9 WWE Royal Rumble Tropes That Have Been Perfected

4. Match Within A Match - The Undertaker & Shawn Michaels (2007)

Every Royal Rumble has a closing stretch. In the early days this involved two heels working over Hulk Hogan, before The Hulkster managed to overcome the odds and pick up the victory. Rumble finishes are usually swift affairs, but every now and then the final two will get into a prolonged battle that almost acts as a match within a match.

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels did just that in 2007, in what was undoubtedly the best closing stretch of a Rumble match. The two veterans had largely been kept apart since their famous feuds of the late ‘90s, so seeing them go toe-to-toe was equal parts nostalgic and thrilling. Their chemistry was difficult to match, and the two put on an absolute clinic before ‘Taker dumped Michaels for the win.

HBK and The Phenom went on to have arguably the greatest WrestleMania match in history a year later, and the seeds of that bout were sown at the 2007 Royal Rumble. WWE has tried the match within a match trope on a number of occasions, but it is difficult to imagine a better example than Shawn and the Deadman.