WWE is set to kick start the new decade with its annual Royal Rumble event, which will emanate from the Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, on January 26, 2020.
The Royal Rumble match has helped WWE transform their wrestlers into the superstars we know today. The 2020 installment will be the 33rd event under the chronology, and over the years we have seen multiple superstars taking their place at the top of the food chain, by winning the 30-superstar Royal Rumble match.
Only a select few have won the Royal Rumble match more than once in their careers, and "The Viper" Randy Orton is one among them, winning the contest in 2009 and 2017. With that said, let’s take a look at all of Randy Orton’s performance in a Royal Rumble match.
11 Royal Rumble 2013
Randy Orton entered the 2013 Royal Rumble match as the 26th entrant and managed to get only one elimination. He had a decent showing for a brief period, hitting RKOs on Dolph Ziggler, John Cena, Sheamus, and Ryback.
His only elimination was Zack Ryder as "The Viper" didn’t manage to eliminate any other superstar, before getting eliminated himself at the hands of Ryback.
Though he didn’t win the match, Orton did go on to become WWE Champion at SummerSlam 2013 and later unified it with the World Heavyweight Championship at TLC.
10 Royal Rumble 2019
Randy Orton entered the 2019 Royal Rumble fresh after a feud with Rey Mysterio and looked to win the match for the third time. But the Viper didn't have a successful outing after entering at the 29th spot.
Orton had a brief staredown with Braun Strowman and even sent him out of the ring through the middle rope. He also had a moment with Nia Jax, who had entered as the final entrant. Orton joined forces with Rey Mysterio and took turns hitting their finishers on Jax.
Orton survived six minutes in the match, with his only elimination being Rey Mysterio, before getting eliminated himself by Andrade.
9 Royal Rumble 2018
After winning the previous year's Royal Rumble match, Randy Orton looked to win it for the second straight year when he walked into the 2018 match as the 24th entrant. Orton survived for nearly 14 minutes before getting eliminated by Roman Reigns.
Orton's only elimination in the match came in the form of Andrade, whom he eliminated right away after entering the ring. He teamed up with John Cena and Rey Mysterio for a brief time before his time ran out and got thrown over the top rope by Roman Reigns.
8 Royal Rumble 2007
Randy Orton was a part of Rated RKO with Edge at the time of the 2007 Royal Rumble. The duo entered into a heated feud with D-Generation X, and when Triple H got injured, they continued their rivalry with Shawn Michaels and followed it up at this event.
Orton entered the match in the 16th spot and had two eliminations by throwing out Matt Hardy by himself and took some help from Edge to take out Super Crazy.
Orton survived 27 minutes in the match before getting eliminated by Shawn Michaels.
7 Royal Rumble 2012
The 2012 Royal Rumble took place in Randy Orton’s home town St. Louis, Missouri, and "The Viper" looked to use the advantage to win the whole thing. Orton entered the match on the 28th spot and started with all guns blazing on his opponents.
"The Viper" competed in the match for only just under six minutes but still got three eliminations by tossing Jey Uso, Wade Barrett and the Big Show over the top rope. But unfortunately, the hometown advantage didn’t last long for him as he got eliminated by the eventual runner-up Chris Jericho.
6 Royal Rumble 2011
The 2011 Royal Rumble saw 40 superstars entering the titular match for the first time. Randy Orton had to do double duty on the night as he competed for the WWE Championship against the Miz but failed to capture the title.
"The Apex Predator" entered the Royal Rumble match as the 39th entrant and lasted a little over eight minutes. Despite the short stint, Orton managed to eliminate three superstars throwing Sheamus, Kofi Kingston and Wade Barrett over the top rope.
Orton's time in the match ended after he got eliminated by the eventual winner Alberto Del Rio.
5 Greatest Royal Rumble - 2018
WWE conducted a second Royal Rumble event in 2018 under the name Greatest Royal Rumble at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. An astounding 50 superstars entered the match, and Randy Orton was among the contestants.
"The Viper" entered in the 35th spot and lasted 10:58 in the contest. He had four eliminations to his name, throwing Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Karl Anderson, and Mojo Rawley over the top rope.
Orton, however, couldn't keep up the momentum, and his time in the match ended after getting thrown over the top rope by Elias.
4 Royal Rumble 2004
Randy Orton’s first appearance in a Royal Rumble match came at the 2004 event, and the "Legend Killer" made an immediate impact by eliminating five superstars in the contest.
Orton was Evolution’s youngest star and also the reigning Intercontinental Champion at the time. He entered the match on the 2nd spot and stood toe-to-toe with Chris Benoit.
Orton eliminated Rikishi, Booker T, Ernest Miller, Rico, and Shelton Benjamin with no help from his Evolution teammates. He survived for an astounding 33 minutes in the match before Mick Foley would end his valiant effort.
3 Royal Rumble 2006
Before he would win it twice in the future, Randy Orton almost pulled it off in the 2006 Royal Rumble match. Orton entered the contest fresh off his nine-month-long feud with the Undertaker and looked to restart his singles career on a high note by winning the Royal Rumble match.
Orton entered as the last man in the match and eliminated two superstars in Chris Benoit and Orlando Jordan. The "Legend Killer" almost got the job done when he had Rey Mysterio down, but the master of the 619 managed to throw him over the top rope to pick up the win.
2 Royal Rumble 2017
"The Viper's" second Royal Rumble win came in the 2017 event. Orton entered the match as a part of the Wyatt Family, along with Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper. Orton's task was to ensure Bray Wyatt's victory but he ended up winning the match himself.
Orton walked into the match as the 23rd entrant and stuck to his primary task of making sure Wyatt wins the match. Roman Reigns eliminated Bray Wyatt, clearing the path for "The Viper," and Orton took advantage of the opportunity to eliminate Reigns and win his second Royal Rumble match.
1 Royal Rumble 2009
Royal Rumble 2009 saw Randy Orton cementing his place as one of the legitimate faces of the company by winning the 30-man contest. Orton entered into the match along with his Legacy partners Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, and it was apparent from the start that "The Viper would earn the victory.
Randy Orton entered the match as the 8th entrant and used the help of Rhodes and DiBiase throughout the contest. He eliminated Kane along with his partners, apart from getting two eliminations on his own in the Big Show and Triple H.