Greatest Royal Rumble Match Moment?

For me it's the Rock/Austin staredown at 2001.

Austin had been bloodied by Triple H before entering. Rock had entered at 16 and was selling the strain.

They were in opposite corners, eyes fixed. Rock's eyes said: 'what the fuck happened to you?' Austin's said: 'fuck it, let's go.'

Chills, man.
 
Shawn Michaels in 95 the way he won. Guys kind of did the dramatic hold on to the rope but that year the ending really set-up everything we see today.
 
For me it was the one when Rey Misterio and Triple H started number one and number two, and the two of them along with Randy Orton ended up being the last men, Misterio took out Triple H, and Triple H pulled Misterio out from the bottom rope and beat the hell out of him and tossed him back to the ring, and Randy Orton thought that he would have a walk in the park with him, and all of a sudden Misterio eliminated him too, it was a great moment because he took out two of the biggest superstars at that moment and he did it paying tribute to Eddie Guerrero........
 
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, the first ever Royal Rumble winner (1988) entering at number 29 in the 2009 Royal Rumble, and showing that he could hang with today's WWE offerings....I kid.

All seriousness, it was Ric Flair's WWF World Title win at Royal Rumble 1992, here we had the cornerstone of Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling entering enemy territory in the form of the World Wrestling Federation. With that said, the storyline drama, suspense and intrigue in seeing Ric Flair win the top prize in a rival pro wrestling company in such a quick fashion was a great occurrence. And the fact that a then-10 year old version of myself got so worked up about it, and can now look on it fondly some 20 years later, speaks a great testament to this moment in professional wrestling history.

There have been some great moments thereafter, don't get me wrong, Shawn Michaels back to back Rumble wins, Steve Austin following suit and then going on to usher in the Attitude Era, and of course Curt Hennig's sadly short but still memorable return to the WWF resulted in him showing some good stuff in the 2002 Royal Rumble. But Flair's 1992 Rumble win to me just stands above the rest.
 
Austin/HHH at 2002 rumble,Austin was kicking some serious ass that day.
He had cleared the ring and HHH's music hits!!

The pop damn neared blew out my tv's speakers!!
Hunter standing at entrance...Austin in ring..DAMN MAN!!
 
All seriousness, it was Ric Flair's WWF World Title win at Royal Rumble 1992, here we had the cornerstone of Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling entering enemy territory in the form of the World Wrestling Federation. With that said, the storyline drama, suspense and intrigue in seeing Ric Flair win the top prize in a rival pro wrestling company in such a quick fashion was a great occurrence. And the fact that a then-10 year old version of myself got so worked up about it, and can now look on it fondly some 20 years later, speaks a great testament to this moment in professional wrestling history.

To correct myself, when I said quick fashion in regards to Flair's Royal Rumble win and why it was my favorite RR moment, I wanted to be more specific. I don't mean quick in the sense of match time (because we know the match itself went very long since it was a Royal Rumble and Flair was there for the long haul), I mean quick in the sense of how soon Ric Flair debuted in the WWF in relation to his immediate success with winning the World Title. Flair's star power even in a rival promotion showed that he could not be denied an immediate legitimacy upon entering the WWF. Coupled with his acrimonious departure from World Championship Wrestling, the fact that the WWF capitalized on such a thing make for a great storyline. Bobby Heenan said it best, comparing Ric Flair and his World Title to Hulk Hogan and his World Title was like comparing horse manure to ice cream, or something to that effect. I am merely paraphrasing and not going verbatim on that.
 
I have two:

1.Batista screwing up and eliminating both himself and John Cena. It was great quick thinking by the ref (or whoever got in his ear) who raised Batista's arm, even though that wasn't part of the plan. This lead to Vince McMahon storming to the ring and, infamously, tearing both his quads when he got there. Sitting there against the ropes, he tells the refs to restart the match.

2.Maven accidentally eliminating Undertaker. A lot of people don't realize this was unplanned. But I really enjoyed the look on Taker's face, the look on Maven's face, and the Undertaker showing what a pro he is by rolling with it and beating the hell out of Maven out of the ring and through the crowd. As some may recall, he actually threw Maven through the ropes(presumably because he didn't realize, at the time, that he was going to beat him so bad he would be unable to return to the match), so he was never technically eliminated.

I guess I just really enjoy when things don't quite go according to script and people have to improvise on live TV. You really find out what people are made of.
 
