Top 10 Royal Rumble Matches - Feedback Wanted Please!

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Alright, so I'm through about 20 of these things now, with only a couple more left to watch. I don't think any of the last few years are going to make the cut, and I've seen them recently enough to where I might not watch them. But here's what I have so far. Please let me know what you think, including which matches I missed, which I've rated too high, too low, etc.

1. Rumble '92 - Ric Flair
2. Rumble '98 - Steve Austin
3. Rumble '03 - Brock Lesnar
4. Rumble '04 - Chris Benoit
5. Rumble '01 - Steve Austin
6. Rumble '06 - Rey Mysterio
7. Rumble '00 - The Rock
8. Rumble '94 - Bret Hart & Lex Luger
9. Rumble '96 - Shawn Michaels
10. Rumble '02 - Triple H

Keep in mind, I'm on '07 right now. I hear really good things about '08, so the list isn't final. I'll probably be publishing it in the next few hours, but my preference for wrestling is a lot more modern than some people's. I really want to get some feedback from people who were actually watching WWF in the late 80s and early 90s, or at least have more of an appreciation for it. Thanks guys!

Edit: Shit. 2007 was really fucking good. Now what?

 

[Galvatron]

I watched 2003 recently and 1992 yesterday. I thought '03 was better but that's just my opinion. I watched 1994 last week and didn't really like it. If 2008 is the one where Cena came back early from a neck injury then I would definitely put that in my top 5.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

List is perfect except you should put Royal Rumble 2005 instead of 2006. 2005 was one of the best and better than 2006. 2003 should be #2 and 2002 should be much higher on the list.

 

[DarksideEric]

Honestly, for me I'd remove Rey's win and replace it with Shawn's first win ('95 wasn't it?) when he went the full distance.

I knew Rey was going to win, I had no idea Shawn was going to. I don't know if Shawn's '95 win would be in the same spot on your list as Rey's, but I'd definitely take out Rey's and put '95 in.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I did not like 2005 at all. The match itself was pretty boring. Bret and Lex did the simultaneous finish in the past. They made it different by going to sudden death, but it didn't save the match as a whole, in my opinion. Everyone kind of assumed Rey Mysterio would win. They went out of their way to stack the odds against him, which is generally a sure fire way you know he's going to win. It didn't matter. Eddie Guerrero had just died two months earlier, and people WANTED Rey to win for Eddie. He and Triple H had a war in there for an hour, and it was a great, great match.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Honestly, for me I'd remove Rey's win and replace it with Shawn's first win ('95 wasn't it?) when he went the full distance.

I knew Rey was going to win, I had no idea Shawn was going to. I don't know if Shawn's '95 win would be in the same spot on your list as Rey's, but I'd definitely take out Rey's and put '95 in.

I'm fairly sure I'd rank that Rumble as the worst in history. Only two minutes mattered in that whole thing: the first and the last. The roster for this match was garbage. I got excited to see Mantuar. That should tell you something. There's a reason they cut the entrance times for this one.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

2004 should be #2. 1998 was highly overrated.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

1998 really wasn't that great in hindsight. I think 2000 should be higher too.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

people WANTED Rey to win

No they didn't.Watch the triple threat match at Wrestlemania 22, they were booing Mysterio.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

2004 should be #2. 1998 was highly overrated.

1. Rumble '92 - Ric Flair

2. Rumble '03 - Brock Lesnar

3. Rumble '04 - Chris Benoit

4. Rumble '98 - Steve Austin

5. Rumble '01 - Steve Austin

6. Rumble '06 - Rey Mysterio

7. Rumble '00 - The Rock

8. Rumble '96 - Shawn Michaels

9. Rumble '02 - Triple H

10. Rumble '94 - Bret Hart & Lex Luger

Changed around a bit to reflect some of your suggestions. And because I realized 94 was a great Rumble match with a decision I absolutely hated. Could have been so much better if the booking wasn't shitty at the end.

WHat do I do about 2007 and 2008? I feel like they both deserve to be on the list. I'm tempted to put 2008 closer to the top, because MSG was easily the best Rumble crowd in history. Amazing match with a packed roster, plus even some of the ECW guys got great reactions (aka CM Punk). Cena's return was magic. One of the best I think.

2007 was just plain good. Not sure if it's top ten good, or just made better by Undertaker at the very end.

I might take 2000 off the list. I really like it because of the crowd, and because it's just fun. But it's a stupidly predictable Rumble match. I need to take one of these off the list. It's either going to be 2000 or 1994.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

That's the only major flaw, it was a very predictable match sans for maybe Big Show.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

You better not take 2000 of the list.

I guess you didn't take my consideration of the 1998 Royal Rumble being overrated as much as you did my suggestion of the 2004 Rumble being higher. If you did, 1998 would be like 8 or 9 right along with 2003. Once Jericho was eliminated, you already know who was going to win.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

If you're going to take 2000 off the list because it's stupidly predicatble, you might as well take 1996, 1998, 2002, and to an extent 2006 off the list.

 

[Lee]

95.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Rumble '92 - Ric Flair

Rumble '08 - John Cena

Rumble '04 - Chris Benoit

Rumble '03 - Brock Lesnar

Rumble '98 - Steve Austin

Rumble '01 - Steve Austin

Rumble '06 - Rey Mysterio

Rumble '00 - The Rock

Rumble '96 - Shawn Michaels

Rumble '02 - Triple H


OK. There's my final list. Arrange them as you see fit. I'll be posting some arrangement of these in the next hour.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

I think 07 should have been there as well, maybe instead of 02, but it's fine.

 

[TLC]

Wasn't '03 really dull? 2000 and 2001 were fantastic though, same with '04.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

You better not take 2000 of the list.

Seconded.

 

[Shocky]

The final 2 of 2007 was the best finish to a Rumble yet.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I love when a Rumble match actually tells a story, which is probably why 92, 97 and 98 stand out to me.

 

[Kris Benwa]

I don't really care for 2003 but I actually liked 07-09 a lot that was a good string of Rumbles though 07 and 09 were predictable. I dont think predictability should be a factor because I feel 02 should be higher, 03 should be left off and include either 07 or 09 (not in 03's spot but whatevs)

 

[jmt225]

Put me on the boat as one who also loves the 2003 Rumble. It was so perfectly booked.

The 2009 Rumble is severely underrated. Up there with Orton vs. Cactus Jack as Orton's greatest performance to date if you ask me.

The 2006 Rumble fucking sucked in my opinion. That show is right behind December to Dismember as the worst pay-per-view I ever paid for.

And the 2011 Rumble would have to be in serious consideration if Punk's antics could have lasted longer than it did. He was brilliant.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Put me on the boat as one who also loves the 2003 Rumble. It was so perfectly booked.

The 2009 Rumble is severely underrated. Up there with Orton vs. Cactus Jack as Orton's greatest performance to date if you ask me.

The 2006 Rumble fucking sucked in my opinion. That show is right behind December to Dismember as the worst pay-per-view I ever paid for.

And the 2011 Rumble would have to be in serious consideration if Punk's antics could have lasted longer than it did. He was brilliant.

wut?

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Where's all the love for 2004 coming from? Its a good Rumble, but I didn't think Benoit did a thing in it to stand out before he won.

 

[SuperSteve16]

2009 is one of the best rumbles if you ask me