WWE Royal Rumble 2017: Greatest Title Matches in PPV's History
The Royal Rumble pay-per-view may be most recognizable for its 30-man, over-the-top-rope namesake, but the annual spectacular has featured some of the greatest championship matches of all time.
Beginning in 1992 and continuing all the way through 2016, the championships have played as integral a part of the event's success as the main event Battle Royal. From Bret Hart's war with Diesel in 1995 to The Rock and Chris Jericho's underrated gem in 2002, the event has featured Hall of Famers and all-time greats competing over the most prized possessions in professional wrestling.
On Jan. 29, 2017, Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens will have the opportunity to add their names to the list of greatest championship clashes.
Until then, take this stroll through WWE history with this look at the greatest championship matches in Royal Rumble history.
10. World Heavyweight Championship Match: Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler (2011)
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Edge was in the midst of a World Heavyweight Championship reign that he went through hell, Kane, Alberto Del Rio and Rey Mysterio to achieve when he ran afoul of former wife-turned-SmackDown general manager Vickie Guerrero.
That set him on a path toward a one-on-one encounter with Dolph Ziggler, the new main squeeze of the authority figure. With Guerrero outlawing his spear, Edge was forced to find new ways to retain his championship.
Or was he?
Kelly Kelly interfered on his behalf late, wiping Guerrero out at ringside and ensuring The Rated-R Superstar would have a fair shot at retaining his gold. Then, with the referee down, Edge launched himself across the ring, catching The Showoff with a spear.
The psychology was incredible. Edge and Ziggler devised a match that featured crowd manipulation, not to mention the maneuvering of the outside characters involved. The manner in which they did so fit the story to perfection, and the result was a modern classic and the first real taste of what Ziggler would be capable of when given the opportunity.
9. World Heavyweight Championship Match: Rey Mysterio vs. The Undertaker (2010)
2 of 10The big man vs. little man formula has worked throughout the history of professional wrestling and continues to this day.
In 2010, Rey Mysterio sought another reign with the World Heavyweight Championship. To achieve that goal, he would have to dethrone the greatest phenomenon in wrestling history, the iconic Undertaker.
One of the hardest-hitting, most physically grueling matches in Royal Rumble history resulted.
Mysterio plastered his opponent's nose across his face, with blood pouring from The Deadman's nostrils. But no matter how hard Mysterio struck his opponent, nothing could spare him from a Last Ride, which ended his quest for gold on a sour note.
Still, the formula of the match was similar to that of Vader vs. Sting, two Superstars who mastered the big man vs. small man match to tremendous success during their rivalry in the 1990s.
8. WWE Championship Match: Bret Hart vs. Diesel (1995)
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Diesel was still an unproven champion as the 1995 edition of the Royal Rumble arrived, with his reign still in its infancy. There were questions and concerns about the star's ability to carry WWE on his back, and a match with Bret Hart, the previous champion and arguably the best wrestler on the planet, looked like a mistake.
After all, The Hitman would expose Diesel's weaknesses and prove to the world he was not ready to be the top dog in the company.
Instead, Hart worked with Diesel, not carrying him to a great match but guiding the inexperienced main eventer to his best match to date.
The two Superstars delivered a brilliant match—one that saw Hart play the role of the heel, working over the babyface titleholder's long legs and nearly unseating him a handful of times.
As great as the match was—and it was phenomenal—the lack of a decisive finish hurt it.
Neither man could afford a loss, so rather than having Diesel pin Hart, management opted to preserve both wrestlers' heat by booking run-ins from Owen Hart and Shawn Michaels, which led to a no-contest.
The finish may have left a bad taste in the mouths of fans who were chomping at the bit for a true winner to be determined, but it does little to damage the bout's standing as one of the greatest championship clashes in Royal Rumble history.
7. Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title: Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit
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Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit had many wars inside the WWE ring, but the 2001 Royal Rumble played host to their greatest, a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship.
In a day and age when that match type was associated with death-defying leaps of faith by The Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian, consummate mat technician Benoit and flashy babyface Jericho opted for a battle that was more physically aggressive and intense and featured a psychology that the others did not.
Benoit targeted Y2J's shoulder, while Jericho reached down within himself and found a ruthlessness that fans had never before seen out of The Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rolla.
In one of the signature spots of the night, Jericho applied his Walls of Jericho to Benoit, bending him backward over the top of the ladder. The move was especially important to Jericho's victory, which came when he knocked Benoit from the ladder and retrieved the championship.
6. Undisputed Championship Match: The Rock vs. Chris Jericho (2002)
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One of the most underappreciated rivalries of the 2000s saw Chris Jericho constantly attempt to prove himself as a credible main eventer by opposing the biggest star in the industry, The Rock. Jericho's obsession with being better than The Great One led to a heel turn and even drove him to become the first undisputed champion in WWE history.
At the 2002 Royal Rumble, they wrapped up their rivalry with a stellar championship battle that had fans in Atlanta guessing which Superstar would leave the event with the top prize in the industry.
