30 Greatest Matches at Royal Rumble

Evan “The Boss” Cross ranked every Royal Rumble a couple years ago, so thankfully, I don’t have to watch years of Kwang getting chucked out. But with this year’s strong undercard of Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and AJ Styles vs. John Cena, I wondered how many great matches have been overlooked due to the anticipation surrounding the marquee bout.

All that wondering has led to the 30 greatest matches to take place at the Rumble:

30. Team Hell No vs. Rhodes Scholars, 2013

After graduating from anger management class the week prior, Kane and Daniel Bryan showcased their newfound unity against Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow. The challengers were hungry, but no match for the Chokeslam/No Lock combo from the champions.

29. Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon, 1993

Only eight months since arriving onto the scene, Razor Ramon received a WWF Championship match against Bret Hart. It was a battle of the charismatic, cocky newcomer challenging the fighting champion, who had been taking on all comers since winning the gold in September. The Bad Guy’s momentum came to a screeching halt as The Hitman wrapped him up in the Sharpshooter.

28. Jeff Jarrett vs. Razor Ramon, 1995

Embracing his Memphis roots, Double J played cat and mouse with the Intercontinental Champion, avoiding getting too close to The Bad Guy. Ramon finally got a hold of him, and then Jarrett took control. As Ramon tweaked his knee on the outside, Roadie chop blocked the champion, causing a count out. But fear not, the match restarts after Jarrett teases Ramon for being a chicken, and the Bay Guy oozes too much machismo to walk away from that. Jarrett attacks the knee and Ramon fights back, attempting a Razor’s Edge, but his knee blows out on him and Jarrett makes the pin.

27. Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy, 2008

The Charismatic Enigma was riding a wave of momentum not seen since John Cena circa 2004 as he challenged Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. Despite Hardy’s breathtaking suicidal offense, the match felt flat due to an abrupt ending: Hardy went for Twist of Fate, but spun into an RKO outta nowhere.

26. CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler, 2012

A perfect example of storyline shenanigans hindering in-ring work: Punk and Ziggler faced off in an entertaining seesaw battle until the referee was knocked down and Big Johnny, deemed the outside enforcer, refused to count after Punk had the match won three times.

25. Ric Flair vs. Vince McMahon, 2002

Even though both men were north of 50 years old, I had a hard time believing Mr. McMahon could whip Ric Flair’s ass so much. Yes, McMahon went low and for the eyes to gain the advantage, and then used numerous weapons to bust open the Nature Boy, but by Gawd, it’s RIC FLAIR! So the 16-time world champion fires back, giving Vinnie Mac a smorgasbord of his own medicine in front of the Flair clan in the front row. Woooooo!

24. Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter, 1991

From a technical standpoint, you’re probably surprised that this match made the list. But for pure entertainment purposes, Iraqi-sympathizing Sgt. Slaughter shocking the world by winning the WWF Championship from Ultimate Warrior is as fun as pro wrestling gets. After Warrior declined Queen Sherri’s sexual advances in exchange for a title shot for the Macho King, Randy Savage plotted to rid the tasseled maniac of the title, and his scheme worked much to the chagrin of the patriotic crowd.

23. Marty Jannetty vs. Shawn Michaels, 1993

Michaels has claimed that Jannetty was drunk during this match, but you would never know by watching. The ex-partners tore down the house over the Intercontinental Championship. Unfortunately, the ending taints the match as Sensational Sherri tried to hit HBK with her shoe, but cracked Jannetty instead. Then Michaels yells at Sherri for a minute or two, before superkicking Jannetty for the win.

22. Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz, 2001

The Tag Team Champions worked over D-Von, double-teaming the concussed Dudley and refusing to make tags. Eventually, he made the hot tag to Bubba, who ran roughshod over the cheating Canadians. A “Wazzup” attempt by E&C was foiled, and a 3D signaled new champions.

21. Alberto Del Rio vs. Big Show, 2013

In one of the best Last Man Standing matches ever, Alberto Del Rio tried to chop down the mighty Big Show. It looked like we had a new World Heavyweight Champion after the giant chokeslammed Del Rio off a structure near the entrance through a table down below. But the Mexican Aristocrat remained resilient and eventually locked Big Show in a cross armbreaker while Ricardo Rodriguez duct taped the giant’s feet to the ropes.

20. The Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz, 2000

In the first tag team tables match in WWE history, Team Extreme and the ECW icons waged war inside a raucous MSG.

19. Jim Duggan & The Hart Foundation vs. Dino Bravo & The Rougeaus, 1989

A rare 2-out-of-3-falls 6-man tag team match, and it definitely delivered. The evil Canadians took the first fall, by shutting down Bret Hart. The Hitman eventually made the hot tag to Duggan, who scored the second fall. Then it was bonzo gonzo as Duggan used the 2×4 behind the ref’s back to give our heroes the victory.

18. The Rockers vs. Orient Express, 1991

Aside from the Jumping Bomb Angels’ matches a couple years prior, WWF audiences hadn’t seen action like this before. The Rockers adopted a lucha libre style while performing eye-popping tag team maneuvers as the Orient Express tried to ground out the high flyers to no avail.

17. Harts vs. Quebecers, 1994

Reunited after a family spat, Bret and Owen challenged the nefarious Quebecers for the Tag Team Championship. It was nonstop action until Johnny Polo yanked the rope, causing Bret to tumble to the floor and clutch his knee. As the Quebecers doubled team Bret, Owen pleaded for a tag. When Bret finally had his chance, he went for the Sharpshooter instead. That didn’t sit well with his baby brother, to say the least.

16. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, 1998

A decade before their epic WrestleMania encounter, the Heartbreak Kid and the Deadman battled in a casket match for the WWF Championship. Obviously their chemistry is phenomenal, even with Michaels playing chickenshit rather than resilient peer. It’s the post-match shenanigans that most fans remember as Kane chokeslams Undertaker into the casket, smashes it with an ax and sets it ablaze.

15. Edge vs. Jeff Hardy, 2009

After weeks of mysterious attacks, Jeff Hardy defended his newly won WWE Championship against old rival and suspected assailant Edge. Smackdown GM Vickie Guerrero made it a No DQ match to avoid Hardy releasing his frustration and getting himself disqualified. However, it ended up costing Hardy the title in a way that nobody saw coming.

14. Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio, 2010

Two of the most popular superstars ever and perennial Smackdown members finally faced off in a fantastic big man vs. little man bout which saw the Deadman busted open.

13. Mankind vs. The Rock, 1999

The match that made Beyond the Mat famous — The Rock bashed Mick Foley’s skull with chairshot after chairshot after chairshot in a sickening display of brutality that influenced today’s concussion-conscious society.

12. Edge vs. Rey Mysterio, 2008

New York City characteristically booed the beloved underdog and cheered the Rated-R Superstar in this World Heavyweight Championship bout. Edge targeted the surgically repaired knee of Mysterio, forcing the luchador to adjust his offense and hit several innovative moves.

11. Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler, 2011

In an act of spite, Vickie Guerrero banned her ex-lover’s spear for this title fight with new bae, Dolph Ziggler. Edge emptied his repertoire trying to put away the hungry challenger, but the referee was knocked down in the effort. As Kelly Kelly distracted Vickie, Edge speared Ziggler and followed up with the Killswitch, in a tribute to his lifelong amigo Christian.

10. CM Punk vs. The Rock, 2013

Perhaps the most anticipated bout in Rumble history, The Rock returned to end CM Punk’s historic 434 days as WWE Champion. Punk dominated the first half by attacking Rock’s injured abdomen, then the People’s Champ retaliated by targeting Punk’s tweaked knee. It looked to be over after The Shield interfered, but Mr. McMahon restarted the match.

9. Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens, 2016

The indy darlings went fast and furious in this Last Man Standing match for the Intercontinental Championship. Chairs, kendo sticks, and stacks of tables came into play as the Lunatic Fringe went all CZW on the Kevin Owens Show.

8. The Hardy Boyz vs. MNM, 2007

Mercury had suffered a gruesome facial injury the month prior at December to Dismember, so he vowed to exact revenge on the kings of the ladder match. This led to an excellent old-school tag team bout between four modern athletes with tremendous chemistry.

7. Umaga vs. John Cena, 2007

The WWE Champion entered the Last Man Standing match sporting tape around his ribs, stemming from a splash through a table by the Samoan Bulldozer earlier that week. They brawled to start off until Cena realized he had to go into savage mode and tossed the steel steps from the ring to Umaga on the outside. In one of the most unique and grisly endings in WWE history, Armando Estrada detached the top rope from the turnbuckle, prompting Umaga to use the metal bar for the Samoan Spike, but Cena trapped him in the STFU. Not getting enough out of the hold, Cena wrapped the rope around Umaga’s neck and choked the Samoan until he passed out.

6. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit, 2001

Best friends off-screen, but bitter rivals in the ring, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit unleashed Canadian fury on each other in this incredible ladder match. As Y2J mentioned in his autobiographies, it’s a shame the match has lost appreciation due to the events surrounding Benoit’s death.

5. The Rock vs. Chris Jericho, 2002

Two of the best trash talkers of the Attitude Era went toe-to-toe in this battle over the Undisputed Championship. Ever since debuting in the middle of The Rock’s promo in 1999, Chris Jericho had targeted The People’s Champ as his main adversary. Although he had won the title a month prior, this match cemented Y2J as a legitimate main eventer.

4. Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan, 2014

Easily Bray Wyatt’s best match, the Eater of Worlds sought retribution against the ex-family member in a highly physical, equally emotional battle.

3. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit, 2003

The Rabid Wolverine received a standing ovation after his unsuccessful attempt to win the WWE Championship, which indicates how amazing this technical masterpiece truly is. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit had wrestled numerous times before, but this is undoubtedly their finest hour.

2. Cactus Jack vs. Triple H, 2000

The Game was wanted dead or alive, but Cactus Jack clearly had his preference in this bloody Street Fight for the WWF Championship. Paying homage to the year prior, Triple H handcuffed Jack and blasted him with a steel chair. The Rock then made the save, evening the odds on HHH and sending a police officer to uncuff Jack. Hell hath no fury like a pissed off Mick Foley.

1. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins vs. John Cena, 2015

The unstoppable Conqueror defended his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against his unrelenting, arch nemesis John Cena and the smarmy, corporate pet Seth Rollins in front of a raucous Philly crowd. As mentioned on the Christmas edition of the Wrestledelphia podcast, this was Rollins’ coming-of-age moment as he kept up with two larger-than-life stars and added some breathtaking high-flying into a typical big man’s brawlfest. With Brock Lesnar incapacitated on the outside, it seemed like a fair way for the Beast to lose his title without being pinned.

But nobody keeps BROCK LESNAR down because he eats children and fists deer and pisses lava and brutalizes and victimizes and annihilates all that come before him.