For me I think it would come down to HBK holding onto the ropes and not touching both feet on the floor and coming back in and surprising everyone by winning. Another huge moment for me was when John Cena returned in MSG, the place erupted and the look on HHH's face was priceless and I think it will for sure go down as one of the biggest surprise entrants in history because no one saw it coming and he was only out of action for like 3-4 months compared to 8-10.
 
For me it was Demolition drawing numbers 1 and 2 at the 1989 royal rumble. This was unheard of at the time. Faces and heels did not square off against each other at this time. Not only were they the most popular team in the company at the time, but they were the tag team champions at the time. I know this means next to nothing now, but it was huge at the time.

This went down the only way it could have at the time. They beat the hell out of each other for two minutes then turned on number 3. One would think that they would dominate the match for quite some time. Of course Vince remedied this by sending out Andre the Giant. It didn't take long for the giant to eliminate Smash

This might not sound like a big deal now but it was an epic moment at the time and definitely my favorite.
 
I like the recent Rumbles where Kofi Kingston escaped elimination by doing a handstand outside. Also when John Morrison spiderman'd himself to the barricade and leaped from the barricade back to the steel steps. Amazing athleticism from both men
 
I liked the Maven eliminating Undertaker moment. Then a year later he thought he did it again lol.

Also, Chris Benoit winning was a really cool moment.
 
Anytime a Royal Rumble thread comes up I mention 92, and this thread is no different. My favorite moment is The Nature Boy going the distance to win the WWE title in the 92 Rumble match. He entered at number 3, and showed very quickly that he could hang with all the best WWE had to offer. Gotta give credit to Bobby "The Brain" Heenan for helping to make this moment as he was absolutely ecstatic when Flair won the match. Great Rumble match. Great Rumble moment.
 
1997 when Austin and Bret squared off. Stone Cold was whipping ass and was standing in the corner (in fact, he may have been lying on the top rope) and was looking at his wrist pretending it was a watch. Then Bret's music hit and the look on Austin's face was priceless. Classic moment.
 
Maven eliminating The Undertaker. The pop Maven got from the crowd was just crazy and JR & The Undertaker's reactions sold the moment perfectly.

And from the 1998 Royal Rumble match, all 3 Faces of Foley entering, Mike Tyson's reaction to Austin winning, and when Austin's music hits and everybody in the ring stops fighting each other and they turn around waiting on Austin to enter but he runs out from the crowd instead. Those 3 moments were hilarious.

I have other favourite moments but those are my top 4.
 
so many good memories over the years, but one stands out from an emotional perspective.

HBK had to win the 2010 Rumble to get a first shot at The Undertakers streak and his World Title at Mania and he came in at number 27 but eliminated 6 people including Triple H, and looked like he was gonna succeed only to be eliminated by Batista, the look of disbelief and fear of losing it after coming so close was well done

another nod is to Ric Flair winning the 1992 Royal Rumble, the whole match Bobby Heenan was in classic anxiety attack mode "That's not fair to Flair" lol
and he won lasting over 60mins and the whole time he never took a very long rest break he just kept attacking people, which proved he truly was the 60min man. but the biggest moment was Hogan being eliminated that was like OMFG what's going on the Hulkster lost he had won the last 2 yrs in a row.
 
I would go with Flair's 1992 Title Win. Before that the Rumble itself was not a very important event and the actual match was almost like an exhibition, almost meaningless. This was the 1st time a Rumble was a "must see" event (Knowing the WWF Champ would be crowned). Also, the star power representing two decades of wrestling was unreal...Hogan, Flair, Savage,Undertaker, Jake Roberts, HBK, Piper, Sid, DiBiase, not too mention Kerry Von Erich, St Slaughter, Rick Martel, Bulldog, Valentine, it seemed like about half of the biggest stars of two eras combined in this match. The drama was unreal, No one had ever entered among the The 1st Three Contestants and won, and no one had ever lasted an hour. With wrestlers entering the ring at 2 minute intervals (by the time HBK won in 95 it was one minute) you know right away Flair would need to last at least 58 minutes just to make it to the last contestant entry.

The explanantion giving Hogan & Taker "Special Consideration" allowing them to enter among the last ten entries was smart because it heightened the drama of the arrivals, plus protected Hogan from having to work too long. Good move though not saving them for the bitter end, allowing both enough time to do a lot of work and interact with the biggest names, etc.

The best moment is at the 30 minute mark, Flair, visibly exhausted at this point, eliminates Von Erich (in one of his last WWF matches) and Big Boss Man, then collapses in the center of the ring, 30 seconds roughly till the next man is in. When Piper's music hits, the whole arena erupts as Flair, on is knees, looks to the sky as if he's praying with a "Why Me??" look of desperation on his face.

