Royal Rumble 2005 Dumbest Ass Award: Rey Mysterio

The Royal Rumble match is a 30 man over the top rope battle royal, and it's every man for himself. That invites strategy. It's a tactical war as much as a test of physical strength and endurance. Too often, wrestlers either forget this fact or ignore it completely. They do so by engaging in such ridiculously dumb behavior like outright stopping eliminations from occurring. There are exceptions, of course, like tag teams or factions attempting to work together to give themselves the best chance to win but generally, it's a really stupid idea to stop an elimination.

In each Royal Rumble, there are always wrestlers who stop multiple eliminations. In some cases, a wrestler will stop an elimination that has a monumental effect on the match and is detrimental to his chances of winning in a way he ultimately cannot overcome. I like to refer to such a wrestler as the "Dumbest Ass." Special considerations made for other stupidity.

Here, we'll hand out the award for "Dumbest Ass" in each of the Royal Rumble matches that have taken place so far.

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2005

They screwed up the finish but there wasn't much idiocy here.

Dumbasses

Hardcore Holly

1. Easily could have thrown Daniel Puder out multiple times and chose not to just to keep beating on him. He did toss him eventually but was eliminated by Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero immediately after. Really, the whole of Puder's appearance in this match is uncomfortable to watch. Hazing is dumb as hell.

Chris Benoit

1. He throws Eddie Guerrero over the top rope, watches Eddie save himself, then just walks off.

Rey Mysterio

1. Shelton Benjamin was trying to toss Edge when Mysterio ran across the ring and took a dive at Shelton's legs. That's weird.
2. Like 10 seconds later, Chris Benoit has Eddie Guerrero up for a suplex and he's about to send him out in the process when Rey drills Benoit in the stomach with a headbutt. What in the world are you doing, Rey?!?

Booker T

1. Celebrated a couple eliminations by doing the Spinaroonie in a ring crowded with people. Naturally, Rey Mysterio kicked him in the back and Eddie Guerrero held the top rope down to eliminate him. You dummy.

Simon Dean

1. This dipshit got in the ring and started working his gimmick doing squats. He never paid any attention to anyone in the ring and was immediately eliminated by Shawn Michaels.

Rene Dupree

1. For the second straight year, this idiot completed a basic task, celebrated by dancing, and was eliminated for it.

Ric Flair

1. Christian has John Cena up on the top rope and is working on getting him out when Flair, fresh in the match, walks over and kicks him.

The Dumbest Ass

Rey Mysterio

This Royal Rumble didn't feature a ton of stupidity and Mysterio wins Dumbest Ass simply for making two mistakes, both of which were as strange as they were stupid and both came one right after the other. Also, he saved the guy who ultimately eliminated him. That's enough to do it.

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Previous "Dumbest Ass" award winners:

1989: Bad News Brown
1990: Ultimate Warrior
1991: British Bulldog
1992: Hulk Hogan
1993: Randy Savage
1994: Lex Luger
1995: Lex Luger
1996: Diesel
1997: Mil Mascaras
1998: Disciples of Apocalypse
1999: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2000: Big Show
2001: The Rock
2002: Undertaker
2003: Undertaker
2004: Big Show