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- With the 2022 Royal Rumble premium live event in the rearview mirror, and the Elimination Chamber event completed, the path to WrestleMania looks clearer. Unfortunately, both the men's and women's Royal Rumble matches in 2022 were underwhelming affairs. Dave Meltzer who has covered professional wrestling for decades will be celebrating his 40th anniversary with the publication of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer isn't afraid to voice his opinions, and he has rubbed some wrestlers up the wrong way with his opinions and ratings on matches. Nonetheless, Meltzer has been fair for the majority of the Royal Rumble matches he has watched. None have managed to get a five-star rating, but some have been rated highly. Royal Rumble matches are encounters that fans look forward to every year. Especially with two Rumble matches a year, the hotly anticipated event makes fans excited. Meltzer is no different, and he knows a quality match when he sees one.
The Royal Rumble match has become one of the best gimmick matches that WWE has ever created. Since 1993, the winner of the Royal Rumble has earned the right to challenge for a World Championship at WrestleMania. This titular bout has evolved over the years, and since 2018, there has been a women's Royal Rumble match with fans now treated to two Royal Rumble matches on one show.
It can be unpredictable to pick out a winner, and the element of having usual suspects, newer talents, and surprising entrants makes this match captivating to watch. Even casual fans may tune into wrestling for the Royal Rumble since the Royal Rumble marks the beginning of the road to WrestleMania. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer has a wealth of knowledge about professional wrestling, and he has watched a ton of Royal Rumble matches, which he has rated his favorites on his Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
UPDATE: 2022/02/24 16:19 EST BY Tevon King
With the 2022 Royal Rumble premium live event in the rearview mirror, and the Elimination Chamber event completed, the path to WrestleMania looks clearer. Unfortunately, both the men's and women's Royal Rumble matches in 2022 were underwhelming affairs. Dave Meltzer who has covered professional wrestling for decades will be celebrating his 40th anniversary with the publication of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer isn't afraid to voice his opinions, and he has rubbed some wrestlers up the wrong way with his opinions and ratings on matches. Nonetheless, Meltzer has been fair for the majority of the Royal Rumble matches he has watched. None have managed to get a five-star rating, but some have been rated highly. Royal Rumble matches are encounters that fans look forward to every year. Especially with two Rumble matches a year, the hotly anticipated event makes fans excited. Meltzer is no different, and he knows a quality match when he sees one.
UPDATE: 2023/01/24 06:30 EST BY TEVON KING
The Royal Rumble has been a staple on the WWE calendar since its very first show in 1988. The Royal Rumble is seen as the official start on the long, arduous road to WrestleMania. The excitement and unpredictability of the Royal Rumble match have made it one of the best gimmick matches in WWE history. The prize is a World Championship match at WrestleMania. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer has watched every Royal Rumble match, and he isn't one to shy away from giving his opinions. His opinions may not always be a true reflection on a match, but most of the time Meltzer has got it right. Nevertheless, not every Royal Rumble match has delivered in terms of quality, but the unpredictability of the match has kept fans hooked for many years.
18 1988 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
The inaugural Royal Rumble match in 1988 had nothing on the line, but there were still some big names involved. Surprisingly, this match failed to close out the show. Nevertheless, the likes of Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, The Ultimate Warrior, and Jake Roberts were involved.
This is the only Royal Rumble match in WWE history to feature just 20 competitors. Ultimately, Jim Duggan eliminated One Man Gang to win the Royal Rumble match, and since there was no World Championship match at WrestleMania on the horizon, Duggan's victory is hardly mentioned.
17 2013 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
The result of the 2013 Royal Rumble match was reasonably obvious with John Cena lastly eliminating Ryback to win his second Royal Rumble match. The likes of Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, Cody Rhodes, Sheamus, Wade Barrett, and Randy Orton were contenders to win the Rumble but Big Match John was the favorite.
This was a decent Royal Rumble match, and credit has to be given to Ziggler and Jericho for going far and lasting almost 47 minutes. Nonetheless, Cena's victory was among the most predictable in WWE history, and he went on to defeat The Rock for the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 29.
16 2011 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
WWE changed the 2011 Royal Rumble match by making it a 40-man Royal Rumble. Whilst, the concept seemed like a good idea, it was disappointing as there were a lot of midcard and lower-tier competitors in the Rumble. In spite of this, CM Punk was the star of the show for the first part of the Rumble as he eliminated several competitors with the help of his New Nexus table.
The Corre was involved in proceedings, and Diesel and Booker T made surprising returns in the Royal Rumble. However, Alberto Del Rio eliminated Santino Marella to win the 2011 Royal Rumble match which wasn't a popular choice.
