Every WWE Gimmick Match And The Wrestlers That Defined Them
7. Royal Rumble Match - Stone Cold Steve Austin
A three-time winner, Stone Cold Steve Austin best demonstrates the power the Royal Rumble match holds as a star-maker.
The chaos of early 1997 benefitted the machinations of the TV product more so than any individual, but the events of 1998 marked Austin's unassailable ascent. Austin defied a resistant machine and the internecine, political feud between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels to emerge as the man - a theme neatly reflected in the Rumble match. Austin was a marked man, but his incredible popularity and drive saw him win out before claiming the WWF Championship at WrestleMania XIV in a superbly-plotted main event character arc.
By 2001, Austin was established as the biggest star in the industry, a star so bright that he shone in a much-improved field of elite talents (The Rock), future Hall of Famers on an entertaining tear (Kane) and returning legends (Mr. Perfect).
The cynical answer, latterly, is Roman Reigns - but that disastrous period hasn't ruined the Rumble's aura as a massive event with the most significant of implications.