If HBK is Mr. Wrestlemania...

[THTRobtaylor]

At different times different people have had "honors" in a Royal Rumble... In the Hogan Era, Rick Martel was always someone who entered early and lasted a long time, at one point he may have had the record. Then it was Backlund beating Flairs record and so on. These always got referred to in the match itself so in 94 they talked about Bob's 60 minutes the previous year etc and like his title reign, it lasted a hell of a long time.

For those mentioning Shawn, computer is saying no based on the 95 Rumble being castrated to half an hour and the number 2 man, Davey Boy Smith being the last man eliminated. Shawn lasted one second more than DBS... Sure he went on and won next year and at Mania but the achievement is non existant for 95 as to win or be runner up they both spent less time in the match than Bob Backlund or Ric Flair or even Rick Martel in some years.

In Austin's case, yes he won a few but he also famously lost one to Vince... again great TV at the time but not a case for the best Rumble participant ever (which is what we are talking about).

Kane, has probably had the most success without winning a Rumble so the OP is right in saying it's "his match" to an extent, but in reality any big wrestler with push can be in that position, he has just been their best option more times than not in the last few years. This year it'll be Big E. who gets that slot or a returning Mark Henry... you watch...

I would personally call Mr. Royal Rumble whoever provides the most memorable moments as it's a spot based match and the honor changes nearly every year, in the late 80's and early 90's Mr. Perfect was always in the final 4 and doing unusual/important eliminations like dropkicking DBS off the turnbuckle in 1991 or taking Flair out. Mid-late 90's Shawn had a good case with the "skin the cat" manner of his wins in 95 and 96 but so did Diesel and Kane and Davey Boy for their performances in the matches without winning.

More recently it would be JoMo or Kofi for their jawdropping moments in the last 2 years, those define a rumble specialist, not how many people they take out but how they stay in the match after certain elimination, Shawn would skin the cat, JoMo became Spiderman and Kofi's handwalk last year was simply mindblowingly good.

Of course it now means they have to have that WFT moment every year, I think it's a good reason we might see Shelton Benjamin back in this Rumble, I would like to see Kofi take it on and come up with another jawdropping escape... if he does, I'd call him Mr. Royal Rumble without argument. One I can see happening this year, Reigns and Rollins get eliminated "unjustly" so they catch Ambrose and make sure his feet don't touch to save him...