Best WWE Royal Rumble PPVs

Summary

• Royal Rumble matches are fan favorites in WWE, featuring 30 competitors vying to throw their opponents out of the ring and win an opportunity at WrestleMania. (100 characters)
• Royal Rumble 2002 had a predictable finish with Triple H making his comeback, but other matches on the card were forgettable. (100 characters)
• The 2018 Royal Rumble was significant with the first women’s Royal Rumble and a thrilling men’s match that set the stage for WrestleMania. (100 characters)

The Royal Rumble match has been a fan-favorite tradition in the WWE since its debut in January 1988. In fact, even those who aren’t interested in professional wrestling tend to get a kick out of Royal Rumbles, both on TV and in tie-in video games. Royal Rumble matches feature 30 competitors who try to throw their opponents out of the ring over the top rope, with the winner being the last wrestler standing. The winner’s prize is an opportunity to compete for a championship at WrestleMania.

The Royal Rumble pay-pay-view is one of the WWE’s biggest alongside SummerSlam and WrestleMania, and there have been some incredible events over the years.

While the Rumble matches hold more weight than any other contests on these cards, the focus is on the quality of the full PPVs. Dave Meltzer’s star ratings have also been included as a reference.

Updated January 11, 2025 by Mark Sammut: Royal Rumble season is almost here, with WWE’s event being scheduled for February 2, 2025. As the first PPV following WWE’s Netflix debut, the show will be readily available to watch on the streaming platform (not counting Saturday Night’s Main Event XXXVIII). Beyond that landmark, the event will be John Cena’s final Royal Rumble, which is a huge deal for anyone who has been watching the product for the last two decades. Hopefully, it will be better than 2024’s version. To help pass the time until February 2, this is the perfect opportunity to rewatch the best WWE Royal Rumble PPVs.

12

Royal Rumble 2002

Star-Studded Rumble & Underrated Title Match

• Date: January 20, 2022
• Location: Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia

A predictable finish can hurt a Royal Rumble match, but sometimes there is simply only one correct winner. After suffering a serious injury that left him out of action for roughly nine months, Triple H made his in-ring comeback at 2002’s Royal Rumble PPV, and the crowd popped big for the wrestler.

The Royal Rumble is primarily remembered for this moment, which is unfair since it is generally a great match. Steve Austin gave a performance that compares favorably to any of his three wins, Mr. Perfect made a surprise return and looked sharp in the ring, and Maven eliminated The Undertaker, a decision that had no consequences.

Otherwise, this PPV is largely forgettable. The only other bout that is really worth seeking out is Chris Jericho versus The Rock for the Undisputed WWF Championship, which is the best match of Y2J’s disappointing title run.

11

Royal Rumble 2005

Really Fun Rumble With An Iconic Ending

• Date: January 30, 2005
• Location: Save Mart Center in Fresno, California

2005’s Royal Rumble PPV has one of the most infamous mistakes in not just Royal Rumble history but in WWE history, period. John Cena and Batista were the last men standing and, in what appeared to be an incredible moment of timing, both men simultaneously fell out of the ring with their feet hitting the floor at the exact same time.

However, it turned out that Batista wasn’t supposed to fall out of the ring and the pair falling in sync was just a bizarre coincidence. Believe it or not, the worst was yet to come, as Vince McMahon charged down to the ring to improvise a finish but miraculously managed to tear both of his quads, forcing him to sit on the ground while barking orders like a child throwing a tantrum. The match was restarted, and Batista finally got his win.

Although the botch is what most people remember, the Royal Rumble match was otherwise a blast, highlighting WWE’s stacked line-up at the time. The rest of the card is a mixed bag, although Shawn Michaels and Edge got things off to a strong start. Triple H and Orton’s title bout has little heat since it basically marked the end of the latter’s poorly received face run, but the match itself is fine and much better than their WrestleMania 25 fight.

10

Royal Rumble 2019

The Height Of The Man

• Date: January 27, 2019
• Location: Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona

The 2019 Royal Rumble PPV is difficult to rank since most of the matches are good but fall short of greatness. The best bout on the card is the main show’s opener, Asuka versus Becky Lynch, which is probably still the pair’s most memorable encounter. Later in the night, Sasha Banks and Ronda Rousey came close to matching the opening bout, crafting a match that is still among the latter’s strongest in WWE. While Daniel Bryan against AJ Styles is technically immaculate, the match is heatless due to its placement on the card; meanwhile, Brock Lesnar and Finn Balor’s WWE Universal Championship match is short but sweet.

