In your opinion, what is your favorite Royal Rumble in the last 8 years? (Specifically the Rumble itself)

2001 really sticks out to me, mostly because this was the peak of being a wrestling fan and seeing Stone Cold win was pretty cool. I also liked 2004, even though it didn't have a lot of surprises, I didn't think Benoit would win and he put in a pretty good performance. I want to get a few more on DVD as I haven't seen that many. Really I think it's the best match in wrestling as it's got a lot of pure fan service.

I've gone for 2001 as well. 2003 was really good at the time but is unwatchable for me now since it was Chris Voldemort that won...

The last ten minutes of the 2007 Rumble were outstanding too

2001 for me as well

Dr Hellwig PhD wrote:2003 was really good at the time but is unwatchable for me now since it was Chris Voldemort that won...

What's wrong with Lesnar winning?

The Stig wrote:

Dr Hellwig PhD wrote:2003 was really good at the time but is unwatchable for me now since it was Chris Voldemort that won...

What's wrong with Lesnar winning?

Think he meant 2004.

01, 04 and 07 stick in my mind. 08 ending wasn't bad with the Cena surprise return but the crowd was shit.

Shaunj4 wrote:

The Stig wrote:

Dr Hellwig PhD wrote:2003 was really good at the time but is unwatchable for me now since it was Chris Voldemort that won...

What's wrong with Lesnar winning?

Think he meant 2004.

But that was when Chris Benoit won. What's wrong with one of the best wrestlers ever winning?

Probably 2005.

2004 was a good Rumble but you knew from the start that Bentknot was winning.

2005, although I knew it would be either Batista or Cena, I genuinely didn't know who they'd give it to on the night. The double-elimination and Vince having to come out also made it somewhat exiciting.

The Stig wrote:

Shaunj4 wrote:

The Stig wrote:

Dr Hellwig PhD wrote:2003 was really good at the time but is unwatchable for me now since it was Chris Voldemort that won...

What's wrong with Lesnar winning?

Think he meant 2004.

But that was when Chris Benoit won. What's wrong with one of the best wrestlers ever winning?

I did mean 2004 and you know fine well why I would have trouble watching it in retrospect - for the sake of my own sanity and so as not to pander to your trollism, I'm not biting.

I dont see the problem in supporting the Benoit character though he was an underdog who broke through the glass ceiling it was as a person he fell short. Kinda like in Naked Gun Nordberg was loveable in a clumsy sort of way but in real life OJ was a wife killing, breaking and entering piece of shit

IOV wrote:I dont see the problem in supporting the Benoit character though he was an underdog who broke through the glass ceiling it was as a person he fell short. Kinda like in Naked Gun Nordberg was loveable in a clumsy sort of way but in real life OJ was a wife killing, breaking and entering piece of shit

The key difference being that Nordberg was polls apart from OJ Simpson - it was part of the joke that one of the greatest American Football players of all time was playing someone who was such a klutz. Benoit wasn't playing a character at all - he was an underdog who really did break the glass ceiling, the emotion at Wrestlemania when he and Eddie stood in the ring with the belts was incredible and, as I was absolutely bladdered, I shed a few tears myself not because an underdog character had won the title but because an underdog wrestler who had been written off countless times by bigger names than him as being vanilla, too dull and too small to hold the title had won the title at the biggest show of them all and that was a fantastic achievement for the man not the character.

I appreciate the point that you're making but to me the character and the man are only shades apart and while I'm not hysterical at the idea of ever watching a match that Benoit is in again, I can't suspend my disbelief and be absorbed by the drama and emotion of the match anymore because I can't help but think of what happened - it's the same reason that I struggle to watch some Dynamite Kid stuff, as spectacular and hard hitting as his matches are, there's still that part of me that can't help but think I'm watching a man slowly cripple himself.

I get why somone wouldnt wanna watch Benoit matches. I still watch them personally but it is at the back of your mind constantly that he killed his wife and kid.

2001 was awesome. Did that not have the HHH vs Kurt Angle title match and Benoit vs Jericho IC title ladder match too?

Kane in the Rumble was my highlight.

2001 was a damn good Rumble, loved the ladder match, and Kane was awesome in the Rumble match.

2004 was also pretty good too (couldve done without Lesnar vs Holly though)

2001 had the best Rumble match, but I prefer 2000 as an overall card.

Dr Hellwig PhD wrote:

IOV wrote:I dont see the problem in supporting the Benoit character though he was an underdog who broke through the glass ceiling it was as a person he fell short. Kinda like in Naked Gun Nordberg was loveable in a clumsy sort of way but in real life OJ was a wife killing, breaking and entering piece of shit

The key difference being that Nordberg was polls apart from OJ Simpson - it was part of the joke that one of the greatest American Football players of all time was playing someone who was such a klutz. Benoit wasn't playing a character at all - he was an underdog who really did break the glass ceiling, the emotion at Wrestlemania when he and Eddie stood in the ring with the belts was incredible and, as I was absolutely bladdered, I shed a few tears myself not because an underdog character had won the title but because an underdog wrestler who had been written off countless times by bigger names than him as being vanilla, too dull and too small to hold the title had won the title at the biggest show of them all and that was a fantastic achievement for the man not the character.

I appreciate the point that you're making but to me the character and the man are only shades apart and while I'm not hysterical at the idea of ever watching a match that Benoit is in again, I can't suspend my disbelief and be absorbed by the drama and emotion of the match anymore because I can't help but think of what happened - it's the same reason that I struggle to watch some Dynamite Kid stuff, as spectacular and hard hitting as his matches are, there's still that part of me that can't help but think I'm watching a man slowly cripple himself.

Good point, I know I cringed a few times when watching the 2001 ladder match he and Jericho had at the Rumble with all the head shots especially the suicide dive into the chair but im fairly sure i cringed at those first time round as well. I guess it just comes down to the person, in a way we are lucky he went out the way he did at least we dont have pointless Benoit matchs stuck in for no reason ala Eddie Guerrero on the Stone Cold and Rock DVD's

Just joking (kinda)

are we talking about overall show or just Rumble match?


As far as just Rumble match, 2004 wins hands down, although obviously that is erased from memory now


Quality wise, the 2001 match was as good as last nights, although 2001 was far more entertaining in it.


i'd go 2000 Undercard, 2004 match, 2001 overall

I always have enjoyed the 2001 one, lots of really good moments and a lot of stuff happening! Whenever the ring wasn't clogged something entertaining was going on, and it made for a lot of fun.