If Rumble '90 separates itself from the pack because of an awesome "moment," then Rumble '07 does so via the greatest climax in Royal Rumble match history. Let us face the facts: Rumble 2007 was billed as the most star-studded Rumble of all-time because stars from the ECW brand were included; it was anything but. Overall, it was a decent Rumble with a few notable happenings throughout, just as we typically see on a year-to-year basis. Yet, when it came down to the Final Four, the complexity of the match changed and, with it, the historical perception. Edge, Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, and Undertaker. One had already won the Rumble before. All four eventually would by the time all had been said and done in their careers. Who would emerge victorious that night? Conventional wisdom discarded Edge and Orton as possibilities, despite their respective statures at the time. Nevertheless, they maximized their minutes as the antagonists to an otherwise protagonist story of monumental proportions. Hyberbole? Absolutely not. Starting with Rated-RKO attempting to heel their way into the WrestleMania main-event, the final minutes of the '07 Rumble were absolutely fantastic; as good a 10 minutes as you will ever see in pro wrestling. Though still a shame that their issue did not lead to a match at Mania, Orton and Edge played their roles beautifully. Then, it came down to HBK and Taker. It was the first of two Rumble previews of their iconic, all-time classic Mania series. In a piece of Rumble history that has already been (and will continue to be) copied, the two legends tore the house down. It was in HBK's hometown, but Taker's unquestionable status kept it from seeming like the odds were definitively in the Showstopper's favor. When the Deadman finally did manage to dump Michaels over the top, wrestling fans had just witnessed something special. That climax has no peers in Rumble lore.
"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.
