WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Power Ranking Every Card in PPV's History

Roman Reigns has promised to outdo himself at WWE Royal Rumble 2015. The question is can he outdo what John Cena, Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels did in previous editions of the pay-per-view?

The 28th edition of the event is drawing near. It's at this point in the year that fans' minds wander into the past to when Michaels won after entering first and when Austin raised his hands after the massive match for the third time.

The Royal Rumble has been the home of hardcore classics and technical masterworks. High drama and career-changing moments have been the norm.

Based on the quality of the Rumble match and the bouts that made up the undercard, the following is a look at which of the pay-per-views delivered most. Big moments and star power help shows move up the ranks as well. 

27. 1996

Royal Rumble Winner: Shawn Michaels

Standout Undercard Matches: None

It's hard to find a highlight here. From the opening bout (Ahmed Johnson vs. Jeff Jarrett in a stinker) to Undertaker and Bret Hart's plodding title match, there is nothing that is worth rewatching.

Diesel's middle finger to Undertaker to cap off that clash felt like it was a gesture from WWE intended for the fans.

One of the least star-filled Rumbles showcased how little depth the company had at the time. Doug Gilbert, Aldo Montoya and The Squat Team all got spots in the match.

The other matches weren't as bad as some of the stuff fans saw at the 1989 and 1990 events, but those pay-per-views had more high points. Those were flawed shows with at least one element worth celebrating. The 1996 event was consistently tepid. 

26. 1989

Royal Rumble Winner: Big John Studd

Standout Undercard Matches: None

The Battle Royal itself entertained, especially in the early going. As a whole, though, the pay-per-view disappointed.

Rather than have Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude go to battle, WWE opted to have the two rivals compete in a pose-off. Why that wasn't saved for the buildup is hard to understand.

Haku vs. Harley Race was forgettable. Rockin' Robin's win over Judy Martin was slightly less so.

With no help from the undercard, this pay-per-view was solely dependent on the event's titular match. It featured a number of fun moments, including Mr. Perfect and Shawn Michaels selling the hell out of every move they got hit with and Randy Savage losing his mind after Hulk Hogan tossed him.

The bout slogs toward the end, though. WWE had yet to figure out how to harness the Rumble's potential.

25. 1988

Royal Rumble Winner: Jim Duggan

Standout Undercard Matches: The Jumping Bomb Angels vs. The Glamour Girls

Structural flaws hurt WWE's first attempt at the Royal Rumble.

Rather than end with the titular Battle Royal, the company opted to have The Young Stallions vs. The Islanders cap off the night. While a solid effort, it was by no means a main event.

After the opener, Dino Bravo attempted to break a weightlifting record. That segment wasn't worthy of a show of this magnitude.

WWE didn't know how to best harness thrills out of the Rumble match at this point either. Still, it was a solid match powered by novelty and emerging stars like Bret Hart and Ultimate Warrior.

The high point came courtesy of the women's tag match. Theirs was the most engaging, energetic bout of the night. 

24. 1997

Royal Rumble Winner: Steve Austin

Standout Undercard Matches: None

The 1997 Royal Rumble will be remembered for being a key part of Austin's arrival to the top tier. It was a good Rumble match despite a lot of filler wrestlers taking up spots.

The event had nothing impressive before or after this.

Slow pacing in the middle and a lack of energy overall held back Shawn Michaels vs. Sycho Sid. Inviting luchadores from Mexico's AAA promotion was a bold move but didn't result in a good in-ring product.

Watching Austin outlast Vader, Diesel and others was more entertaining than anything from the lowest Rumbles on the list. More well-rounded cards surpass it, though.

23. 1990

Royal Rumble Winner: Hulk Hogan

Standout Undercard Matches: Ron Garvin vs. Greg Valentine (Submission)

When a solid Ron Garvin vs. Greg Valentine match is the undercard's best offering, you know it's not going to be an all-time great event.

Their Submission match beats out what the 1989 Rumble delivered before the main event. It was a physical, intense matchup. Years later, other undercard matches would blow it out of the water, though.

Before the 30-man Rumble kicked off, fans waded through a number of throwaway bouts. The Genius vs. Brutus Beefcake and Big Boss Man vs. Jim Duggan both had no place on a pay-per-view. They were filler TV matches at best.

