The 2005 Royal Rumble Match

The Royal Rumble is a chance for 30 WWE Superstars to catapult themselves into the main event of WrestleMania. Last year Chris Benoit won the Rumble and went on to WrestleMania to become World Champion, achieving an 18-year dream. But this year it was starting to look like it was 1994 all over again.  

In 1994 Lex Luger and Bret "Hit Man" Hart hit the floor at exactly the same time, and both were declared co-winners of the match. This year's final four saw Edge, Rey Mysterio, John Cena and Batista battling it out for the coveted main event slot at WrestleMania 21.

Edge started delivering spears to everyone, but Mysterio bounced back and hit Edge with the 619. Edge bounced back and tried to toss Mysterio over the top rope. Mysterio hung on, but then Edge speared him out to the floor. Edge had no time for celebration, however, as Cena and Batista teamed up to throw him out.   And then there were two. Batista, representing Raw, and Cena, representing SmackDown!, clashed for the all important title shot. Cena had Batista up for the F-U, but Batista fought out of it.

The animal of Evolution then hoisted Cena up for the Batista bomb and tried to throw him out. The momentum of the maneuver, however, led to both Superstars falling out of the ring and hitting the floor at the same time. Just like Luger and Hart did in 1994.

But Mr. McMahon would not let history repeat itself. The Chairman came down to the irng and ordered that Batista and Cena resume the match. Batista went right back to work and hit a brutal Batista Bomb before throwing out the Dr. of Thuganomics. So now that all of the smoke has cleared, the animal of Evolution, Batista will be going on to headline WrestleMania 21.

Order of entry: Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Daniel Puder, Hardcore Holly, Hurricane, Kenzo Suzuki, Edge, Rey Mysterio, Shelton Benjamin, Booker T, Chris Jericho, Luther Reigns, Muhammad Hussan, Orlando Jordan, Scotty 2 Hotty (never officially entered the ring), Charlie Haas, Rene Dupree, Simon Dean, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, Coach, Mark Jindrak, Viscera, Paul London, John Cena, Gene Snitsky, Kane, Batista, Christian, Ric Flair.

Order of elimination: Puder, Holly, Hurricane, Suzuki, Hassan, Reigns, Jordan, Booker T, Benjamin, Guerrero, Dean, Haas, Angle, Michaels, Dupree, Viscera, London, Jindrak, Snitsky, Jericho, Kane, Coach, Christian, Benoit, Flair, Mysterio, Edge, Cena.