WWE: 7 Greatest Royal Rumble Matches of All-Time

6. 1998 - The Attitude Rumble

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88dGggCGQdI Once the Attitude Era had gotten into full swing, it's penchant for compelling superstars to take risks heretofore unventured in the WWE permeated everything, including the Royal Rumble. It is easy to see the distinction between this Rumble and its predecessors from the moment it begins, as the two men charged with carrying the match at the opening were none other than Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) and Chainsaw Charlie (Terry Funk), two men known more in the 90's for their hardcore rivalry in ECW than their work with the WWE. The Rumble engaged the universe early with this hardcore intensity, but two circumstances elevated this match beyond that of just a brawl. The first was that this match served as a coming out party for none other than the Rock. To this point, The Rock had been a minor member of Farooq's Nation of Domination, shortening his original "Rocky Maivia" moniker during this time to make himself sound more militant and to aid his intial heel turn. Once he entered the Rumble at #4 however, he distinguished himself for the next 50 minutes, performing solid spots with all comers and eliminating Kurrgan, Ken Shamrock, and the leader of The Nation himself, Farooq. At the end of the match, the WWE fans were given the pleasure of watching The Rock go one on one with Stone Cold Steve Austin for the first time. Austin was embroiled in his feud with Mr. McMahon during the Rumble, and had done enough to have himself declared a "marked man" by the chairman. The bounty on The Rattlesnake's head was so high that it even cost Skull, a fellow hairless superstar, his chance in the Rumble when he was attacked by Los Boriculas in a case of mistaken identity. Once Stone Cold hit the ring at #24, all hell broke loose, with everyone in the ring descending upon him. Stone Cold proved he was more than up for a fight, tossing out seven men and stunning The Rock on his way to a title shot at Wrestlemania 14, much to the chagrin of Mr. McMahon.