title matches and he didn’t fair well, with a 1-3 record. But Ramon was one of the most popular wrestlers during the “New Generation Era” of WWE and it surprises me that he never competed in the Royal Rumble match.  He had the perfect look as a participant in this type of match.

 At 6’7” and over 280 pounds I would believe that in any year of the Royal Rumble, Ramon would’ve easily been one of the odds-on favorites to win the match.  It would’ve been very hard to eliminate Ramon and with his cunningness could’ve won a Royal Rumble. While he’ll go down as one of the greatest Intercontinental champions, Ramon could’ve gone down as one of the greatest competitors ever in the Royal Rumble.  However, he was never given a chance, and who knows how he would’ve done.

Sting

This choice is a no-brainer.  The Icon, the legend, perhaps the greatest wrestler in WCW history, Sting never competed in the Royal Rumble.  Even when Sting was in WWE in 2015, Sting was never a participant in this match. But how would Sting have done in a Royal Rumble match?  Well, I believe he would’ve been a favorite to win in any year he competed and would’ve been a top choice by the fans to win.  There’s a good chance that Sting could’ve won a Rumble or two and headline Wrestlemania.

I admire Sting for his loyalty to both WCW and TNA, never being a guy about going for the money.  But just imagine if Sting had one moment in the Royal Rumble.  He could’ve been face to face with the biggest names of all time.  In the ring with Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, the Rock, Steve Austin.  Fans would have had goosebumps!

However, we never got our chance and never will.  Sting could’ve easily won a Royal Rumble if he and WWE had worked something out years earlier and seen our face painted hero competing in the Royal Rumble.

So those are my top five wrestlers who never competed in the Royal Rumble.  The history of this great match will have more names added of those who never competed, but we can always imagine what might have been.