Royal Rumble (2004)

Royal Rumble (2004) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event made by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on January 25, 2004, at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the 17th Royal Rumble event held by WWE.

Royal Rumble (2004)
Information
Promotion	World Wrestling Entertainment
Brand (s)	Raw SmackDown!
Date	January 25, 2004
Attendance	17,289[1][2]
Venue	Wachovia Center
City	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pay-per-view chronology
Armageddon (2003) Royal Rumble (2004) No Way Out (2004)
Royal Rumble chronology
Royal Rumble (2003) Royal Rumble (2004) Royal Rumble (2005)

Background

As is the case every year since the event's beginning, the event's main event was the 30-man over-the-top-rope battle royal, also known as the Royal Rumble match. The match started with two wrestlers and a new one was added every 90 seconds. To eliminate an opposing wrestler he must be thrown over the top rope and have both his two feet hit the floor, this continued until there was only one man left, who was named the winner. The winner received a world championship match at WrestleMania XX. Starting this year, he was allowed choose whether he wanted to face Raw's World Heavyweight Champion or SmackDown's WWE Champion.

Qualification matches

• John Cena and Chris Benoit defeated The Full Blooded Italians (Nunzio, Chuck Palumbo, and Johnny Stamboli) in a handicap match – SmackDown!, January 1^[3]
• Rico defeated Tommy Dreamer – Heat, January 18^[4]
• Matt Morgan defeated Orlando Jordan – Velocity, January 17^[5]
• Rikishi defeated Scotty 2 Hotty – SmackDown!, January 18^[6]
• The World's Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) defeated The Basham Brothers (Doug and Danny Basham) – SmackDown!, January 15^[6]
• Nunzio defeated Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli in a triple threat battle royal – SmackDown!, January 15^[6]
• Big Show defeated Funaki – SmackDown!, January 15^[6]
• Tajiri defeated Billy Kidman – SmackDown!, January 22^[7]
• A-Train defeated Shannon Moore – SmackDown!, January 22^[7]
• Bradshaw defeated Akio and Sakoda in a triple threat match – SmackDown!, January 22^[7]

Results

No.	Results[1]	Stipulations	Times[1]
1H	Victoria (with Steven Richards) defeated Molly Holly	Singles match	4:58
2	Evolution (Batista and Ric Flair) (c) defeated The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley)	Tables match for the World Tag Team Championship	4:22
3	Rey Mysterio (c) defeated Jamie Noble (with Nidia)	Singles match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship	3:12
4	Eddie Guerrero defeated Chavo Guerrero (with Chavo Guerrero Sr.)	Singles match	8:04
5	Brock Lesnar (c) defeated Hardcore Holly	Singles match for the WWE Championship	6:30
6	Triple H (c) vs. Shawn Michaels ended in a draw	Last Man Standing match for the World Heavyweight Championship	22:47
7	Chris Benoit won by last eliminating Big Show	30-man Royal Rumble match for a world championship match at WrestleMania XX	1:01:31
(c) – is the champion(s) going into the match H – This match aired before the pay-per-view on Sunday Night Heat

Royal Rumble entrances and eliminations

  – Raw

  – SmackDown!

  – Winner

Draw[8]	Entrant[8]	Brand	Order eliminated[9]	Eliminated by[9]	Time[9]	Eliminations
1	Chris Benoit	SmackDown!	—	Winner	1:01:31[a]	6
2	Randy Orton	Raw	19	Mick Foley	33:44	5
3	Mark Henry		3	Chris Benoit	05:14	1
4	Tajiri	SmackDown!	2	Rhyno and Mark Henry	03:39	0
5	Bradshaw		1	Chris Benoit	00:38	0
6	Rhyno		8		14:00	1
7	Matt Hardy	Raw	9	René Duprée	14:18	0
8	Scott Steiner		5	Booker T	06:49	0
9	Matt Morgan	SmackDown!	11	Chris Benoit	12:14	1
10	The Hurricane	Raw	4	Matt Morgan	00:19	0
11	Booker T		13	Randy Orton	09:11	2
12	Kane		6	Booker T	01:40	1
13	Spike Dudley[b]		7	Unable to compete	00:00	0
14	Rikishi	SmackDown!	12	Randy Orton	03:48	1
15	René Duprée	Raw	10	Rikishi	00:33	1
16	A-Train	SmackDown!	14	Chris Benoit	01:44	0
17	Shelton Benjamin		15	Randy Orton	00:37	0
18	Ernest Miller		16		00:56	0
19	Kurt Angle		28	Big Show	29:04	1
20	Rico	Raw	17	Randy Orton	01:06	0
21	Mick Foley[c]		18	Himself	00:43	2
22	Christian		20	Chris Jericho	07:39	0
23	Nunzio	SmackDown!	23	Goldberg	03:48	0
24	Big Show		29	Chris Benoit	22:38	4
25	Chris Jericho	Raw	27	Big Show	14:58	1
26	Charlie Haas	SmackDown!	21	Goldberg	06:53	0
27	Billy Gunn		22		05:37	0
28	John Cena		25	Big Show	07:37	0
29	Rob Van Dam	Raw	26	Big Show	06:44	0
30	Goldberg		24	Kurt Angle	02:04	3

1. Benoit broke the record for the longest time spent in a Royal Rumble match, which was previously held by Bob Backlund (1:01:10) in 1993. This record was broken by Rey Mysterio (1:02:15) in 2006.
2. Dudley was attacked by Kane before he made it to the ring, and therefore was unable to compete and never officially entered the match.
3. Foley replaced Test, who was found unconscious.