Best Royal Rumble Match

[J.B. Buzzkill 0]

I'm guessing the '92 match will get a lot of love, rightfully so, but I've always loved the 2001 edition the most. Drew Carey, the midcard guys bringing weapons into the mix, Kane destroying everyone, Big Show returning and chokeslamming anything that moved, and the big names squaring off at the end is still a blast to me 7 years later.

[Aero 0]

My top 5:

 

1. 2004

2. 1992

3. 2005

4. 1990

5. 2001

 

I'm partial to 2004 since, besides being great, I got to see it live. The finish was great, and there was a good field of guys at the end: Benoit, Show, Angle, Jericho, RVD, & Cena. 1992 is my second choice, but the ending always just irritated me due to Hogan's hypocracy, not that it's not commonplace, of course (1989 says hello).

 

2001 I just watched the other day, and it's a lot of fun. Kane was an unexpected iron man at the time, and all the surprise entrants were great. The only bad portion is the slow middle from Bradshaw's entry till Big Show comes in. The ending period with Austin, Kane, and Rock is one of my favorites. Sure, we all knew Kane didn't have a chance, but it was still a cool sight to see Austin have to bring in a chair and hammer Kane a few times to get the job done.

 

I have to watch 1990 soon.

[luke-o 0]

2002 for all the suprise entrants - I think this was the one with Mr. Perfect and The Honky Tonk Man.

 

and 2001 just for Drew Carey trying to pay off Kane not to kill him.

[King Kamala 0]

I haven't seen '05-'07 but I'll just give the Top 5 for ones I've seen.

 

 

1. '92

2. '01

3. '90

4. '04

5. '00 (I've always thought this one was really fun, even if the outcome was predictable)

[Boxer 0]

I'm surprised 97 hasn't been mentioned. Austin's dominace, the showdown with Bret, the surprise ending and a hot crowd. Wasn't the best in ring rumble, but definately memorable. Set the trend for Survivor Series...............

[bob_barron 0]

2002 for all the suprise entrants - I think this was the one with Mr. Perfect and The Honky Tonk Man.

 

and 2001 just for Drew Carey trying to pay off Kane not to kill him.

 

Perfect was in 2002, and he wasn't a surprise entrance, he was announced beforehand.

 

Honky Tonk Man was 2001.

 

Nothing will top 2004 for me

[Diamonddust 0]

2002 for all the suprise entrants - I think this was the one with Mr. Perfect and The Honky Tonk Man.

 

and 2001 just for Drew Carey trying to pay off Kane not to kill him.

 

Perfect was in 2002, and he wasn't a surprise entrance, he was announced beforehand.

 

Honky Tonk Man was 2001.

 

Nothing will top 2004 for me

 

Still, it was pretty awesome to see Perfect come back.

 

1992 is my favorite with 2000 right behind it.

[Guest Smues]

1. 2004

2. 1992

3. 2001

4. 2000

5. 1997

 

 

[King Cucaracha 0]

1990 for me. The DiBiase run was great. The sequence between DiBiase, Jake, Savage and Piper is probably the best two minutes in Rumble history. The iconic Hogan/Warrior showdown was so perfectly done. Andre's elimination, ditto, because it made Demolition look great. Plus the crowd are red hot through most of the Rumble (maybe until Hogan and Warrior went down), you've got Jesse "The Body" on commentary. So much good stuff.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

1992. This is the real most star-studded Rumble as far as I'm concerned with former and future stars spread throughout and just about everybody was doing something big around this time. It also had the WWF Title on the line which made it the most important Rumble ever. This is the finest hour of the Heenan/Monsoon announcing team and many consider this to be the best announced match in the history of wrestling. Flair gives what I feel to be the finest Rumble performance ever. Until Flair it was virtually unthinkable for an early wrestler to actually win the Rumble, and although it has become routine in recent years, he will always be the first. Also unlike some later Iron Men, he is in the action for virtually the entire match getting targetted by everybody from Davey Boy Smith to Hulk Hogan to the Undertaker. One of the best WWF matches of the 90s for sure.

[Guest]

1992

2004

2001

2000

1990

 

2004 was the last one I've seen.

[Papacita 0]

The mark in me says 96. It was predictable as hell, but it had one of my all-time favorite moments with Shawn dumping both Yoko and Vader and Vader snapping on everyone.

