Ranking EVERY WWE Royal Rumble Match From Worst To Best

13. 1997

Cody Rhodes
WWE.com

Overlooked in reviews of old Rumbles due perhaps to a ramshackle first third and the abundance of performers in desperate need of a gimmick overhaul, 1997's edition is still a crucial part of Stone Cold Steve Austin's development and thus can't be understated in importance and prestige.

A dominant display early on legitimised his chase, whilst a shortcut at the conclusion brought out a side of Bret Hart that culminated in their industry-altering WrestleMania 13 double-turn. This Rumble was much like the entire product at the time - if Austin was there, it was gold.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett