Theoretically, the road to WrestleMania is like an election year. The Royal Rumble usually has 30 people in it, which narrows down to 4 and then finally two. Only one of them can go on to the main event.
One thing I've learned from years of working in WWE is that the road to WrestleMania always starts at the Royal Rumble. That's why it's so important to win the Rumble: because it's your chance to secure a championship match at WWE's biggest event of the year - WrestleMania.
This is the deal: You win the Royal Rumble match, you go to main event WrestleMania. That's the process.
The thing I do remember the most of Wrestlemania, which was a high point for me, was Wrestlemania 1. The fact we made it over the fence. Then Wrestlemania 3. Bobby Heenan and myself coming back for Wrestlemania 17 and the gimmick battle royal. So many highlights, couldn't possibly cover them all.
Westlemania is the Superbowl but each PPV is equally important. The big four (WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and Survivor Series) are always important to me but the themed events have been getting better each year. Each event has its own aura around it so it's very difficult to choose.
We dreamt of that as kids growing up. Like, main eventing, being world champion, walking down that aisle at WrestleMania as the last match, as the main event, as the headliner.
It goes - for me - WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, Summerslam. The big three.
Wrestlemania is big, and I'm glad that I got to go on a real interesting 21-year ride on the road to and out of Wrestlemania.
One of the reasons to come to the WWE was to wrestle at 'WrestleMania,' but to main-event 'WrestleMania?' Wow! I live for this.
I came to WWE to be on 'WrestleMania' and to be in a 'WrestleMania' main event.
The Royal Rumble is very difficult because, obviously, there are 30 people, and there are many superstars in it.
'Wrestlemania 34' was a great moment, winning that Andre the Giant Battle Royal, and I got to bring my creation - the Ultimate Deletion - to 'Raw' in the main event slot. Lot of cool stuff I've got to do.
My favorite WrestleMania moment would actually be the first WrestleMania I ever went to, and that was at WrestleMania 30 in New Orleans. I've been a fan forever but have never been able to go to an actual WrestleMania until I started working with the company.
If you're a wrestler in the WWE, then your goal is to be the headliner, main event of WrestleMania.
There are so many things I'm so proud of: if we're talking just in-ring stuff, participating in the first-ever women's royal rumble. I was so grateful to be a part of history. I never thought there would be an all-women's royal rumble.
I get a lot of comparisons to Daniel Bryan, and trust me, I am flattered by all of them because we mentioned New Orleans and WrestleMania; I watched it at home and watched Daniel Bryan in the main event of WrestleMania achieve his dreams.
I know Vince made the call for Roman Reigns to win the Royal Rumble and be the guy. We know that much. I don't know what knucklehead didn't say to Vince that maybe we shouldn't put Daniel Bryan in the Royal Rumble.