 

Aside from that, 92 was the best and probably the most unpredictable. I'd have liked to give it to 04, but I could see Benoit winning from a mile away. I don't think anybody saw Flair taking it.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

2001 drives me nuts because there are pretty much two big resets in it, where there are a large number of guys in and then they all go away to pretty much start over. Okay, so Kane coming in at 8 or 9 or whatever isn't a big deal, but before Drew wanders in there had only been like one elimination and then they come rapid fire to set up the Drew/Kane section. I think it also happens later after all the hardcore shenanigans.

 

I'd rather have one or two early guys last to the late 20s and have at least one guy from the early teens make it till after the #30 comes out rather than 10 guys coming in and then a monster to wipe it all out (minus like 3 or so eliminations during the 10), repeat twice more until the final 4-6 are left.

 

 

1992 is my favorite, easy. 2004 is a close second.

[Diamonddust 0]

1992. This is the real most star-studded Rumble as far as I'm concerned with former and future stars spread throughout and just about everybody was doing something big around this time. It also had the WWF Title on the line which made it the most important Rumble ever. This is the finest hour of the Heenan/Monsoon announcing team and many consider this to be the best announced match in the history of wrestling. Flair gives what I feel to be the finest Rumble performance ever. Until Flair it was virtually unthinkable for an early wrestler to actually win the Rumble, and although it has become routine in recent years, he will always be the first. Also unlike some later Iron Men, he is in the action for virtually the entire match getting targetted by everybody from Davey Boy Smith to Hulk Hogan to the Undertaker. One of the best WWF matches of the 90s for sure.

 

My favorite part of 1992 was that it seemed like EVERYONE went into the match wanting to kick Flair's ass. My favorite sequence during the match itself was about midway when Flair ended up eliminating the last man in the ring and getting a breather. Bobby goes nuts as if Flair just won, and then the countdown begins...

 

Out comes Roddy Piper, and the place explodes. Piper just unloads on Flair, who sells it like his world just ended. What makes it even better is that Jake Roberts comes in next and stays in the corner a bit to allow Piper some more time to beat up on Flair... but then Jake sneak attacks Piper.

 

Just an excellently paced and laid out Rumble that told a great story and had the crowd hooked from the start.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

1992, for both Ric Flair and Bobby Heenan's performances, respectively.

 

1996 is a bit of a darkhorse, but I still like it, as it had a lot of my favorite guys. First time all of the entrants came out to their entrance themes too.

 

2000 had a lot of memorable moments, whether it was Rikishi/Too Cool pausing to dance or Bob Backland's surprise appearance, I enjoyed it.

[Ravenbomb 0]

I like all of the Rumbles, honestly. I think '92 and most of the ones after 1999 are my favorites, but I'd watch any of them but the '99 one at a given time.

[CanadianChris 0]

1992 is head and shoulders above the rest, IMO. Besides, 2004 never happened.

[Black Lushus 0]

1992. I liked 2005 as well, silly ending aside.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Well that wasn't planned (so they say) so it's tough to hold it against it.

 

2003 was pretty good - the first post Brand Extension Rumble had some fresh dynamics (the early stuff with Rey, Edge, Jericho, etc. is some good stuff). Gotta feel for Nowinski though. Matt and Shannon's shenanigans throughout were fairly amusing.

[Guest Mr. Adam]

I really like the 2005 Rumble. It was the first time that the Raw/Smackdown divide was used in a Rumble match. Crowd went bananas for it. The Hassan ejection, Puder being brutalised, improvised botchery at the end, torn quads, Cena calling the improv finish audibly on camera.

 

And Paul London's elimination.

 

Had it all. No suprises needed.

[TheSSNintendo 0]

Well that wasn't planned (so they say) so it's tough to hold it against it.

 

2003 was pretty good - the first post Brand Extension Rumble had some fresh dynamics (the early stuff with Rey, Edge, Jericho, etc. is some good stuff). Gotta feel for Nowinski though. Matt and Shannon's shenanigans throughout were fairly amusing.

 

Don't forget about Cena's freestyle.

[cabbageboy 0]

The 2004 Rumble is forever tainted to me now for obvious reasons, and this actually does play a part in my actual enjoyment of that match. It would be #2 on my list before Benoit did what he did though.