It certainly didn't help that WWE decided to throw in a Brother Love segment as well.

The Royal Rumble itself was good, highlighted by a Hogan and Warrior standoff. It's a fun match to watch but not enough to make up for a letdown of an undercard.

22. 1994

Royal Rumble Winner: Bret Hart and Lex Luger (tie)

Standout Undercard Matches: The Quebecers vs. Bret Hart and Owen Hart

Like the 1989 and 1990 Royal Rumbles, the 1994 version had little to savor before the main event.

The undercard's highlight is a fun tag match where The Quebecers retained when Bret's leg gave out on him. Owen then attacked his brother, stomping on that injured leg and setting up a classic feud between brothers.

Tatanka vs. Bam Bam Bigelow and Razor Ramon vs. Irwin R. Schyster were both underwhelming bouts. The insane supernatural cheesiness that was Undertaker and Yokozuna's Casket match is what really dragged this down.

The Rumble itself was solid in spite of the anticlimactic draw.

The tag title clash pushes this out of the cellar of the rankings. It doesn't have much else, however, to get it any higher.

21. 1993

Royal Rumble Winner: Yokozuna

Standout Undercard Matches: Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon, Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty

Had the Battle Royal ended in less ridiculous fashion, it would be remembered far more fondly. Randy Savage went for a pin in a match that you can't win with a pin, leading to a kickout by Yokozuna sending him over the top ropes. The match was low on star power as well.

It's the bouts leading up that point that saved this show.

Michaels and Jannetty had great chemistry, and their feud was sizzling at this point. They had the clear best match of the night, a captivating clash of former partners. Ramon and Hart added depth to the show.

There's no true classic among those offerings, though, so it can't compete with the best we've seen from the Rumble. 

20. 2006

Royal Rumble Winner: Rey Mysterio 

Standout Undercard Matches: Six-Way Cruiserweight match

Mysterio's heroics in a match he dedicated to the late Eddie Guerrero remain one of the most powerful performances in Royal Rumble history. 

There's little beyond that to prop this show up. Greg Helms' win in a fun opening cruiserweight is the lone highlight on an undercard that dragged. Kurt Angle vs. Mark Henry is one of the most boring matches the event has ever produced, and it went on last, draining the energy out of the night.

A strong Rumble featuring Shawn Michaels, Bobby Lashely, Triple H and Ric Flair pushes this past the worst events in the pay-per-view's history. A lack of depth outside of it keeps it low on the rankings, though.

19. 1999

Royal Rumble Winner: Vince McMahon

Standout Undercard Matches: The Rock vs. Mankind (I Quit)

The fans who thought Batista winning the Royal Rumble was a poor choice need to rewatch Royal Rumble 1999. A 54-year-old non-wrestler won. 

That frustrating decision is one of many elements that hurt the Rumble match. It leaned too much on the McMahon and Steve Austin feud, for one. Too many low-level wrestlers, from Gillberg to Golga, fought in that bout as well.

It's the classic that The Rock and Mankind put on that saves this show.

Ken Shamrock vs. Billy Gunn and Big Boss Man vs. Road Dogg had little life. Then two bitter rivals took turns thrashing each other in a brutal match. Their intensity merged with dangerous spots to make for one of the event's best clashes ever.

Had anyone else stepped up that night, including the folks who booked the Rumble itself, this would be far higher on the list.

18. 2012

Royal Rumble Winner: Sheamus

Standout Undercard Matches: CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler

Kharma became the third woman ever to step foot in a Rumble match. Mick Foley and Santino Marella had a battle of sock puppets. Kofi Kingston walked on his hands to stave off elimination.

The main event had big, fun moments aplenty. It's one of the best in event history, highlighted by a slight upset win for Sheamus.

The rest of the undercard was more consistent than those we saw in 1999 or 2006. Punk and Ziggler put on an excellent match earlier in the night. That bout, however, doesn't compare with the classics we have seen at the pay-per-view over the years.

17. 1998

Royal Rumble Winner: Steve Austin

Standout Undercard Matches: Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker (Casket)

Much like the 2012 Royal Rumble, the one that featured Austin's second win, this was solid from open to close.

A fun energy permeated The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock. Michaels and Undertaker's great chemistry was on display in their match. Even the random little person six-man tag was entertaining.

There isn't a classic among that bunch, however.

