4. World Heavyweight Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Edge - Royal Rumble 2011
Vickie Guerrero's personal vendetta against World Heavyweight champion Edge in January 2011 led to a feud with her new boy toy, Dolph Ziggler. Add Kelly Kelly, Michelle McCool and Layla to the mix and the SmackDown fan base had a layered, soap opera-esque storyline they could follow every Friday night. Add all of those elements together and the world title match between Edge and Ziggler quickly became one of the more interesting and anticipated matches on the Royal Rumble card. As the opening match of the night, the Rated R Superstar and Showoff would be tasked with popping the crowd and getting them hot for the remainder of the night's festivities. They succeeded, using incredible sequences, strong reversals and counters and outstanding nearfalls to build drama and bring the audience to a boiling point. By the time Edge blasted Ziggler with a Spear as the official was recovering, thus not seeing the banned maneuver. With Kelly subduing Guerrero at ringside, the heavyweight champion was able to pin Ziggler and successfully retain his title.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