 

#1 is of course 1992, which is such a brilliant match that weaves so many storylines, feuds, huge stars, and also was a place for young guys like HBK to show their stuff.

 

I actually think the 2005 and 2007 Rumbles were also very good. Maybe not the best ever, but interesting to say the least. The problem with stuff like 2006 is that the 1-2 guys going the distance is so cliched that it doesn't work as well these days and frankly a midget like Rey can't feasibly win a Rumble match going such a distance.

 

2001 was pretty good and Kane had a great effort, but it just lacks that something special to push it to greatness (maybe it was Austin being a fairly predictable winner). Truth be told, the 1990s were not good for Rumbles post 1992. I wouldn't consider any of them from 1993-99 to be all that good.

[luke-o 0]

Actually, 2000 stands out for me just for Kentai's constant run ins and TAKA's awesome faceplant.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

1992 is head and shoulders above the rest, IMO. Besides, 2004 never happened.

 

Yes. 1992 is freakin awesome. I also agree with the second half of the statement, but CabbageBoy laid that out entirely.

 

Last May, my answer would be, in order 92, 04, 01, 94, 98.

[haws bah gawd 0]

I haven't watched 1992's Rumble in YEARS, so I can't really rank it, though it seems to be unanimously considered one of the best ever. As far as one's I've seen though:

 

1 - 2007 - Undertaker and HBK tearing it up for the final few minutes

2 - 2004 - Benoit dragging Big Show over the top tope by his fucking head

3 - 2002 - Surprise entrants galore

4 - 2001 - Kane doing the ironman run and wrecking everyone

5 - 1997 & 1998 - Austin taking advantage of distracted Referrees in 1997, and getting a clean win in 1998

 

Honarable mention goes to whatever year the Rumble ended with Macho Man giving Yokozuna the flying elbow, only to bounce off him, over the top rope. The Rumble itself wasn't much to write home about, but that was a fun, silly moment.

[Black Lushus 0]

That was 1993 and you're slightly off with what you remember. He did the elbow drop and attempted a pinfall but was pushed off over the top rope.

 

1997 was an underrated Rumble...tons of star power and controversy. Set up numerous storylines. Lots of fun was had with Austin eliminating several guys in seccession and then once Bret Hart hit the ring, things really really picked up in a big way. The look on Austin's face once Hart's music hit was priceless.

[haws bah gawd 0]

That was 1993 and you're slightly off with what you remember. He did the elbow drop and attempted a pinfall but was pushed off over the top rope.

 

1997 was an underrated Rumble...tons of star power and controversy. Set up numerous storylines. Lots of fun was had with Austin eliminating several guys in seccession and then once Bret Hart hit the ring, things really really picked up in a big way. The look on Austin's face once Hart's music hit was priceless.

 

Damn, really? My 11 year old mind at the time was processing that Savage "bounced" off Yoko. I haven't watched it in sometime, so you'll have to forgive me for the oversight. Then again, Savage attempting a pinfall in the Rumble is about as silly as Mr. Perfect giving Hogan the Perfect Plex back in the early 90's. What do you hope to accomplish with an attempted pin in an over-the-top rope match?

[Black Lushus 0]

I like to think he was caught up in the heat of the moment (kayfabe)...though I don't know if that spot was done purposely or if Savage really fucked up.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

The dumbest thing about that was they went right back to the "Yokozuna has never been off his feet" gimmick the next night on Raw. Bartlett - in one of the only intelligent things he ever said - mentioned Randy's good outing in the Rumble and how he took down Yokozuna, met by Savage having to yell back that he didn't. Though I guess it's debatable whether or not Yokozuna knocked himself over or Savage did with axe handles (I don't remember the spot exactly, but I thought it was Yoko runs at the trunbuckles, Savage moves, Yoko is groggy and Savage does an axehandle knocking him down).

 

Savage eliminating himself but not really is an odd moment from 92.

[bob_barron 0]

1997 has great moments, but it drags a lot. It's one of those Rumbles that exposed the depth problems in the WWF.

 

2000 really isn't that good. Once the Rikishi period ends, it drags a lot to the point that Jerry Lawler becames obviously bored on commentary.