WWE Royal Rumble 2013: Under-the-Radar Matches That Will Steal the Show

The 30-man Royal Rumble match is undoubtedly worth the price of admission for the WWE's 26th annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view event.

But it isn't the only draw in this "Road to WrestleMania" event.

There's also the WWE Championship match that features the return of The Rock to the promotion's main events. The Great One will attempt to knock off the long-running champion CM Punk in what is sure to be a thriller of a match.

Even still, there is more to be found on this very deep and exciting card.

Let's take a look at some of these under-the-radar matchups that have the potential to steal the show in Phoenix. 

United States Title Match—Pre-Show/Shown on YouTube: Antonio Cesaro (c) vs. The Miz

This is a feud that hasn’t had a good deal of time to build up, and rightfully so. It’s a free, undercard match to tease those not willing or unable to pay for the PPV.

It began with an interruption. The Miz was interviewing wrestling legend Ric Flair on Miz TV when Cesaro butted in, prompting a response from the Nature Boy.

The Miz has been granted the right to apply Flair’s figure-four on Cesaro.

The possibility for involvement from Flair or another push for The Miz, especially with his upcoming movie, is certainly a possibility.

Whatever happens, the pre-show will likely be a thrilling start to a night full of surprises and gut-wrenching WWE action. It might not end up being the best match of the night, but it’s certainly one you won’t want to miss. 

WWE World Heavyweight Title “Last Man Standing” Match: Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Big Show

When we talk about show stealers, the Last Man Standing match between Big Show and Alberto Del Rio is definitely going to contend with the WWE Championship and Royal Rumble matches.

The two clashed during SmackDown on Jan. 11, and the match ended brutally, especially for a weekly card. Del Rio escaped with the title, but there was little surprise due to the fact that the WWE  announced the result prior to the airing of the early-week taping.

It didn’t look good for Del Rio until Big Show missed with an attempted steel step smash hit off the ring post, which backfired on him. Del Rio capitalized by repeatedly laying into Big Show’s injured shoulder with those steel stairs. He then turned over an empty announcers table, and the champ was helpless to do anything.

The dramatic change of title during the buildup to this rematch makes for an exciting attempt for Big Show to regain what he lost by brawling it out against Del Rio once again. It was true chaos the first time, but it’s sure to be even more intense with the added hype of a PPV atmosphere.