Neither of the Royal Rumbles are amazing, but they are both above average. The women’s match is primarily remembered for Lynch’s unexpected appearance, a decision that gave fans exactly what they wanted at the time. Seth Rollins’ Rumble win was also the right call.

9

Royal Rumble 1992

A Classic That Mostly Holds Up

• Date: January 19, 1992
• Location: Knickerbocker Arena in Troy, New York

Unlike the vast majority of Royal Rumble matches, where the prize is a title match at WrestleMania, the 1992 show saw the men competing for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship. The match is considered by some to be the best Royal Rumble match in history, thanks in no small part to Ric Flair, who would go on to win the match after entering third.

The PPV also featured a Tag Team Championship match between The Natural Disasters and The Legion of Doom, as well as an Intercontinental Championship match between Roddy Piper and The Mountie. Outside the Rumble match itself, the rest of the card is largely lacking in memorable encounters, and it is not helped by the inclusion of three tag team bouts.

8

Royal Rumble 2000

Mostly A One Match Show, But What A Match

• Date: January 23, 2000
• Location: Madison Square Garden in New York

Unlike most of the PPVs on this list, where the Royal Rumble match was the highlight, Royal Rumble 2000 is best remembered for the show-stealing match between Triple H and Cactus Jack. The pair contested in a bloody Street Fight for the WWE Championship that cemented Triple H as a top star. The show also featured the debut of Tazz, who defeated Kurt Angle to a huge pop from his home crowd, and an excellent tables match between The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz.

Unfortunately, the Royal Rumble match holds the PPV back as it is one of the weaker efforts of the early 2000s. Although not terrible, the Rumble predominantly consists of mid-carders who have no hope whatsoever of winning, and there is little excitement until The Rock’s arrival at the 24th spot and almost no tension during the final stretch of eliminations. That said, as the climactic spot was mistimed, Big Show technically won this match.

7

Royal Rumble 2018

A Few DUDS Aside, A Consistently Good Show

• Date: January 28, 2018
• Location: Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The 2018 Royal Rumble will forever be an important one, as it was the first to feature a women’s Royal Rumble. 30-women competed in the main event for the chance to compete for either Alexa Bliss’ Raw Women’s Championship or Charlotte Flair’s SmackDown Women’s Championship. The match surpassed even the highest of expectations, and many fans were happy to see Asuka win. The match was topped off by a debut appearance from Ronda Rousey, who would go on to compete at that year’s WrestleMania.

Elsewhere on the show, Shinsuke Nakamura won a thrilling men’s Royal Rumble that, at the time, felt like the start of a new era. It also set the stage for AJ Styles and Nakamura to face off at WrestleMania, a dream match that did not quite meet expectations. Brock Lesnar beat Braun Strowman and Kane in an underwhelming Triple Threat match that went viral when Brock Lesnar intentionally threw a real punch at Strowman.

6

Royal Rumble 2008

The Ultimate Rumble Return

• Date: January 27, 2008
• Location: Madison Square Garden In New York

2008’s Royal Rumble is best remembered for John Cena’s shock return, as he somehow managed to recover from a torn pectoral muscle injury in just three months. Cena had spent much of 2007 getting booed by WWE crowds, though Madison Square Garden erupted when his music played for the 30th competitor. This return has lived on in legend, and it is arguably one of Cena’s greatest moments. The rest of the match is also great, and it gets off to a fantastic start with The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. There are even a few surprise returns like Roddy Piper.

Elsewhere on the show, Randy Orton beat Jeff Hardy in a decent WWE Championship match, and Edge retained his World Heavyweight Championship against Rey Mysterio. Neither of these contests are must-watch, but they are more than serviceable undercard options for this type of PPV.

5

Royal Rumble 2007

Ending On A High Note

• Date: January 28, 2007
• Location: AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas

The year before Cena made his shock return to win the 2008 Royal Rumble, The Undertaker and Shawn Michales had a memorable one-on-one contest as the last two competitors of 2007’s Royal Rumble match. The incredible fight had fans begging for a WrestleMania match between the veteran pair, a contest that would indeed happen at WrestleMania 25 and is today considered by many to be the best match in WrestleMania history.

Prior to the Royal Rumble match, Batista defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Mr. Kennedy in a forgettable match, while the WWE Championship was on the line in a Last Man Standing match between Cena and Umaga. A vicious and violent epic, the latter was one of Cena’s best matches up to that point in his career, and arguably the highlight of Umaga’s tragically short run in WWE.

