10 WWE Undercard Matches That Outshone The Royal Rumble

3. John Cena Vs. AJ Styles (2017)

Cracks have been appearing in WWE's Rumble format for years now (just look at previous entries for proof of that). Finding the balance between a winner they want to push and one fans will accept has become one of the biggest challenges each year. Randy Orton was never going to satisfy both, which is why he was trumped by AJ Styles vs. John Cena.

In fairness to Randy, most would have struggled to top what Cena and Styles did right before the Rumble started. Going almost half the Rumble's length and cramming in countless killer exchanges that left Cena critics looking foolish, the pair even ended things by crowning Cena as a 16-time World Champion.

There was a lot going on here.

A year on from his WWE debut, AJ looked comfortable in such a featured position. He and Cena were the real story from the Rumble, not who was going to win the 30-man match. That speaks volumes to their chemistry, AJ's top notch skills and Cena's ability to adapt against different workers.