10 Best WWE Royal Rumble Final Fours

Royal Rumble matches have built its legacy on producing moments, may it be a heroic superstar return or a blisteringly brutal elimination spot. These moments become etched into the lineage of WWE’s annual 30 man over-the-top-rope melee, and this is why the Royal Rumble is so deeply loved.

Often, the best and most exciting moments fall in the match's climax.

A heavy-hitting final four can launch a Rumble into stratospheric heights, but a dud equivalent can ruin it entirely.

The final four spot is one that is used to set off the Rumble’s final stages and tease fans with potential routes WWE may be leading them down on the impending Road To WrestleMania. To finish a Rumble with a bang, the final four finishing sequence needs to keep audiences on the edge of their seat, a thrilling match within a match carried out by a quartet who possess a worthy amount of star power.

You cannot have one without the other, because the ultimate blend of star power and exciting finishing sequence holds the key to a spectacular Royal Rumble Final Four.

2002’s 30 man extravaganza is given the cold shoulder when discussing great Royal Rumble matches, and this can be considered a severe disservice. There were enough great Rumble moments to savor, such as Maven’s shock elimination of The Undertaker and subsequent dismembering, as well as Mr Perfect’s return.

Ultimately, the 2002 Royal Rumble match suffered from being compared to its golden 2001 predecessor, but this is not to say that the 2002 final four sequence wasn't intense because it absolutely was.

A final four pitting three of the company’s top-tier main event talents in Triple H, Kurt Angle and Stone Cold, against an aforementioned returning Mr Perfect, was always destined to be high-quality. Whilst initially a blast from the past, Hening very quickly suppressed this stigma by wrestling with the athleticism and agility of a competitor in his prime, showcasing he hadn’t lost a step. The four men orchestrated a physical brawl that was common for a post-Attitude Era WWF ring. This was highlighted by Austin’s chair attack tantrum upon elimination and Angle’s numerous attempts to vanquish HHH, all building to the crescendo of The Game’s conquering victory.

The star power alone in the match’s final stages assured a rousing finish and elevated this Royal Rumble exponentially.