I was watching the classic 2001 Royal Rumble today and my disbelief that Billy Gunn made the Final Four led me to make this and compare who survived to the end each year. My personal favourite is 1999's last four.
1988 - Jim Duggan, One Man Gang, Dino Bravo and Don Muraco
1989 - Big John Studd, Ted DiBiase, Akeem and Rick Martel
1990 - Hulk Hogan, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude and Hercules
1991 - Hulk Hogan, Earthquake, Brian Knobbs and The British Bulldog
1992 - Ric Flair, Sid Justice, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage
1993 - Yokozuna, Randy Savage, Bob Backlund and Rick Martel
1994 - Bret Hart, Lex Luger, Shawn Michaels and Fatu
1995 - Shawn Michaels, The British Bulldog, Crush and Lex Luger
1996 - Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Kama and The British Bulldog
1997 - Steve Austin, Bret Hart, ?Diesel? and The Undertaker
1998 - Steve Austin, The Rock, Faarooq and Dude Love
1999 - Mr. McMahon, Steve Austin, The Big Bossman and D?Lo Brown
2000 - The Rock, The Big Show, Kane and X-Pac
2001 - Steve Austin, Kane, The Rock and Billy Gunn
2002 - Triple H, Kurt Angle, Mr. Perfect and Steve Austin
2003 - Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker, Kane and Batista
2004 - Chris Benoit, The Big Show, Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho
2005 - Batista, John Cena, Edge and Rey Mysterio
2006 - Rey Mysterio, Triple H, Randy Orton and Rob Van Dam
2007 - The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Edge and Randy Orton
2008 - John Cena, Triple H, Batista and Kane
2009 - Randy Orton, Triple H, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase
2010 - Edge, John Cena, Batista and Shawn Michaels
2011 - Alberto Del Rio, Santino Marella, Randy Orton and Wade Barrett
2012 - Sheamus, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton and The Big Show