100 Greatest WWE Royal Rumble Moments Ever

31. The Rock Upsets Big Show (2000)

WWE Royal Rumble 2000 The Rock
WWE.com

The 2000 Rumble match is remembered for three things. One, Taka Michinoku's painful faceplant. Two, the out-of-nowhere Too Cool dance spot. Three, Big Show bitching and complaining during the Road to WrestleMania about how he was cheated out of a win by The Rock. At first, it looked routine enough.

Big Show went to dump Rocky out over the top, but 'The Great One' held onto the ropes and Show's gigantic frame tumbled over instead. Closer inspection and various camera angles revealed that Rock's feet might've touched too, but the WWF didn't have a non-finish in mind for fans inside the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden.

The Rock was announced as the winner, and MSG popped.

All of this set wheels in motion for the coming four-way at 'Mania. Looking back, just going with Rock vs. Triple H for the main event might've been more satisfying. The Rumble's conclusion was a handy reminder of just how over Rocky was with hardcore fans in New York.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer and Presenter, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund and Eli Roth to Kevin Smith and the Russo Brothers, to Kevin Conroy and Frank Miller, to Bret Hart and Sting, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, and Brian Flynn, to many, many more. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is a long-standing season ticket holder and an FSA Award-winner for his time co-hosting the Fearless in Devotion podcast.