Top Ten WWE Championship matches from the Royal Rumble.

Author
Recent Posts

Follow Me

Pursuing a degree in Broadcast Journalism from San Francisco State University, Cristian Garcia has stayed amongst the wrestling fandom through thick and thin. Cristian can always find a positive in the bad, but he will let his opinion be known when something stinks.

Follow Me

1. AJ Styles Vs. John Cena (Royal Rumble 2017)

John Cena and AJ Styles have been fans’ dream matches for over 15 years, and when it did happen, the trilogy did not disappoint. First thing first, the two never left the ring, which is why this should be considered one of the best matches of the Royal Rumble and of all time. The two did not depend on big high-flying moves, using weapons or unnecessary spots to receive a big reaction.

They kept the entire match in the squared circle, which is so rare in the modern age and should be appraised when it’s done right. Styles and Cena are 20-year top talent veterans because they know how to create some of the greatest matches in the entire 21st century. There are no fundamental flaws in this match. They built in every big move and near fall perfectly. By the time Cena won his record-breaking 16th reign, no one in that arena was upset. They were happy to witness history.

2. Brock Lesnar Vs. John Cena Vs. Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble 2015)

Here we have a perfect example of three unique styles coming together to create an incredible match. The match that proved Seth Rollins is the main event superstar he took two unstoppable forces of Brock Lesnar and John Cena to the limit.

Philadelphia was going wild for this match that even if Lesnar retained, no one was upset with the match results. But that satisfaction would not last by the end of the night—one of the best triple threats in recent history that planted so many seeds for the future. Setting up Rollins as a main event talent, Cena with one of his best years as U.S. Champion, and Lesnar as the “Final Boss” of WWE.

3. Triple H Vs. Cactus Jack (Royal Rumble 2000)

Recreating your image during the most popular era of wrestling was difficult for Triple H. Pushed into the main event right away after Stone Cold Steve Austin was out with a neck injury must have been hard for fans to get used to. But at the Royal Rumble, 2000 Triple H became a made man after going to war with Cactus Jack.

Both men put their bodies on the line giving the most gruesome match never seen in the WWE before. Twenty-two years later, it is still acclaimed as one of the best ultra-violent matches in history. The thumbtacks and barbwire were not just used for the “Pop” but also to show the championship’s importance. These two pulled out everything to another level and stayed in that level to this day.

4. 1992 Royal Rumble Match

One man made this match legendary, and that is the one and only Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan. His almost hour-long commentary made this match even more legendary than it already is. This match may have the most star-studded Royal Rumble participants in the match history. The greatest of the Golden Era of wrestling is featured here from Ted Dibiase, Roddy ‘Rowdy’ Piper, to Hulk Hogan.

Wrestling was in a bright boom period for kids, and anyone collecting Hasbro’s throughout the years knew they had to recreate this match. One of the biggest mysteries coming out of this match is how does Babyface Hulk Hogan help Ric Flair win this match. But confusion aside, this match has to be one of the unique WWE Championship matches in history. This match also gave us one of the most excellent post-match promos of all time when the brand new WWE Champion had a tear in his eye.

5. Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit (Royal Rumble 2003)

For obvious reasons, a hidden gem does not get the love it deserves, but Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle set the bar for what a great championship match can be on the road to Wrestlemania for so many years. They are two of the greatest in-ring performers in a wrestling clinic. The number of suplexes they gave each other throughout the years must be in the hundreds.

These two have wrestled each other in every gimmick match possible, from 2 out of 3 falls to Steel Cages. They’ve done it all in less than three years. But this match has to be the best match between the two because there was no quit between the two. They gave everything and delivered an unspoken classic.

6. John Cena Vs. Umaga (Royal Rumble 2007)

From 2006 to 2007, John Cena made it to the level where he was no doubt the top guy for the next 15 plus history. The talent he put through to keep that championship for over a year should be appraised even more. At the 2007 edition of the Royal Rumble fans were blessed to see Umaga in the World Title picture for the first time.

This match is now looked back to remind what a once-in-a-lifetime wrestler Umaga was. These two tore the place and the ring apart to show how to have a great Last Man Standing match. Who Cena would later become the master of having with any big monster to come in after Umaga.

7. Bret Hart Vs. Diesel (Royal Rumble 1995)

Diesel was given a rocketship to his back and shot straight to the main event in out of nowhere fashion. His match with Bret Hart became his real test on whether or not he would be right to be the leader of the ”New Generation” The question surrounding this match was whether or not The Hitman was able to apply the Sharpshooter on Big Daddy Cool. And right away, Hart does every to work the legs of Diesel.

A great moment out of Hart is out of character, like using his wrist tape to tie down the champ in the corner post. Hart did such a beautiful way of taking down his bigger opponents. Diesel did come out on top, but it would not be the last time they met after Wrestlemania Diesel did not have the best opponents in his over one year reign. But if the reign had more matches like this, there would be more praise for the New Generation era.

8. Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon (Royal Rumble 1993)

Razor Ramon’s first and what feels like his only chance at becoming WWE champion. This match gave us a taste of what a world champion Ramon could have been. Both Bret Hart and Ramon put on a technical masterpiece and gave the fans the taste of what this New Generation is all about. Different faces and matchups are ready for the early 90s. This championship contest is a real hidden gem in the 30 plus years of the Royal Rumble.

9. Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy: Royal Rumble 2008

Many could consider Jeff Hardy’s ladder match with The Undertaker in 2002 was his main event-making moment. But Royal Rumble 2008 is where Jeff Hardy catapulted to the main event talent in WWE. Momentum was at an all-time high when he defeated Triple H clean in the number one contenders match at the Armageddon pay-per-view event. This match was built up so perfectly that fans believed Hardy finally captured the title.

This rivalry even gave one of the greatest Monday Night Raw moments when Hardy hit a Swanton bomb on Randy Orton off the Raw stage. Madison Square Garden was treated with another legendary WWE Championship match when Orton hit the smoothest reversal Twist of Fate into RKO every seen. 10 years later, inside Hell in a Cell, Orton and Hardy would reignite their rivalry, showing that these two can still create magic years later.

10. Royal Rumble Match 2016

The 2016 event coined the phrase “One vs. All,” and that was precisely it. The WWE Champion was forced to defend his championship in the Royal Rumble match for the first time ever. In what felt like the 100th attempt to make Roman Reigns the company’s top babyface, McMahon’s attempt to put the odds against him. Entering at number one, Reigns was at a disadvantage, and the match felt quite obvious he was going to win the whole thing two years in a row.

Especially in the dull moments when the League of Nations took away Reigns from the match, which is why this match lands at #10. But the few high points were when fans were invested in seeing Dean Ambrose coming so close to eliminating the eventual winner Triple H. Both did a great job of keeping fans on the edge of their seats. But the best moment of the match has to be the unbelievable arrival of AJ Styles. Something nobody in ten years would ever predict the star and mainstay Styles has become in the WWE today. Six years later, it is hard to imagine Styles, not in WWE.