As for the 30-man match, it was a middle-of-the-road affair. The Nation of Domination briefly taking over and Austin's action-heroesque moments elevated the bout, but it dragged in other spots.  

16. 2009

Royal Rumble Winner: Randy Orton

Standout Undercard Matches: Edge vs. Jeff Hardy (No Disqualification) 

2009's Royal Rumble's highs aren't as high as other editions of the event, but it did well to stay away from lows.

The undercard ranged from solid to excellent. Jack Swagger vs. Matt Hardy fell into the former category. Edge vs. Jeff Hardy belongs in the latter one.

As for the night's showcase matchup, it didn't have enough highlights to compete with the best the bout has had to offer over the years. Legacy dominated the main storyline of the match, and that narrative didn't have enough fire to elevate the match.

At times, the ring was too crowded. At others, there wasn't enough chemistry between rivals.

It was an average clash to end a mostly average show. The Rumbles ranked above it had more home runs and less of the singles that this night hit.

15. 2011

Royal Rumble Winner: Alberto Del Rio

Standout Undercard Matches: Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler, The Miz vs. Randy Orton

Save for an underwhelming Divas match that crowned Eve Torres champion, the 2011 Royal Rumble locked in fans' attention throughout the show.

The card featured two high-quality undercard bouts for the company's two top titles. Neither of them is on the Triple H vs. Mick Foley or Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle level, but both added depth and did well to build toward the first-ever 40-man Rumble.

That bout ended up being good but not great.

The Nexus' takeover of the match, John Morrison's Spider-Man impression and Kevin Nash's surprise appearance were its biggest highlights. That's plenty to get past the more uneventful Rumbles on this list, while the undercard is hearty enough to surpass the dud-heavy shows already discussed.

14. 1991

Royal Rumble Winner: Hulk Hogan

Standout Undercard Matches: The Rockers vs. The Orient Express, Sgt. Slaughter vs. Ultimate Warrior

A pair of strong undercard matches 2011's pre-Rumble offerings. The tag team opener—The Rockers vs. The Orient Express—delivered high drama and some electric bursts of offense. Slaughter and Warrior followed that up with a surprising title change.

Ted DiBiase and Virgil taking on Dusty and Dustin Rhodes filled out the card nicely.

The main event didn't succeed as much the undercard, though. Its pacing was off. There were far too many slow spots.

The lack of surprise with who was going to win this hurts it as well.

The Rockers, Slaughter and Company had this looking like it was going to be a tremendous show. While it remains a fun one overall, the letdown of a Rumble keeps it from passing shows with superior Battle Royals, i.e. the 2010 event.

13. 2010

Royal Rumble Winner: Edge

Standout Undercard Matches: The Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio 

Watching an obsessed man's heartbreak made for one of the best Royal Rumbles ever. Shawn Michaels' quest to face The Undertaker ended with his elimination, shock freezing his face afterward.

That subplot along with Edge's triumphant return to action aided the main event in a big way. It's one of the most star-studded versions of the bout as well. Triple H, Batista, Chris Jericho and Kane all stepped into the fray.

A good Undertaker vs. Mysterio match is the save highlight from the undercard, though.

Sheamus and Randy Orton didn't click in their collision. Mickie James won the Women's Championship in just 20 seconds.

Cards with more depth top this one here. While the 2010 Rumble didn't have the event-damaging flops that other shows did, it doesn't have a classic on its undercard or a wealth of really good bouts.

12. 2014

Royal Rumble Winner: Batista 

Standout Undercard Matches: Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan

The latest Royal Rumble is a hard one to grade, as many of the positives require asterisks. 

Big Show and Brock Lesnar's violent collision was attention-grabbing. It wasn't an actual match, though. Lesnar's pre-bout attack led to this being more of an angle, a display of Lesnar's destructive power.

The Rumble match featured Roman Reigns going on a historic tear, CM Punk surviving for nearly an hour and Rusev's debut. That's not what anyone was talking about afterward, though.

WWE's decision to have the returning Batista win over the red-hot Bryan created a firestorm of negativity both in the arena and online. 

Batista was set to face Randy Orton for the world title at WrestleMania. That stomach-punch of a realization overshadowed some of the great performances fans saw that night.

