WWE Royal Rumble 2015: Greatest Title Matches in PPV's History

The Royal Rumble marks the official start of the Road to Wrestlemania, with its main event deciding who goes on to fight for the gold at the biggest show of the year.

However, a pay-per-view doesn't earn a spot as one of WWE's best loved traditions without offering more than just one compelling match a year. The undercard of the Royal Rumble has historically been home to some gripping title matches.

It's always seemed that anyone not taking part in the Rumble match itself has a point to prove—and that's proved very beneficial to the quality of matches over the years. Here is the best that the Rumble has had to offer over the past 26 years—and the perfect selection of matches to watch as you anticipate Royal Rumble 2015.

12. Dolph Ziggler vs. Edge at Royal Rumble 2011

Credit: WWE.com

Dolph Ziggler seems to have been nipping at the heels of the main event for decades now, but this match with Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship was one of the first opportunities that the Showoff received to demonstrate that he was ready for this level of competition.

Of course, it's clear that Ziggler has come a long way since this match. He's a far more confident performer today, but even here you can clearly see there's a lot of potential: arguably something that's only been capitalized on this year.

This bout also serves as a reminder of just how good Edge was right up until his retirement. The Rated-R Superstar never really gets the credit he deserves for the unique attributes and signature style that he brought to the main event picture.

11. Dolph Ziggler vs. CM Punk at Royal Rumble 2012

Credit: WWE.com

If Dolph Ziggler's match with Edge was a demonstration of his potential, then this WWE Championship bout against CM Punk a year later is evidence of how much twelve months' worth of experience can benefit a wrestler.

Punk makes for excellent competition, undoubtedly, but there's a confidence and a verve to Ziggler's showing that speaks to the ongoing refinement and nurturing of his talent. That's something that can still be seen in the Showoff's work today, and it's a big contributor to his ongoing success.

A match between these two was always going to yield great results. Despite the fact that it was something of a throwaway defence to start Punk's reign as champion the right way, it was a hugely satisfying encounter between two of the premier talents in the last decade of pro wrestling.

10. Marty Jannetty vs. Shawn Michaels at Royal Rumble 1993

Credit: WWE.com

Despite a steady start, this one builds to something of a fever pitch before all is said and done—and it provides the prototype for Shawn Michaels career-long habit of turning on his partners.

Michaels is on the verge of becoming the Heartbreak Kid we all know and love here, but he's not quite there yet. However, he's already got the chops in the ring, and his opponent Marty Jannetty certainly carries his end of the bargain.

Today, it's rare that a show goes by without a suicide dive, but seeing it in this match is quite different. It demonstrates the sort of cutting-edge techniques talent they were experimenting with to try and differentiate themselves from everyone else on the roster. Despite business not booming, it was an exciting time in terms of talent.

There are plenty of parallels with today to be seen in this match, but with the benefit of hindsight we know that one of its competitors ended up going further than the other. Nevertheless, this bout is evidence that both of The Rockers could make it count between the ropes.

9. John Cena vs. Umaga at Royal Rumble 2007

There haven't been too many times in John Cena's career where the odds have actually seemed stacked against him, but his WWE Championship match against Umaga at the 2007 Royal Rumble certainly qualifies.

We've seen Cena compete in several Last Man Standing matches since, but few have made as much of the stipulation as this one does. By the end, Umaga looks like a real monster, and there can be no question of Cena's tenacity in managing to overcome him.

Despite the finish being a little ropey, this is definitely one of the best matches of Cena's career. It's a shame that the focussed Cena we see in this match is only reserved for special occasions.

8. Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon at Royal Rumble 1993

Credit: WWE.com

Here's a meeting of two stars in their prime, who mesh together well to produce a very entertaining match. Razor Ramon provides an excellent foil to Bret Hart—he's large enough to be imposing while still being spry enough to engage with the more technical side of the Hitman.

The bout plays to the strengths of both men: Hart's ability to turn any situation into a pin or his Sharpshooter constantly reminds you why he's the world champion, while there's never any doubt as to the damage Ramon can inflict.

Particularly of note is the presence of Hart's parents at ringside. His mother can be seen placing her head in her hands as Bret is attacked, and the look on family patriarch Stu's face following the finish would suggest he's rather impressed with his son's work.

7. William Regal vs. Edge at Royal Rumble 2002

Credit: WWE.com

William Regal gets a lot of praise from those who know his work, but for those who missed out on the best work of the Man's Man, this is an excellent match to start getting you up to speed.

Regal's style is still quite unique, and this match makes the most of that. The Blackpool-born brawler slows the pace to a crawl when he's in control, but he can pick up the pace to match the intensity of Edge just as soon as he needs to.

