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Stone Cold Steve Austin holds the record for the most Royal Rumble Match victories by one wrestler: three, in 1997, 1998 and 2001. His first two wins were consecutive; the third came three years later. In each match, he eliminated a different final opponent: Bret Hart, The Rock and Kane.
What Austin’s record means
WWE’s Royal Rumble statistics and all-time match profile identify three victories as the all-time record for a single wrestler. The total spans five years, not three consecutive Rumbles: Austin won in 1997 and 1998, then again in 2001.
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That distinction matters because consecutive victories are a separate achievement. Austin’s 1997 and 1998 wins were back-to-back, and WWE says three wrestlers have won consecutive Royal Rumble Matches. It describes Austin as the last to accomplish that feat, not the only one.
How Austin won each match
| Year and event date | What happened at the finish | Record significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 — January 19, 1997 | Austin won in his home state and was recorded as the last wrestler to eliminate Bret Hart. WWE’s 1997 event history | His first Royal Rumble Match victory. |
| 1998 — January 18, 1998 | Austin last eliminated The Rock. WWE’s 1998 event history | His second consecutive victory. |
| 2001 — January 21, 2001 | Austin last eliminated Kane. He entered the match at No. 27. WWE’s 2001 event history and match detail | His record-setting third victory. |
1997: Bret Hart was the last opponent
Austin’s first win came at the January 19 event in his home state. WWE’s event record names Bret Hart as the last wrestler Austin eliminated. The finish began the three-win run, but it was not yet a streak of consecutive victories.
#1 Best Overall
1998: a second straight win over The Rock
At the January 18, 1998 Royal Rumble, Austin repeated the result, this time last eliminating The Rock. That made him a consecutive winner for 1997–98 and gave him two victories overall.
2001: Kane was the final elimination
Austin’s third win came on January 21, 2001. He entered at No. 27 and last eliminated Kane. WWE’s 2001 event history calls it “The Texas Rattlesnake won his record third Royal Rumble Match.”
Rank #2
- 30 challengers one ring. The superstars of Raw and smack down! Collide in one of the most anticipated events the year. World heavy Heavyweight championship Match Triple H Vs. Randy Orton Triple threat WWE championship Match JBL Vs Kurt Angle Vs. Big show Royal Rumble Match 15 Raw and 15 Smack Down! Superstars Compete for a shot at Championship Giory at Wrestle Mania 21. Casket match under
Kane’s elimination total is reported in two ways across WWE’s pages. The statistics page describes 11 eliminations; the detailed match record breaks that down as 10 solo eliminations plus one assisted elimination with help from The Undertaker. The distinction explains why the match detail and headline statistic use different descriptions of the same run.
What followed the victories
WWE’s all-time Royal Rumble profile says that two of Austin’s three victories led to him capturing the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. The cited profile gives the count without specifying which two editions, so the supported point is the number: two.
Rank #3
- Vol. 2 From 1993-97, the Royal Rumble became a key event for Superstars, as well as the first step on the road to WrestleMania. Vol. 2 champions include Yokozuna, Bret Hart/Lex Lugar, Shawn Michaels (also a back-to-back winner) and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SPORTS/GAMES Rating: TV14 Age: 651191945771 UPC: 651191945771 Manufacturer
Sources and scope
The match outcomes, event dates and record descriptions here are from WWE’s official event histories, statistics and Austin biography, as available on October 8, 2026: Royal Rumble statistics, all-time Royal Rumble profile and Steve Austin biography.
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Rank #4
- The road to WrestleMania 24 begins at the Royal Rumble, where 30 men compete for a shot at WrestleMania s main event. Superstars from Raw, Smackdown, and ECW compete in one of the most popular events of the year. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SPORTS/GAMES Rating: NR Age: 651191946488 UPC: 651191946488 Manufacturer No: WWE94648
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