Revisiting My Top 10 Non-Rumble Matches in Royal Rumble History

Share This Post

The Royal Rumble is the most fun, unpredictable match on the WWE’s entire calendar year. You never know who is going to show up. Even for those who are advertised to show up, you don’t know when they’re going to show up. We get little snippets of fresh match-ups, and it all starts the slow burn to Wrestlemania. But, since 1999, the Royal Rumble has become much more than a one-trick pony.

Back in 2015, I wrote a dandy little top 10 list over on Wrestling News. covering my personal favorite non-Rumble matches in Royal Rumble history. Considering we’re only about a week and a half away from the event, and I happen to be in a festive mood, I figured now would be a good time to revisit this list.

Reviewing the Initial List

10. Intercontinental Championship: Marty Jannetty vs. Shawn Michaels (1993)
9. Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt (2014)
8. WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Umaga, Last Man Standing Match (2007)
7. WWE Championship: C.M. Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler (2012)
6. WWE Championship: Bret Hart vs. Diesel (1995)
5. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack, Street Fight (2000)
4. WWE Championship: Chris Jericho vs. The Rock (2002)
3. WWE Championship: Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (2003)
2. WWE Championship: C.M. Punk vs. The Rock (2013)
1. WWE Championship: The Rock vs. Mankind, “I Quit” Match (1999)

Top 10 Non-Rumble Matches in Royal Rumble History

10. Intercontinental Championship: Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens, Last Man Standing Match (2016) – Everyone wants to give credit to The Miz for really reinvigorating the Intercontinental Championship in 2016. But, I’m a big fan of what guys like Ambrose and Owens did to restore that prestige before Miz even won it. This match was an absolute banger – it went for over 20 minutes and ended with KO going through a mountain of tables.

9. WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Umaga, Last Man Standing Match (2007) – Recently re-watched this match not too long ago, and can honestly say it ages like a fine wine. Here’s what I initially had to say about this match:

A hidden gem of John Cena’s career, and perhaps Umaga’s greatest match took place in 2007 as a part of the buildup to WrestleMania 23. They combined storytelling with the savage nature of a Last Man Standing Match perfectly at the Royal Rumble.

8. WWE Championship: Bret Hart vs. Diesel (1995) – It’s been 23 years since this match, but I just can’t forget the effort these two men put into their near 30-minute match. A 30-minute match out of Kevin Nash? Are you kidding me? Go back and check this one out.

7. WWE Championship: Chris Jericho vs. The Rock (2002) – I can’t believe I initially ranked this one inside the top four. Sure, this match was probably the highlight of Jericho’s first run as WWE Champion. But, it’s not better than the other matches on this list.

6. WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (2015) – This one really caught us all of guard. Remember, this was right in the midst of Lesnar’s run of dominating opponents. If you’re like me, you probably thought Lesnar was going to throw a bunch of suplexes and walk out with the strap. Wrong. What actually ensued was a lot of fast-paced action sprinkled with plenty of near falls the likes of which only a triple threat can produce.

5. WWE Championship: Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (2000) – This match was special. Here’s what I originally thought about the match, and it’s something I actually stand by today:

Triple H & Mick Foley had some very special chemistry. Just one year removed from a brutal clash with The Rock at the Royal Rumble, Foley would don the flannel and battle Triple H as Cactus Jack. This match was interesting for a couple of reasons other than the impressive physicality of a street fight. First, it marked the height of Mick Foley’s popularity. Second, 2000 marked Triple H’s arrival as the top heel in the WWE.

4. WWE Championship: Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (2003) – Oops, I said the ‘B’ word. Anyways, another case of me nailing it three years ago:

Past Royal Rumble Championship matches have been used to provide a credible opponent for a champion in order to make said champion look strong for a WrestleMania title defense.

In 2003, the WWE elected to go with Chris Benoit as Kurt Angle’s opponent in his “tune-up” for Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XIX. The two had faced each other on several occasions before, notably at WrestleMania X-Seven in what is widely considered one of WrestleMania’s greatest and most underrated bouts.

The two had a very unique chemistry, and what appeared to be intended as an appetizer for what was to come turned out to be an all-time classic.

3. WWE Championship: C.M. Punk vs. The Rock (2013) – I still say what The Rock did with C.M. Punk was far better than either match he had with John Cena. I still say that C.M. Punk vs. The Rock should have headlined Wrestlemania 29. Regardless of what I think, the match actually happened at Royal Rumble, and it was an absolute classic.

2. WWE Championship: John Cena vs. A.J. Styles (2017) – It was a rematch from Summerslam 2016, this time for the WWE Championship. Two real icons of the wrestling industry going at it in an epic that sold both men’s abilities. It also tied Cena with Ric Flair for the record of most world championships.

1. WWE Championship: Mankind vs. The Rock, “I Quit” Match (1999) – I still say this is the greatest non-Rumble match in Royal Rumble history, and the reason hasn’t really changed:

Mick Foley is often remembered for the heart and soul he poured into his matches. In this case, he poured about 26 chair shots to the head’s worth. Foley always wrestled with reckless abandonment, and a complete disregard for his own well-being.

So, yeah – it was big. It was brutal. It was everything I loved about wrestling as a 13-year old kid.

What say you, internet wrestling world? What was your favorite non-Rumble match in Royal Rumble history?

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley

Buy our shirt. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Listen on SoundCloud. Watch on YouTube. Shop our store on Redbubble.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get updates and learn from the best

More To Explore