Even late interference from Christian and Lance Storm could not hurt the overall quality of the contest, which ended when Jericho blasted Rock with a low blow, sent him into an exposed turnbuckle and rolled him up for the win.
While the match continued WWE Creative's poor use of Jericho as champion, it did provide fans with another taste of the magic both he and The Rock could create whenever they did battle.
5. 2016 Royal Rumble Match
6 of 10The 2016 Royal Rumble match—like the 1992 version some 24 years earlier—molded numerous stories into one glorious finished product, and the result was one of the best Battle Royals in event history.
WWE world champion Roman Reigns entered the match at No. 1 with his title up for grabs, per The Authority. To make history and retain his gold, he would have to make it through the entire field. It became harder when AJ Styles made his debut, popping the crowd and presenting Reigns with an unexpected opponent.
Chris Jericho, Kane and Rusev were other formidable stars for Reigns to overcome. A beatdown by The League of Nations forced Reigns out of the match for a moment, but it could not prevent him from returning. Determined to retain his title, he faced the challenge of all comers, including Triple H, who entered at No. 30.
The Game would dump Reigns, ending his run as champion, but he would then face a challenge from Dean Ambrose.
The fans erupted for The Lunatic Fringe, hoping the Cincinnati native would upset the COO and capture the gold. He tried, unloading on Triple H and creating several hope spots. Unfortunately, he would succumb to The Cerebral Assassin, and Triple H would capture yet another world title for his sparkling resume.
From the plight of Reigns to the shocking arrival of Styles to The Wyatt Family's elimination of Brock Lesnar to the return of Triple H, the match blended several stories into one big, monumental match and proved that, even 28 years after the inaugural Rumble on the USA Network, WWE could still present a fresh and exciting 30-man extravaganza.
4. Triple Threat for the WWE Title: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins
7 of 10John Cena and Seth Rollins were anything but friends entering the 2015 Royal Rumble. In fact, they had spent months waging war for the right to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Championship.
When the opportunity finally arose and they learned their chance would come in a Triple Threat match, they had no other choice but to work together to wipe out the unstoppable force that was The Beast Incarnate.
They put their differences aside for a brief moment to focus on their opponent, but no unholy alliance or individual force would be able to curb the destructive force of the champion.
Lesnar recovered from an elbow drop through the announcers' table and unleashed hell, delivering suplex after suplex and obliterating Rollins with an F-5 to successfully retain his title.
The match made Lesnar look like the immovable object he is, while Cena and Rollins put in the effort to carry the in-ring action. It was an outstanding match all around, with inspired and incredible performances from everyone involved.
It was the first time Rollins looked like a championship-worthy star.
3. Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Umaga (2007)
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There comes a time in every franchise Superstar's career when he delivers a performance that firmly establishes him as "the guy."
For John Cena, that match came in 2007 against Umaga in a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship. Cena had been the lead star in Vince McMahon's traveling circus for well over a year, but he had yet to deliver the type of performance that, not only enhanced his star, but also pulled another performer to his level.
That all changed one January night when Cena bled buckets, took a tremendous beating and helped establish Umaga as a bona fide main event attraction, even in defeat.
In a startling image, Cena wrapped a ring rope around the neck of his opponent, choking The Samoan Bulldozer unconscious and retaining the title he had worked so hard to represent.
2. 1992 Royal Rumble Match
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The 1992 Royal Rumble was the first massive Battle Royal to realize the potential of the match.
Rife with stories, rivalries and Superstars that stand the test of time, the match was the first five-star affair the event ever produced.
The saga of Ric Flair saw the consummate heel forced to fight from the No. 3 position if he wanted to emerge from the 30-man match with the vacant WWE Championship. The intense rivalry between Randy Savage and Jake Roberts and the increasing jealousy Hulk Hogan had for Sid Justice all meshed to create one of the greatest one-hour productions ever presented by Vince McMahon's promotion.
Flair would win the match and title and then proceed to deliver one of the finest and most emotional promos of his career in which he recognized the night as the greatest of his career.
1. Street Fight for the WWE Championship: Cactus Jack vs. Triple H (2000)
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The greatest match in Royal Rumble history is, without a shadow of doubt, the Street Fight for the WWE Championship between Cactus Jack and Triple H. Live from the mecca of professional wrestling, Madison Square Garden, the bout took place at the turn of 2000 and was essential in establishing Triple H as a credible main event star.
The Game was relentless and ruthless, vile and despicable as he assaulted Jack and handcuffed his wrists behind his back. Unloading with chairs shots—a spot he took from the previous year's battle between Mankind and The Rock—he proved how cerebral he could be.
He also proved his toughness, withstanding a brutal assault at the hands of the Hardcore Legend, including a shot to the face with a barb wire-wrapped 2x4.
No matter how driven Jack was to avenge humiliation dealt to him and his family by The Game, he was unable to finish the champion off, eating a Pedigree on a pile of thumbtacks that ended his quest for gold.
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