4

Royal Rumble 2023

A New Era

• Date: January 28, 2023
• Location: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

The first Royal Rumble of the HHH era was a blockbuster that largely lived up to expectations, even if it had a few low points. While the rumble matches naturally attracted attention, the main talking point coming out of this PLE was Sami Zayn turning on Roman Reigns and the Bloodline after the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship title match, a decision fueled by the group’s violent assault on Kevin Owens. This moment was so huge that it necessitated that Reigns and Owens’ bout end the show, which is something that rarely happens at the Royal Rumble. In 2023, the Bloodline story was the best thing in WWE and, arguably, all wrestling, and one of its best beats happened at Royal Rumble 2023. The match itself was good, although nothing too special.

The Rumble matches were both very good, with their predictable winners being their only major downside. Rhea Ripley not only won the Women’s Rumble but also put on a fantastic iron woman performance by lasting the whole match. On the men’s side, Cody Rhodes booked his ticket to WrestleMania 39, eliminating Gunther along the way. The latter also lasted the full match.

The event was somewhat let down by its two undercard bouts. Bianca Belair defended her title against Alexa Bliss in a forgettable fight that was held back by an underbaked story that failed to inject any tension into the feud. Bray Wyatt’s final match before his tragic passing also happened at Royal Rumble 2023, and it was unfortunately not great. That said, this match takes absolutely nothing away from Wyatt’s legacy.

3

Royal Rumble 2017

All-Around Fantastic Show, Let Down Slightly By An Uninspired Rumble Winner

• Date: January 29, 2017
• Location: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

Sometimes, an underwhelming conclusion can cast a shadow over everything that came before it, especially an event like the Royal Rumble, which is generally remembered for the quality of its eponymous match. Now, to be clear, 2017’s bout is mostly enjoyable, with a very strong first half. However, Randy Orton did not need the win in 2017, and this result just ended the night on an unexciting note. This also paved the way for a dreadful match at the next WrestleMania.

However, moving past the Rumble’s conclusion, Royal Rumble 2017 is arguably one of the most well-rounded entries in the genre, especially if the pre-show matches are ignored. Charlotte Flair versus Bayley and Neville versus Rich Swann are pitch-perfect undercard matches, and both of them are given enough time to tell good stories. All four wrestlers have had much better matches, but they did not have off-nights either.

Royal Rumble 2017 should be defined by its men’s title matches, which are both spectacular and also wildly different from each other. Kevin Owens defeated Roman Reigns in an over-the-top NO DQ bout that is the epitome of sports entertainment. As good as that contest is, the match of the night was undoubtedly John Cena versus AJ Styles, who finished their trilogy with arguably their strongest showing yet. For about 25 minutes, they put on an absolute clinic without leaving the ring.

2

Royal Rumble 2020

Almost Perfect PPV

• Date: January 26, 2020
• Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas

Prior to 2022’s awful Royal Rumble PPV, WWE was on a winning streak, particularly when it comes to the Men’s Rumble matches. Frankly, 2020 deserves to be mentioned among the best WWE Royal Rumbles for its main event alone.

Despite being WWE Champion at the time, Brock Lesnar not only took part in the Royal Rumble but also opened it; consequently, the contest’s first half consists of new entrants coming to the ring, facing off against The Beast, and being promptly eliminated. On paper, this sounds repetitive, but WWE paced this section beautifully by incorporating wrestlers like Keith Lee, Rey Mysterio, and Shelton Benjamin. Once Drew McIntyre joins the match and eliminates Lesnar to a massive ovation, the Royal Rumble enters its second phase. A few minutes later, McIntyre’s pop is surpassed by the returning Edge, who had retired roughly a decade earlier.

Although overshadowed by the main event, the rest of the 2020 Royal Rumble is pretty good. Charlotte Flair’s Women’s Rumble win is a fun watch, while Becky Lynch and Asuka’s title match is unsurprisingly good. The Fiend and Daniel Bryan also have a memorable Strap match.

1

Royal Rumble 2001

The Definitive Rumble Match & A Very Solid Undercard

• Date: January 21, 2001
• Location: New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana

WWE seemingly didn’t feel the pressure of having to top the previous year’s Royal Rumble, as the very next year, the company put on an even better show. The night’s Royal Rumble showcased the company’s incredible roster at the time, with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kane, The Rock, The Undertaker, and Jeff Hardy all competing to be the last man standing. Stone Cold would emerge as the winner, making him the first person to win three Royal Rumbles – a feat that still hasn’t been matched.

Except for a WWF Women’s Championship match that is more of an angle than an actual contest, the rest of the card is pretty darn great. The highlight is undoubtedly a grueling ladder match between Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit. While some moments are uncomfortable to rewatch in this day and age, the bout tells a great story and is given plenty of time to breathe.