Eyes On Royal Rumble: Top 10 World Title Matches

By @Phranchize19 & @TrueGodImmortal

As the Royal Rumble nears, you'll be seeing some more Rumble related articles from us here at EOTR. With that being said, today, Phranchize and I decided to sit down and combine our opinions on a list of 10 of the best World Title Matches in Rumble History. This list might be controversial, but if you disagree, feel free to share your favorite matches in the comments below. Let's take a look.

10. CM Punk vs Dolph Ziggler
Royal Rumble 2012

-CM Punk was wrestling’s hottest star and management (John Laurinaits) wanted him out as champ. Ziggler earned a title shot by pinning Punk and as a result, we got this match. I felt this was one of Ziggler’s best performances even though this match was overshadowed by the rivalry between Punk and Laurinaitis. It was great action all the way through however and Ziggler showed why he deserved more during this time period.

9. Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker 
Casket Match 
Royal Rumble 1998

-Even though this was just a continuation of the Undertaker vs Kane feud, this match was still fantastic. Sadly, Shawn Michaels would suffer the wrath of this brutal match as he lost his career for four long years following a tough bump on the casket. Shawn wins the match, but loses something more valuable in the aftermath.

8. Bret Hart vs Undertaker 
Royal Rumble 1996

-I (Phranchize) really feel that this match is so vastly underrated. It’s rare that two face wrestlers get in the ring and even with the contrast in styles, this match was brilliant to me. The ending wasn't the greatest way to close it out, but it helped both to keep their momentum.

7. Chris Jericho vs The Rock 
Royal Rumble 2002

-Jericho was in the prime of his career and so was The Rock. This match was one of the best of both men’s careers and you could tell that Jericho was out to prove he was no fluke and that he was main event material as the Undisputed Champion. Jericho wins and cements his legacy even more.

6. The Rock vs Mankind 
I Quit Match
Royal Rumble 1999

-The most brutal and vicious match on this list. The lines of reality and fiction were blurred with this one. Mankind would suffer the most brutal chair shots that we had seen up until that point in WWF. It was a bloody and gruesome match that saw The Rock steal a victory (literally) when it was all said and done.

5. Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins vs John Cena 
Royal Rumble 2015

-A choice from True, this match is one of the most fun matches in Royal Rumble history. It features Cena, Rollins, and Brock going at it for the WWE World Heavyweight Title, and for Rollins, this was the match that made me a believer. With his knack for high flying and stealing the show, Seth did just that, as Brock took time out of the match (he barely wrestles longer than 10 minutes nowadays), while Seth and Cena delighted the audience. Brock walked away with the win, but Seth is the MVP of the match hands down.

4. Triple H vs Shawn Michaels 
Last Man Standing 
Royal Rumble 2004

-One of the most brutal matches I’ve ever seen. You can tell these two laid it all on the line in this one. Although we didn’t get a decisive winner, the decision honestly didn’t hurt the bout. It honestly seemed more fitting that neither man won. You have to revisit this classic.

3. John Cena vs AJ Styles 
Royal Rumble 2017

-A recent classic that was tough to place, Cena vs Styles is one of the best matches of 2017 and one of the best matches in WWE Royal Rumble PPV history, which earns it the title of being top 3 here. I could have put it over Angle vs Benoit, but it just misses that level of greatness by a small amount. The overuse of finishers is the only knock against this match, but at the end, Cena wins title no. 16 and AJ doesn't look weak losing his title, so it worked out okay for the most part. This match is a classic regardless of result however.

2. Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Royal Rumble 2003

-One of the best wrestling matches of all time. These two put on an absolute clinic. Benoit proved that he was worthy of being in a main event spot with one of the best of all time. The action was full of fire and Benoit was closer than he had ever been to walking away with the WWE Title. While many would consider this the best of the best, and it is very close, it just misses the no. 1 spot. What takes no. 1?

1. Triple H vs Cactus Jack
Royal Rumble 2000

-Hands down, the best World Title match in Royal Rumble history. Triple H showed a side of himself that up to that point had never been seen and we all know what Cactus Jack brings. Throw in the Street Fight rules and you get a classic that took Triple H to the next level and allowed the world to see that Mick Foley was still one of a kind in the ring.

-EOTR

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Eyes on the Ring 9:20 PM  No comment

EOTR Feud Of The Week: Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle

By @Phranchize19 and @TrueGodImmortal

Some rivalries are born out of entertainment some are born because wrestlers are the best at that they do. This week we will discuss one of the best rivalries ever in Kurt Angle vs  Chris Benoit, where these two legends gave it all they head over a three year period. Two of the best wrestlers to ever lace up boots, you knew Kurt Angle and Benoit wasn’t going to disappoint from an in ring standpoint, but with the element of entertainment Kurt Angle brought it made for an even more entertaining rivalry. Whether it was about tapping out to a submission or their reluctant tag team, they would entertain the audience through the duration of their epic feud.

Best Match
It was tough to pinpoint a single match that was their best encounter, because there are so many, but this is the one we selected and I think most would agree that it's hard to argue against it.

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
WWE Championship
Royal Rumble 2003

-Hands down their best encounter. This wasn’t about entertainment. This wasn’t about fun. This was about Angle being back on the mountaintop and Benoit wanting to win the title. These two went out and put on an absolute clinic. When you think of a wrestling clinic this is the match you show people, for a few reasons. For one, Angle showcased why he was one of the best. Two, Benoit had what would likely be considered his breakthrough performance, as the standing ovation he got after the match was huge, and set the tone for him to win the Rumble the very next season. There are so many matches we could reference as their best, as they have some classics on Smackdown, at Unforgiven 2002, Backlash 2001, and many others. This feud would spawn so many great matches that it would take up the entire article. There isn't a bad match in their feud at all.

Underrated Matches
There are so many great matches that we figured we should list a couple of those, since there are no bad matches to speak of, only matches that were too short and mostly don't even count. Let's take a look at the underrated matches. 

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
2 Out Of 3 Falls/Three Stages Of Hell
Judgment Day 2001

-We were tempted to put their Unforgiven 2002 clash here in the first spot but this match was too good to ignore. You have to love every second of this. These two went out there and arguably had the best match of the night. It was simply fantastic. They never had a bad match as the two had excellent chemistry that can never be ignored, so with that being said, let's take a look at two more underrated matches in their feud.

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Wrestlemania 17

-Another match between these two technicians that showcased exactly what you expected. Angle and Benoit went at each other with everything they had and this match tends to get slept on just because it's a part of one of the greatest events in WWE history, and in my opinion, the greatest Wrestlemania ever.

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Ultimate Submission
Backlash 2001

-The master of the Ankle Lock. The master of the Crossface. These two went at it in an often forgotten match that showed that both men were able to compete at the highest level for over 30 minutes. This match was fun, and even went to sudden death, where Benoit pulled out the win continuing his face turn and push. I honestly think that 2001 feud between Angle and Benoit is one of the best feuds in ring wise of the last 20 years. It was consistent top tier performances over and over again, and this match was another on the list.

Who Won The Feud
I would say Angle won barely, as the high profile matches saw him get the win, including Wrestlemania 17 and Judgment Day 2001, along with their best match, Royal Rumble 2003. Benoit got the victory at Unforgiven 2002 and Backlash 2001, but it seemed that Angle had his number. This feud would end up catapulting Benoit to the next level, pushing him to become a main event level star by the time it was finished, so in reality, no one really lost this feud. It's a classic feud that needs to be remembered and appreciated for years to come.

-EOTR

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Eyes on the Ring 1:38 AM  No comment