15 1995 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
The 1995 Royal Rumble match is one of the shortest in WWE history as there were just one-minute intervals between each entrant. Nonetheless, it was an average Royal Rumble match, and Shawn Michaels and The British Bulldog kicked things off as the first two participants.
The likes of Lex Luger, Owen Hart, and Crush were looking to pick up a huge victory by winning the Royal Rumble match. In the closing stages, The British Bulldog thought he had eliminated Shawn Michaels to win the Royal Rumble match, but he was standing on the middle rope, and Michaels survived with one foot touching the floor, and he eliminated Bulldog to become the first Royal Rumble match winner from the number one spot.
14 2010 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
The 2010 Royal Rumble match was full of many storylines. Shawn Michaels was desperately trying to face The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 26. His hopes were dashed by Batista in one of the most heartbreaking moments in Rumble history. Moreover, Beth Phoenix became the second woman after Chyna to compete in a men's Royal Rumble match.
Edge made a surprising return as the 29th entrant. The Rated-R Superstar's surgically repaired Achilles' tendon was fine, and he eliminated his former tag team partner Chris Jericho from the match. Ultimately, Edge got the better of his old rival John Cena to win the Royal Rumble for the first time in his career.
13 2006 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
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Somehow the 2006 Royal Rumble match failed to close out the 2006 Royal Rumble. The two World Title matches followed suit immediately after. Nevertheless, Triple H was the number one entrant, and Rey Mysterio entered second. This Rumble was decent, and Mysterio was looking to pay tribute to his late friend Eddie Guerrero, who passed away two months prior.
The Game had a brilliant performance, and he eliminated six competitors en route to reaching the final four. Shawn Michaels was eliminated by Shane McMahon, who wasn't involved in the match. Nonetheless, Randy Orton was the 30th participant, and he fancied his chances of winning the Rumble. Ultimately, Mysterio outlasted Triple H and Orton punching his ticket to WrestleMania 22 in the process.
12 2009 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
It was quite obvious that Randy Orton was going to win the 2009 Royal Rumble match. The Viper made use of his fellow Legacy allies Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase. The trio reached the final four, and their main rival Triple H also navigated his way into the final four.
The Rumble was full of star power with the likes of The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Big Show, CM Punk, Kane, and Rey Mysterio competing. Rob Van Dam made a one-off return in his final WWE appearance for four years. Nonetheless, Orton lastly threw the Game over the top rope to book his spot in the main event of WrestleMania 25.
11 2002 Royal Rumble Match - 3.5 Stars
The 2002 Royal Rumble match was the final Royal Rumble match under the WWF banner, and it did not fail to disappoint. The Undertaker dominated the first portion of the Rumble. However, he was stopped in his tracks by Maven which produced one of the most shocking eliminations in the history of the Rumble.
Steve Austin competed in his final Royal Rumble match, and it was a vintage performance. He tossed over seven opponents, and he reached the final four. Mr. Perfect, Goldust, The Godfather, and Val Venis made their returns to WWE. Triple H returned to WWE on the January 7, 2002, edition of Raw, and it was no surprise that he won the Royal Rumble match after he saw off Kurt Angle.
10 2021 Women's Royal Rumble Match - 3.75 Stars
Once again, the women knocked it out of the park in the women's Royal Rumble match in 2021. The longest-reigning SmackDown Women's Champion in history, Bayley was the number one entrant, and she was expected to have a deep run. That failed to materialize, but the EST of WWE, Bianca Belair was the standout performer.
Belair entered third, and she endured 56 minutes and 52 seconds which is one of the longest times in history. Victoria, Jillian Hall, and Alicia Fox were the surprise returns. Belair and Ripley were the final two combatants, and they went back and forth in an epic showdown. The Nightmare gave it her best shot but Belair got the win en route to headlining WrestleMania 37.
9 2017 Royal Rumble Match - 3.75 Stars
The 2017 Royal Rumble match was one of the most star-studded fields that WWE has assembled in the history of Royal Rumble matches. Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, The Undertaker, Goldberg, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, and Brock Lesnar were amongst the star-studded names who were looking to punch their ticket for a World Championship match at WrestleMania 33.
Despite all the marquee names, this Rumble was underwhelming. Although, Dave Meltzer enjoyed it and thought it was worthy of 3.75 stars. Nevertheless, the Viper and Reigns were the final two participants, and Orton saw off the Big Dog to win the Royal Rumble match for the second time.
8 2004 Royal Rumble Match - 3.75 Stars
Chris Benoit became the second man after Shawn Michaels to win the Royal Rumble match from the number one spot in 2004. Unfortunately, this quality Royal Rumble match is not spoken about because of Benoit's involvement.
