10 Most Exciting WWE Royal Rumble Finishes
7. A Giant Obstacle - 2004
Chris Benoit was the sentimental favorite to win the 2004 Royal Rumble, but it wasn't going to be easy. Before the match, Smackdown GM Paul Heyman punished him with the #1 entry spot in the bout, meaning that in order to win, he'd have to become only the second man in history to outlast the entire field of competitors.
Given that the field included Chris Jericho, John Cena, Goldberg, and Kurt Angle, that was no easy task. Ultimately, though, the match came down to a final three of Angle, Benoit, and The Big Show. With Benoit incapacitated, Angle and Big Show battled, but the giant's power proved to be too much for the Olympic Gold Medalist. He applied an Ankle Lock, but Big Show kicked out of it so hard that Angle was thrown over the ropes.
That left Benoit and Big Show. Benoit locked Show in the Crippler Crossface in the center of the ring, but that wasn't going to eliminate him. Sure enough, Show got to his feet and deposited Benoit on the apron, but "The Crippler" grabbed a front facelock. Angling down toward the apron, he was actually able to pull Show over the ropes and out of the ring, securing his spot at WrestleMania.