It's a showcase of one of the best villains pro wrestling has ever seen—the crowd's hatred for Regal is palpable—as well as a look at the burgeoning singles career of Edge. Like much of Regal's work, you could call this match overlooked. Make sure you rectify that if you've not seen this excellent bout.

6. CM Punk vs. the Rock at Royal Rumble 2013

Credit: WWE.com

There's an argument to be made as to which of CM Punk's two encounters with The Rock was better—although most would agree that both outclassed John Cena's matches with the Great One. Whatever you think of Punk's reign ending at the hands of a part-timer, the bout itself is perhaps Rocky's best match since he left WWE in 2003.

Such a long run with the WWE Championship deserved an epic ending, and this match nails that feeling. The presence of The Rock always carries with it electricity, and the fact that the crowd was so invested in seeing him reclaim the world title after more than a decade made for a special moment.

Part of what made CM Punk such a success in WWE is his ability to have crowd-pleasing matches with stars like The Rock and John Cena as well as his more technical meetings with the likes of Daniel Bryan. Punk came up short in this case, but the match itself will be fondly remembered by fans of both competitors.

5. The Rock vs. Mankind at Royal Rumble 1999

Credit: WWE.com

You might well remember this WWF Championship match for its many sickening chair shots—or for that controversial finish. It's one of the main events from the Attitude Era that seems to stick around in fans' memories, and that's no small feat, considering its competition.

It's a match that's still rather unique among this style of hardcore brawl. The Rock rarely took part in this type of contest, but you can be sure that when he did, he brought a good helping of brutality with him.

This bout added much to the mystique of the Mankind character. Fans love to get behind a man who can take a beating, and that's exactly what they were given as the People's Champion worked over Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy.

4. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels at Royal Rumble 2004

Credit: WWE.com

A bloody and brutal chapter in the longstanding HBK-HHH feud, this is an excellent installment in the tradition of violent world-title fights at the Rumble. This one isn't for the faint of heart—the amount of claret both men lose calls to mind the classic Pat Patterson vs. Sgt. Slaughter Alley Fight.

Little needs to be said about the chemistry that Triple H and Shawn Michaels share—these two great friends might just make for better enemies, considering the quality of the matches they've put on. From SummerSlam 2002 to the clash inside Hell in a Cell, this is a rivalry that has produced countless classics.

It's difficult to say concretely where this match stands in the hierarchy of matches between the two, but it's certainly one of the most memorable and vicious title matches in the history of the Royal Rumble.

3. Chris Jericho vs. the Rock at Royal Rumble 2002

Credit: WWE.com

The intermittent feud between Chris Jericho and The Rock might be remembered more for the verbal sparring than anything that happened in the ring, but this match proves that both men were as talented between the ropes as they were with a microphone in their hand.

Despite some uneven pacing in the first third of the match, once this world-title bout gets going, it scarcely lets up until the end. We see interference, two referees are put out of action and only one announcer table survives, but somehow it never devolves into complete chaos.

It's a testament to the skill of The Rock and Jericho that they can bring together all these disparate elements to make a cohesive match. By the time this one's over, both men look like they've given their all—and since the Rumble match was up next, that was exactly what was required to ensure the world-title match felt like a co-main event.

2. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack at Royal Rumble 2000

Credit: WWE.com

The many faces of Mick Foley have been responsible for some of the most brutal scenes in pro wrestling history—and his brief return as Cactus Jack in 2000 made for a compelling and eye-watering Street Fight with WWF Champion Triple H.

There are so many moments in this match that will make you want to turn away, it's difficult to say where the violence reaches its peak. The barbed-wire bat makes an appearance early on, only to be outmatched by a scary piledriver onto a table that nearly puts the Game away.

However, it's the addition of thumbtacks that really confirms this bout as one of the most barbaric matches of all time. Don't expect anything quite this wild at this year's Rumble.

1. The 1992 Royal Rumble Match

Credit: WWE.com

While most title matches at the Royal Rumble have to compete with the all-important battle royal, a vacant WWF Championship in January of 1992 meant that the title itself would be won outright by the last survivor of the evening's main event.

The match that the situation produced remains one of the all-time classics of pro wrestling: a truly memorable, hour-long slog for Ric Flair to take home the belt. It's a bout that any pro wrestling fan should see—a momentous match that still holds up today.

After entering at No. 3, Flair's continued efforts to remain in the match form a running narrative that lasts the length of the Rumble—but there's plenty more going on alongside it. We see new rivalries bubble up ahead of WrestleMania, as well as some huge interactions meant solely to make the match itself more engaging.

It's the blueprint for an excellent Royal Rumble: Plenty of storylines (old and new) intertwine throughout, meaning there's always something going on that carries some weight. Aside from perhaps his retirement, this is the definitive Ric Flair performance in WWE—essential viewing today, just like it was twenty years ago.

What's your favourite title match from the Royal Rumble? Will this year's event produce anything that could crack this list? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.