The likes of Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, and Randy Orton all had decent performances. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar wasn't a part of the Rumble, but he played a huge role in Goldberg's elimination as he nailed him with his trademark F5. Big Show finished as runner-up for the second time in five years with Benoit getting one over on him.
7 1992 Royal Rumble Match - 3.75 Stars
In previous Royal Rumble matches wrestlers were fighting for pride but the 1992 Royal Rumble match had so much riding on it. The 30-man Royal Rumble match was for the vacant WWE Championship.
This Royal Rumble match was perfectly constructed with Ric Flair playing the role of the Iron Man as he entered third and endured an hour. Former WWE Champions The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, and Randy Savage were looking to reclaim the WWE Title. Ultimately, it was the Nature Boy who stood tall by lastly eliminating Sid Justice with an unlikely helping hand from Hogan to win the WWE Championship for the very first time.
6 2016 Royal Rumble Match - 4 Stars
Roman Reigns had to overcome insurmountable odds if he was going to walk out of the Amway Center with his WWE Championship intact. The Big Dog's WWE Championship was on the line in the 2016 Royal Rumble match with Reigns entering at the start as the number one entrant.
This Rumble was superb with AJ Styles finally making his WWE debut as the third entrant. Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose came narrowly close to becoming a double champion, and Triple H returned to action as the 30th participant. Many fans felt that Ambrose should have prevailed, but the Game eliminated him to win his second Rumble and most importantly capturing his 14th WWE World Championship.
5 2007 Royal Rumble Match - 4 Stars
The 2007 Royal Rumble match was loaded with former World Champions aplenty. Marquee names included Edge, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, Rob Van Dam, King Booker, and The Undertaker all slugging it out to win the Royal Rumble.
Michaels was the hometown favorite with the Rumble taking place in San Antonio, Texas just like it did a decade ago. Rated-RKO reached the latter stages, but their quest was halted by HBK who eliminated both men as Edge was going to nail Undertaker with a con-chair-to. However, Michaels and Undertaker showcased compelling drama as they went back and forth to win the Rumble. The Showstopper was looking to hit his patented Sweet Chin Music, but Undertaker sidestepped, and threw him over the top rope to become the first man to win the Rumble from the favorable 30th position.
4 Men's 2021 Royal Rumble Match - 4.25 Stars
Both men's and women's Royal Rumble matches in 2021 were unfortunate to take place behind closed doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, fans at home were treated to an outstanding men's Royal Rumble match.
Former Royal Rumble winners Edge and Randy Orton kickstarted the match as the first two participants. The Viper spent a large chunk out of the match as Edge planted him with an Edgecution on an announce table. Moreover, the likes of Christian and Carlito made their long-awaited returns to WWE, and you could guarantee that they would have received a huge reception had fans been present. The action was fast-paced, and Edge picked up his second Rumble victory after seeing off Orton.
3 Men's 2018 Royal Rumble Match - 4.25 Stars
The 2018 men's Royal Rumble match played second fiddle to the inaugural women's Royal Rumble match as the men failed to close out the show. Nonetheless, it was a very good Rumble match.
2015 winner Roman Reigns was a strong favorite to prevail, and fellow former Rumble winners Randy Orton and John Cena also had a strong case to win the match. Ultimately, the Rumble flowed well, and Shinsuke Nakamura stunned Reigns to win the Rumble in his maiden Rumble appearance.
2 2008 Royal Rumble Match - 4.25 Stars
For the second time in the 2000s, WWE staged the Royal Rumble in the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden in 2008. The Royal Rumble match that year started the way it finished the year prior with 2007 winner The Undertaker and runner-up Shawn Michaels opening proceedings.
The match was jam-packed with the likes of Kane, Triple H, and Batista taking competing in the Rumble. Even Mick Foley showed up as did "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. However, John Cena was injured three months earlier, and somehow he managed to return in time as a surprising 30th entrant. Fans were in shock, and Big Match John went on to win the Rumble at Triple H's expense.
1 Men's 2020 Royal Rumble Match - 4.25 Stars
When WWE Champion Brock Lesnar declared that he would be entering the Royal Rumble match, fans were unsure of what to expect as it had major WrestleMania implications. It was the first time that the WWE Championship was not contested at the Rumble since 1990. The Beast Incarnate's involvement as the number one participant was great as he had a great chance of winning.
Lesnar dominated the early parts of the Rumble with ease as he single-handedly eliminated the majority of the field with 13 eliminations to his name. Ultimately, Drew McIntyre stopped him in his tracks. The most memorable part of the men's 2020 Royal Rumble match was Edge's unexpected return. The Rated-R Superstar competed in a WWE ring for the first time in nine years since his premature retirement. Nonetheless, McIntyre staved off stiff competition to punch his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 36.