Add an instant classic in Wyatt vs. Bryan, and where to rank this gets even more complicated. In terms of in-ring action, there was plenty to love, and this event deserves to be even higher on the list with that in mind. It's the sour taste the booking left that slides it down closer to the middle of the pack.

11. 2004

Royal Rumble Winner: Chris Benoit

Standout Undercard Matches: Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (Last Man Standing), Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero

Victories like Benoit's are a big part of what makes the Royal Rumble so great. He put on a captivating performance as the match's Iron Man. Seeing the often-underappreciated, hardworking star finally get this opportunity was nearly as moving as his eventual win at WrestleMania.

A pair of strong undercard matchups came before that main event.

Triple H and Michaels beat each other until blood soaked the canvas. The two Guerreros preceded that with a good grudge match.

The night didn't feature much else worthy of applause. Both the opening Tables match between Evolution and The Dudley Boyz and Rey Mysterio's win over Jamie Noble hold this event back. The best Royal Rumbles had less of these kinds of duds.

10. 2013

Royal Rumble Winner: John Cena

Standout Undercard Matches: CM Punk vs. The Rock

If you were rooting for Punk and against Cena, you didn't end the night happy, but there's no denying the quality of the ring work from Royal Rumble 2013.

Alberto Del Rio and Big Show's Last Man Standing match, Team Hell No's win over Team Rhodes Scholars and Cesaro beating The Miz all contributed to a solid undercard. The Rock and Punk topped those efforts with a mix of mat wrestling and in-ring drama.

While not a true classic, it's plenty good enough to push this event this high on the list. The Rumble match delivered as well.

Its highlights included Chris Jericho's surprise return, Kofi Kingston hopping on a chair to get back into the ring and Dolph Ziggler making it nearly an hour before getting eliminated.

Combine the quality of that match with the lack of duds elsewhere on the card, and 2013 slides into the top 10.

9. 2000

Royal Rumble Winner: The Rock

Standout Undercard Matches: Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (Street Fight), The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz (Tables)

While the Battle Royal was not quite as fun as the 2013 Royal Rumble, its high-quality offerings outside of that earn it a higher ranking.

The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz had the kind of exciting, stunt-centric bout fans would eventually know them for. Tazz's debut was a memorable moment. The true centerpiece of the night, though, came from Cactus and Triple H.

Their barbaric Street Fight remains one of the best matches in Rumble history. It's enough to balance out the swimsuit contest and the letdown of a tag title match. It's not enough, however, to move past the 2003 edition of the pay-per-view.

8. 2007

Royal Rumble Winner: Undertaker

Standout Undercard Matches: John Cena vs. Umaga (Last Man Standing), The Hardys vs. MNM

Cena and Umaga's power struggle is right up there with the best the Royal Rumble has had to offer. Intensity fueled this hero vs. monster battle. 

The undercard also featured a strong opener from the tag team division. It's a well put together match that with a little more crispness here and there would have had it compare with The Rocker vs. The Orient Express.

Mr. Kennedy vs. Batista was better than expected, utilizing psychology well.

A good-not-great Rumble match holds this back some. It dragged in spots and didn't pick up until nearly the end.

7. 2003

Royal Rumble Winner: Brock Lesnar

Standout Undercard Matches: Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit 

Angle and Benoit put on a masterwork that night. Their always-dependable chemistry had them clicking together in a contest heavy on mat wrestling. That classic alone earns this Royal Rumble a high spot.

Elsewhere on the card, William Regal and Lance Storm teamed up against The Dudley Boyz in a good match. Lesnar overcame Big Show in a physical affair that garnered him entry into the Rumble match.

He won a star-filled bout, announcing his arrival to WWE's main event.

That outstanding match featured a frenetic pace early on and Tommy Dreamer going on a weapon-swinging spree. The competition on the list starts to stiffen at this point. 

6. 2002

Royal Rumble Winner: Triple H 

Standout Undercard Matches: The Rock vs. Chris Jericho 

A better undercard would have shot this toward the top of the list. One of the more multilayered and exciting Rumbles in history saw Maven shock The Undertaker and Mr. Perfect make a crowd-pleasing appearance.

With names like Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin and Booker T, it's one of the deepest fields the Rumble has seen.

All that being said, there wasn't enough to the show other than this match. Rock vs. Jericho was good, but it felt like it could have been a classic with a better ending and more cohesive storytelling.

