Ranking Every WWE Title Match At Royal Rumbles Worst To Best
1. Royal Rumble 2003 - Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit
If looking purely at great WWE Title matches at the Royal Rumble, no contest has ever surpassed Kurt Angle defending the gold against Chris Benoit back in 2003.
These two rivals-turned-allies-turned-rivals always delivered when up against each other, and this bout is absolutely their best - and is seen by many as being the greatest match, period, in Royal Rumble history.
This was pro wrestling in its purest form, with each man forcing their opponent to work for every inch of offense. There was no letting up, it was intense, there were several brilliant submission spots teasing a finish, and both men came out of this looking stronger by the time Angle tapped out Benoit with a heel hook-assisted Ankle Lock.
Kurt may have been the victor here, but it was the Rabid Wolverine who memorably received a standing ovation from the 15,000+ in attendance at Boston's Fleet Center on that January night.
As solely a wrestling contest, this is one of the best WWE has ever seen. Of course, it's also a match that is extremely tough to revisit due to the horrific actions that followed four years later.