This match also stands out as the first time Hogan is ever really booed. The ending, in which Hogan, angry that Sid eliminated him from behind while he was battling Flair, arguing and distracting Sid allowing Flair to eliminate him was all intended to facilitate a Sid heel turn, the thinking being fans would agree with Hogan that Sid's actions, sneaking up from behind and dumping Hulk, were a betrayal of their tenuous friendship. Problem was the Rumble was heavily promoted as an "Every Man For Himself" event, where fans look forward to see friends battle each other in unique situations. In this match alone we saw Flair turn on fellow Heenan Family member Haku (and pay dearly for it) and battle against Taker, who leading into the event was alligned with him. We'd also seen Hogan battling both Piper & Savage, two former foes who by now he was on good terms with in the storylines. Sid, surprising the 6 ft 8 Hogan when he was distracted by the much smaller Flair and eliminating him made perfect sense, it wasnt a "heel" move, it was a smart move. I'll never forget the chorus of boos that rained down on Hogan afterwards when he confronted Sid, claiming Sid "cost" him the title. As it was played it, Hogan, now eliminated, helped cost Sid the title, his own distractions, which included grabbing angriliy at Sid through the ring ropes which prevented him from seeing Flair move in from behind for the winning elimination. This was the 1st time I ever saw an audience really boo Hogan, Id seen matches where guys like Flair & Savage had a fan base but Hogan overall was cheered. The crowd was split when he faced Ultimate Warrior, although there wasnt a lot of booing in that match. This is the only time the "Real American" Hogan really gets it from a WWF audience. That alone makes this a remarkable event.

The historic nature of Flair's win (1st man ever to win both NWA/WCW & WWF World Titles, 1st Rumble winner to last over an hour and enter among the Top 3 Contestants) and the relative star power (there were 8 former and/or future World Champions in the match, and that doesnt include such top stars as Piper, DiBiase, & Roberts) were both great reasons to remember this match. Hogan getting booed, the first time the WWF Machine underestimated his appeal, was another.

Eventually the Sid heel turn would take effect the old fashion way (he abandoned Hogan in a tag match vs Flair & Taker on Sat Night's Main Event) but Sid himself would fall out of favor with Management and be gone right after WrestleMania.

As far as other memorable moments/matches, I would say the classic match ending confrontation between Taker & HBK has to be included. Two legendary stars, contrasting styles, face to face, in a pretty good battle as the last two in the ring to end the bout. Not as dramatic as Flair vs the whole WWF, but it was a great moment, the crowd was red hot, you could feel the intensity, and every time these two battled in an important match they always put on a great show.
 
There have been so many - Flair winning, HBK winning when Bulldog threw him over the ropes and he skinned the cat and came back to dump DBS over the top. The Royal Rumble made Diesel a star when he threw countless people out. Yokozuna throwing Randy Savage out in 1993, Hulk Hogan pulling Sid over the top rope in 92, Bret Hart and Lex Luger going over together in 94, HBK and Undertaker fighting to the end 5 years ago... there have been many great moments.

Should always keep the RR!
 
One of my favorite (and underrated moments, in my opinion) is the showdown between HBK and the Undertaker at the end of the 2007 Royal Rumble. Simply classic. Two of the biggest stars to ever set foot in the ring putting on a 5 minute show until Taker eliminated HBK. Was just awesome to watch and the crowd was hot for it.
 
Hands down Flair winning in 92. Prior to that I was a sporadic fan. After that I was hooked for life.

Honorary mention goes to VInce winning in 99. So far out. The only other time I saw fans so outraged that they threw garbage in the ring was when Hogan was revealed as the third man.

I have two:

1.Batista screwing up and eliminating both himself and John Cena. It was great quick thinking by the ref (or whoever got in his ear) who raised Batista's arm, even though that wasn't part of the plan. This lead to Vince McMahon storming to the ring and, infamously, tearing both his quads when he got there. Sitting there against the ropes, he tells the refs to restart the match.

2.Maven accidentally eliminating Undertaker. A lot of people don't realize this was unplanned. But I really enjoyed the look on Taker's face, the look on Maven's face, and the Undertaker showing what a pro he is by rolling with it and beating the hell out of Maven out of the ring and through the crowd. As some may recall, he actually threw Maven through the ropes(presumably because he didn't realize, at the time, that he was going to beat him so bad he would be unable to return to the match), so he was never technically eliminated.