Aside from that, the event featured subpar outings from Ric Flair and Vince McMahon as well as The Dudley Boyz, who went up against Spike Dudley and Tazz. 

5. 2005

Royal Rumble Winner: Batista

Standout Undercard Matches: Edge vs. Shawn Michaels, Triple H vs. Randy Orton

Batista's big moment followed a Rumble match on par with the one from 2002. This pay-per-view, though, outclassed it with its undercard.

Edge vs. Michaels served as a launchpad for The Rated R Superstar. The stars didn't click as well as they have with other foes but put on a good show. Triple H and Orton later delivered a dramatic match that with a bit less shenanigans at the end could have been even better.

The Rumble saw electric interactions between enemies, including John Cena and Batista. It was one of the more realistic versions of the match and one that compelled throughout.

The 2005 event is pushed out of the top four despite all that thanks to even better undercards and, in one case, the best Rumble ever.

4. 1992

Royal Rumble Winner: Ric Flair 

Standout Undercard Matches: The Orient Express vs. The New Foundation 

This is a one-note song, but it's a tremendous note.

The Battle Royal is the heart of this event. Ric Flair outlasted Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts and The Undertaker to become the WWE champ in the only Rumble to crown a champion. Those high stakes elevate this match, as does Flair's famous "with a tear in my eye" promo that he delivered afterward. 

A junk-filled undercard undercuts all that greatness, though.

The Legion of Doom vs. The Natural Disasters had no life to it. The Bushwhackers vs. The Beverly Brothers is the kind of embarrassing performance all men involved would likely pay great money to be erased from history.

Roddy Piper's Intercontinental Championship win lacked the emotional power it should have had.

The solid tag team opener keeps this from sliding down the rankings. The event, though, doesn't have the depth that the best three Rumbles had.

3. 1995

Royal Rumble Winner: Shawn Michaels

Standout Undercard Matches: Bret Hart vs. Diesel, Jeff Jarrett vs. Razor Ramon, Tatanka and Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Bob Holly and The 1-2-3 Kid

On paper, the card doesn't look all that impressive. It's not as if Holly and Jarrett have a classics-rich resume. The undercard, however, was mighty entertaining.

Ramon and Jarrett worked really well together, and this was one of their best efforts. The tag team match was a clinic for how to use tropes of the genre to great effect. Diesel and Hart then came in and tore the house down with a beautifully told story.

While too rushed at times, the Battle Royal was engaging.

Michaels' surviving the entire bout built tension. British Bulldog's near-win was a heartbreaking moment that added to the show.

A better Rumble has the 2008 edition pass this one by. A better undercard does the same for the 2001 event.

2. 2008

Royal Rumble Winner: John Cena

Standout Undercard Matches: Edge vs. Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy

The Battle Royal began mirroring the end of the previous year's match. Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were the last two men standing in 2007 and entered as the first two here. That was a poetic touch to a bout filled with big moments.

Mick Foley collided with Triple H some eight years after their classic Royal Rumble encounter. Batista went on a tear. And eventually, Cena made a surprise return from injury that ranks as one of the best things we've seen at a Rumble.

Add two really good outings in Edge against Mysterio and Orton against Hardy. Throw in Ric Flair keeping his career alive against MVP.

That's the formula WWE followed for one of the most well-rounded and entertaining versions of the Rumble pay-per-view.

1. 2001

Royal Rumble Winner: Steve Austin

Standout Undercard Matches: Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit (Ladder), Triple H vs. Kurt Angle 

Benoit and Jericho poured their heart out into one of the better Ladder matches ever. It was a frenetic, hard-hitting battle that brought their rivalry to a conclusion.

In addition to that classic, the Royal Rumble 2001 also boasted an excellent title bout featuring Angle and Triple H. On top of that, the card pitted Edge and Christian against The Dudley Boyz in a fun contest.

The night ended with Austin's third Rumble win.

Drew Carey made an amusing cameo. Kane broke the record for most eliminations in Rumble history. Steve Blackmen splintered a number of Kendo sticks on some unlucky folks.

There have been better Rumble matches, but this high-quality one merged with a strong undercard and minimal low points to be the event's best.

There are no swimsuit contests or weightlifting displays here, only Austin stomping a mud hole and Benoit and Jericho creating magic.