Royal Rumble by (Entry) Numbers: 12

RVD is No. 12's Iron Man Photo Credit: WWE.com

Winners: None
Final four: None
Multiple draws: Nikolai Volkoff (1988, 1992); Kane (2004, 2010)
Longest: Rob Van Dam (2003), 33:56
Shortest: Timothy Well (1995): 0:23.
Most eliminations: Three — Undertaker (1991), Jesse James (1999)

Kane has twice entered a Royal Rumble at No. 12 (2004, 2010) and in four other Rumbles eliminated the 12th entrant. Big Show twice eliminated No. 12, as did Booker T, though Booker did it in back-to-back Rumbles.

And, well, that’s about it in terms of interesting information about the 12th entry position. It’s probably worth noting Rob van Dam lasted 33:56 in 2003, eliminating Jeff Hardy and, with Kane, A-Train. As noted earlier, that was the third time Kane dumped Albert. Triple H eliminated No. 12 Kane in 2010, the third time the Game ousted the Big Red Machine.

It took six men to eliminate Kurrgan from the 1998 Rumble, two shy of the eight men it took to eliminate Viscera in 2007 (it took seven to oust Viscera in 1994 when he went by Mabel). Two others were eliminated by six men — Rikishi in 2000 and Muhammad Hassan in 2005. And somehow it took WWF Champion Randy Savage and the Brain Busters to get rid of No. 12 Tito Santana in 1989.

Twelve men who entered at 12 made no eliminations. Ten lasted less than four minutes; another six couldn’t reach ten minutes. Of the ten who exceeded ten minutes in the ring, all but one logged at least one elimination. Mike Knox, who stayed in the 2009 Rumble for 32:42, eliminated no one — third on the list of longest ring time in one match with no eliminations and fifth on the list for total ring time with no eliminations. I have very few memories of Mike Knox, in case you were wondering.

Only two men have been in more Royal Rumbles — and only three have more career eliminations — than the Undertaker, who entered the first of his 10 Rumbles at No. 12 in 1991. Only a few short months into his WWF career, he was already firmly established as a supernatural freak who apparently felt no pain. In less than 15 minutes in the ring he eliminated Bushwhacker Butch, Kerry Von Erich and perennial rival Bret Hart. Only an unfortunate encounter with an ascendant Legion of Doom halted his run through the competition. Taker has never failed to record at least one elimination, cementing his reputation as one of the strongest Rumble competitors in history.

Chris Benoit was another Rumble stalwart. In fact, his 2006 turn at No. 12 was arguably his worst of four Rumbles, even though he lasted 30:31 and eliminated Booker T and Eugene. But that was his third-shortest appearance and the one with the least eliminations. His average of 39:20 remains the best in Rumble history for anyone who entered two or more Rumbles.

And though it’s been brought up already in this series, it’s time for a bit more piling on as it relates to Matt Bloom, who in 2013 entered No. 12 as Tensai. He lasted 5:37 and eliminated no one. That extended his lead on the list of most entries with no eliminations (he leads with six; three men are tied with four) and moved him two second place all time on the list of most total duration with no eliminations. He’ll need about 15:30 in the ring with no eliminations in 2014 to pass Finlay for first place.

If he comes in at 12 again and does last that long, however, the odds are he’ll make at least one elimination. To fail would further ensconce him among the likes of Mike Knox, and no one who’s as useful at the NXT commentary table deserves that fate.

The worst No. 12 is Timothy Well, who lasted all of 24 seconds in the 1995 Rumble. The worst No. 11 also came in the 1995 Rumble, which is one of many reasons I think that’s the worst Rumble of all time.

The 12th spot also has twice gone to novelty entrants — in 2001 to the Honky Tonk Man (who ranks with Knox and Matt Bloom in the historically ineffective metrics) and in 2012 to his cousin Jerry Lawler, notable because Lawler was doing ringside commentary when the timer hit zero and his music hit. Yet their combined times fell short of two minutes. The trend indicates if No. 12 in 2014 is a “legends” entry, except a quick dismissal.