I guess I just really enjoy when things don't quite go according to script and people have to improvise on live TV. You really find out what people are made of.
I think you are wrong on both counts. Neither gave me the slightest impression that things didn't go according to script (except for Vince tearing his quads, lol).

Batista had to win the Rumble in 2005 because he was on fire. But I think even then Vince and co saw Cena as the guy who would be the man on the long haul and wanted to signify to the fans that that guy was a big deal, too. And they did an excellent job of that that by pulling a Bret/Lex scenario. The 2005 Royal Rumble is one of my favorites. Top two or three, easy.

As for Maven eliminating Taker, that obviously went down just as planned. Maven had just won the first ever Tough Enough and they wanted to give him a shining moment in the Rumble. If he had actually screwed up big time and eliminated one of their biggest stars by accident, I am sure you would have seen signs of him being legitimately mortified by it. Instead he celebrated like crazy. The professional thing to do, I suppose, but would such a rookie have had the presence of mind? I doubt it.
Taker went on to throw him between the ropes (because had he eliminated him it would have ended there and the camera wouldn't have followed backstage), took him to the back and proceeded to throw Maven into a popcorn machine. There is just no way they improvised that on the spot. This went down according to plan, 100%.
 
My favorite Royal Rumble moment was when John Cena returned in 2008. It completely surprised me as well as everyone else who were watching it at the PPV party I was at. Every single person there marked out, including a couple of guys who didn't like Cena but still thought it was cool to be surprised for once. He was supposed to be out for far longer due to his injury and may have missed Wrestlemania but then he came back in a shocking return and also won the Royal Rumble itself. I recall at the time being extremely excited and wanting to see him get revenge on Orton for that RKO through the announcer table before No Mercy that year.

There are other cool moments such as various staredowns over the years, the hilarity of Santino having the shortest participation time in history in 2009's Rumble, other returns such as Edge in 2010, the moments where each year guys like Mark Henry or Khali magically transform into THREATS TO WIN, when Kane eliminated 11 people in the same Rumble, divas like Beth or Kharma getting to participate, Drew Carey's random appearance eliminating himself, Michaels having entered first and winning the Rumble, or Flair's win in 1992, but for me nothing quite sticks out like Cena's return in 2008 did. That might never be topped as my favorite Royal Rumble moment due to being such a surprise to see him return AND the fact that he won the match made it even better.
 
There have been quite a few!

Hogan and Warrior stare down- began the road to one of the biggest matches ever.

HBK/Bulldog going from 1/2 to 29/30.

When Bret Hart and Luger got eliminated at the same time- that was brilliant how they touched at the same time- got to be due to Hart's talent

But my favorite...

When Austin's music hit and everyone stopped and waited for him- and he came through the crowd clearing house.
 
One that sticks out for me is when Stone Cold was feuding with HHH (or maybe it was H's Rumble return from the quad). I remember in the match there was a staredown between the two and they cleared the ring some, back to the posturing.

Then......STAND BACK! THERE'S A HURRICANE COMING THROUGH!!!!

Shane Helms hits the ring, does the pose and tries to CHOKESLAM BOTH OF THEM!

They look at each other then toss Helms out.

Hilarious, and add CM Punk tossing out people while preaching on the mic.
 
@FlairFan2003 i kinda gotta disagree about the rumble not meaning anything prior to 1992, i alwys kinda got the impression that the 90 and 91 rumbles did mean something, even though it wasnt official, in 1990 when hogan won the rumble, in storyline they made warrior #1 contender to the WWF title because he was IC champ, which is sometimes looked at as default #1 contender, had someone else won the 1990 rumble a case could be made that they may have been #1 contender, same with rumble 91, hogan won, went on to face the champ at wrestlemania, same as is nowadays just wasnt explicitly stated at the time that the rumble winnner would be #1 contender...sorry to get off topic, just a thought ive had cookin :)

PS, best rumble moment was 1998 rumble when the glass shattered and everyone looked to the entrance only to have austin pop out from the crowd and start whoopin ass
 
Wow so many to choose from! i gotta say Ric Flairs run in 1992 probably tops em all! He entered at no3! Lasted damn there a full hour with the best at that time. That match had a whos who in it! Hogan,a guy called the undertaker,savage,piper,HBK. Flair lasted and beat them all. Made me sniffle when he won i love Flair and was so ecstatic when he won. My favorite Royal Rumble moment
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
174,842
Messages
3,300,779
Members
21,726
Latest member
chrisxenforo
Back
Top