15 Best Matches To Ever Take Place At Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble undercard has often been the highlight of the night.

When we flip the calendar to January each New Year, it usually means one thing above all others for wrestling fans: the Royal Rumble is this month. It may be the fourth oldest of the Big 4 PPVs in WWE, but the Rumble has become the second most popular event of the year over the last decade. Its namesake gimmick is the primary reason for the nostalgic reverie, but it is not the only reason. The Rumble, perhaps more than any WWE special event sans for WrestleMania and mini-WrestleMania (Summerslam), has an indelible legacy for match quality €“ and that extends beyond the 30-man over-the-top-rope Battle Royal. From undercard classics to main-event Match of the Year candidates, the Royal Rumble has developed, over the years, a great reputation for the bouts beyond the Rumble match, itself. The 2015 Rumble PPV is just around the corner. Before we celebrate the finest Rumble matches in history, let us appreciate the best and brightest from the rest of the cards throughout the event's near 30 year history. Let it be understood that the first five picks are considered by your literary narrator to be a collection of underrated stories painted on the pro wrestling canvas, while the top 10 are thought to be indisputable (at least in regards to their presence and not necessarily their order).
Contributor
Contributor

"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition. Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.