SPECIAL FEATURE: Obscure Royal Rumble Facts, Statistics, and Trivia – Oldest winner, most common age of winners, birthdays, family members, more

Each year, WWE does a great job putting together video packages of Royal Rumble statistics. By this Sunday, you’ll probably be able to recite from memory which wrestlers have won from the number 27 spot, who has been in the most Royal Rumble matches, who has the most eliminations, and who has the longest total time in the Rumble.

But there are plenty of other oddball facts, figures, and trivia WWE hasn’t pointed out or doesn’t want you thinking about. Here are some interesting dates, ages, numbers, and more from the Royal Rumble’s 30-year history. Keep in mind that wrestler’s birthdates were taken from Wikipedia, so some numbers may be just a little suspect. Also, these statistics are meant to be lighthearted and conversational. If you disagree with any numbers or spot any corrections, feel free to share them on Twitter @MMooreWriter.

Dates

• Since 1988, the Royal Rumble has taken place every January.
• Four took place on January 19 (1991, 1992, 1997 and 2003).
• Four took place on January 24 (1988, 1993, 1999 and 2016).
• Triple H (2016) won the Royal Rumble 17 years to the day after his father-in-law, Vince McMahon (1999).

Ages and Birthdates 

• The oldest person ever to win the Royal Rumble was Vince McMahon (53 in 1999), followed by Triple H (46 in 2016).
• Of the announced participants in this year’s Royal Rumble, Undertaker (51) and Goldberg (50) could become the second oldest Royal Rumble winner. Chris Jericho (46 years, 2 months) would still be younger than Triple H in 2016 (46 years, 6 months).

• Six men have won the Royal Rumble under age 30: Shawn Michaels (29 in 1995), Roman Reigns (29 in 2015), Randy Orton (28 in 2009), the Rock (27 in 2000), Yokozuna (26 in 1993) and Brock Lesnar (25 in 2003).
• Only one announced participant for the 2017 Royal Rumble is under age 30 (Bray Wyatt, 29).

• The most common age of a Royal Rumble winner is 36: Hulk Hogan (1990), Bret Hart (1994), Steve Austin (2001), Chris Benoit (2004), Batista (2005) and Edge (2010).
• Four of this year’s announced participants are 36: The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Randy Orton. Shinsuke Nakamura, who could be a surprise entrant, is also 36.

• Four Royal Rumble winners were born in May: the Rock, Chris Benoit, Alberto Del Rio and Roman Reigns. Del Rio and Reigns share the same birthday (May 25) eight years apart.
• Four Royal Rumble winners were also born in July: Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Brock Lesnar.
• No Royal Rumble winners have ever been born in September or November.

• Sasha Banks was born one week after Ric Flair won the 1992 Royal Rumble. Charlotte Flair was 5 when her father won that match.

• Alexa Bliss and Rich Swann were both born in 1991, the same year Hulk Hogan won his second Royal Rumble.

Royal Rumble by the Numbers

• 0. Number of wrestlers from the original 1988 Royal Rumble who entered in 2016 or have been announced for 2017.

• 2. The number of Royal Rumble match appearances for the Ultimate Warrior (1988 and 1990).

• 2. Number of men who have entered number 30 more than once: Big Show twice, Undertaker three times.

• 7. Number of men who have entered number 1 twice: Bret Hart, C.M. Punk, Dolph Ziggler, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, The Miz and Triple H.

• 7. Number of men who have entered number 1 and number 30: Crush, Dolph Ziggler, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Rikishi, Ted Dibiase and the Undertaker.

• 7. Number of father-son families who have entered the Royal Rumble Match: Curt Hennig/Curtis Axel, Dusty Rhodes/Goldust/Cody Rhodes, Fauty/Jimmy & Jey Uso, Carlos Colon/Carlito/Primo, Jerry Lawler/Grand Master Sexay, Ted Dibiase/Ted Dibiase Jr. and IRS/Bray Wyatt.

• 8. Consecutive Royal Rumble matches for Dolph Ziggler (2009-2016).

• 12. Consecutive Royal Rumble matches for Kane (1999-2010).

• 14. Different number of spots from which Kane has entered the Royal Rumble: 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 (twice), 18, 20, 22, 23 (twice), 24 (twice), 27 (twice), 28 (twice), 40.

• 14. Number of spots from which no wrestler has ever won the Royal Rumble: 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21 and 26.

• 19. The number of Royal Rumble entries without a win for Kane.

• 24. Number of years between Hacksaw Duggan’s first (1988) and most recent (2012) Royal Rumbles.

• 28. The number of entry for Batista when he won both the 2005 and 2014 Royal Rumbles. He also entered 28 in 2003.