The 2010s will be remembered as a period of great change within the wrestling industry, but one thing that will likely never change is the excitement that fans have felt year after year for the annual Royal Rumble event.
The annual event still inspires fans young and old to buy in to the mystery of surprise entrants, the shock of unexpected eliminations, and the shape of things to come with every single winner. The event itself has seen a lot of changes over the decade as well, so it's time to take a look at the 10 greatest Royal Rumbles from 2010-2019.
10 Royal Rumble 2014
This Rumble match made plenty of headlines at the time, and is still remembered as a focal point for some superstar's future careers. The match has the distinction of being CM Punk's final match in WWE (to date), as well as being the match where then up-and-comer Roman Reigns beat Kane's long-standing record for eliminations with 12, hinting at his favored status to come. The winner Batista would be no stranger to controversy either after returning only a month prior, and the reaction to Daniel Bryan's absence in the match would go on to shape that year's Wrestlemania card. It was truly one to talk about.
9 Greatest Royal Rumble
WWE's first event in Saudi Arabia saw the historic 50-man Rumble match, filled with practically every member of the active roster, and a few odd surprises (who is Hiroki Sumi?). The reputation of WWE's Saudi Arabia shows has been fraught with controversy, but the unique nature of the match at least puts it in the record books, as does the fact that it is genuinely very entertaining for as long as it is. Reputation aside, the Greatest Royal Rumble is far more fun than it tends to get credit for.
8 Royal Rumble 2017
The sheer star power on display in this entry may be one of the greatest that a Rumble match has ever seen. From Goldberg to Undertaker to Brock Lesnar and more, this Rumble definitely felt important and was dotted with many believable winners (something that not every Rumble match has).
Add to that some truly memorable moments like Tye Dillinger's first (and only) appearance in the #10 spot and the flattening of James Ellsworth and Enzo Amore (always entertaining), and this one stands up years later as a raucous and star-studded entry into the Royal Rumble canon.
7 Women's Royal Rumble 2018
The first-ever women's Rumble is another huge change introduced in this decade, and was the next chapter in the evolution of women's wrestling in WWE that continues to this day. The inaugural Rumble did not disappoint in terms of star power or in-ring performances, and it is remembered fondly for its historical significance and how much life could be injected into an age-old match thanks to the talented women on the roster. Asuka's big win and the debut of Ronda Rousey in WWE cement this as an unforgettable main event, and a fine sign of things to come.
6 Women's Royal Rumble 2019
As great as the first women's Rumble match was, 2019 managed to keep up a good precedent by topping it. With many of the legends of the first year already tapped in the first go, WWE decided to let NXT's women take the spotlight, leading to future stars like Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae getting their first look from a large swath of fans.
The coronation of Becky Lynch as a Rumble winner and the reaction of the crowd to this has immortalized the match in the event's history, and has set a heavy precedent for the women's Rumbles to follow.
5 Royal Rumble 2019
The most recent Rumble match ended up being another opportunity for NXT talent to shine, which in turn added an extra zest to the proceedings. Seeing Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, and Aleister Black mix it up with the best of the main roster was refreshing in so many ways, and Seth Rollins lasting until the very end felt like a very natural winner for the match instead of a forced or undeserving one. 2019's Rumble ended up as yet another example of how the event can continue to be as fun as it is after 30 years in the game.
4 Royal Rumble 2011
WWE found itself making history early in the decade as well with the first-ever (and to date, only) 40-man Rumble. This meant that all the stops had to be pulled out, so a large amount of the roster is featured along with huge surprises like the returning Booker T, and the one-night-only appearance of "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel.
For a match as long and involved as it is, it manages to entertain from top to bottom, and the closing moments where it seemed Santino Marella might actually win remain an electrifying anomaly. Here's hoping we get another longer Rumble very soon.
3 Royal Rumble 2018
This Rumble match felt like it had it all: Surprises, comedy, excitement, and a winner that truly felt deserving. Some of the best of the main roster tangled with surprises like Andrade and Adam Cole from NXT, the returning Rey Mysterio, and even The Hurricane! There's a distinct energy to this entry that really kept the good times rolling all throughout, and the big win for Shinsuke Nakamura felt like a sign of good things to come at the time. This one deserves to be remembered as one of the absolute best of the decade.
2 Royal Rumble 2010
The beginning of the decade saw a huge array of stars in wrestling fill the ring, and it's fascinating to see who was on tap in WWE in 2010. At the time, Chris Jericho, Batista, John Cena, and CM Punk felt like old hat, but as the years go by, this Rumble only gets more interesting both to watch and as a time capsule. The sheer level of talent helps to elevate big stories like Edge's return from injury and Shawn Michaels' quest to face The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, and moments like Beth Phoenix's surprise entry remain unforgettable. Count your lucky stars that these performers were in the same ring at the same time, and watch a verified classic of the Royal Rumble canon.
1 Royal Rumble 2016
The very best Rumble of the 2010s was what all of them should be, but few manage to really pull off: Unpredictable. By slotting Roman Reigns at #1 and putting his WWE Championship on the line, an air of uncertainty was added. Could Reigns win the Rumble deemed "One vs All", and if not him, then who? The superstar debut of AJ Styles is one of the event's all-time great moments, and the final stretch between eventual 9-time WWE Champion Triple H and scrappy fan-favorite Dean Ambrose remains a nail-biter, even if you've already seen it. By putting the title on the line, a throwback to the 1992 Rumble match (one also considered one of the greatest ever), WWE added an x-factor that puts this match above the rest in its decade, and into the pantheon of the best Royal Rumble matches in history.