411’s WWE Greatest Moments Report: Royal Rumble in The 2000s

-Written: 06.08.26
-Source: A&E

-Michael Cole is our narrator!

-Time to Rumble as we head back to the opening decade of this century.

10. The Rig Red Record
-Royal Rumble 2001

-I assumed this would be on the list, but thought it might be higher. Kane turned in a fantastic performance in the 2001 Rumble where he sets the record for eliminations with 11 (since broken). He was a great final monster for Austin to eliminate to win the match.

9. Maven’s Miracle
-Royal Rumble 2002

-Wonder if Maven will talk about being included on this show on his YouTube channel. I know Maven was on Taker’s podcast and they talked about this moment. Taker enters early and clears the ring and waits on the next entrant. It’s Tough Enough winner, Maven! I loved the first three seasons of Tough Enough. Taker gets distracted and Maven hits a dropkick to send Taker over the top. Great elimination and great reaction from Taker, Maven, and the crowd. They don’t show Taker beating the PISS out of Maven just moments later.

8. Table for Four
-Royal Rumble 2000

-This match ruled! Tag Team Tables Match and it was another step in getting closer to what we would come to know as TLC. Hardys, Edge and Christian had the Ladder Match a few months earlier and now the Dudleys and Hardys deliver with this match at MSG. Rumble 2000 is just a great show! Jeff says MSG pumped them up to put on a hell of a performance and risk their bodies. Great stuff!

-Commercials

7. The Viper Strikes
-Royal Rumble 2008

-Match felt big as the fans were ready for Hardy to become a World Champion, but didn’t happen this night. Jeff says he felt like he was close here and knew it was going to happen. Topanga is here and says you have respect for both guys no matter which side you cheer.

6. The Animal Unleashed
-Royal Rumble 2005

-Oh this Rumble! Both men have taken blame for how this ended. Batista laughs and says Cena came up with such force that they both went over the top. They hit at the same time and I was thinking they were just playing off the Bret/Luger 94 Rumble and didn’t know it was a legit botch. They do mention Vince coming down and he is pissed. He then slides into the ring and tears both his quads. They restart the match and Batista wins. Go find Edge’s retelling of this situation on YouTube. It’s hilarious!

-Commercials

5. The Underdog Upset
-Royal Rumble 2006

-I thought this would be higher. This was Rey’s Rumble as he wins from the #2 spot to honor Eddie Guerrero. Rey says it was a highlight of his career and calls it a picture perfect moment. Rey sets the record from longest Rumble run, but that has been broken since as well. Sadly, it didn’t end the show as they needed Undertaker to use his spooky powers to make the ring collapse.

4. Always Be Ready
-Royal Rumble 2009

-Santino says he was determined to make an Impact. I see what he did there. Santino enters and instantly gets clotheslined to the floor by Kane. Santino yells, “I wasn’t ready,” as he sets the record for shortest Rumble appearance. Santino: “I don’t know if I will ever be ready.” I don’t see anyway this record gets broken.

3. Third Time’s A Charm
-Royal Rumble 2001

-Second appearance for this Rumble Match and that’s okay as it was awesome. Austin wins his third Rumble while bleeding all over the ring. Austin is still the only man to win three Rumbles, but boy is the list of who has won two growing. This sets up Mania X-Seven and that show was okay I guess. I kind of remember a Dome Stadium with Rock and Austin. Again, sure it was fine.

-Commercials

2. Grand Finale
-Royal Rumble 2007

-This Rumble comes down to Shawn Michaels and Undertaker and they proceed to have an amazing one on one match to close the match. Just brilliant stuff and I assume this was in the back of everyone’s mind knowing they could bust it out at a later time and they did at Mania XXV and XXVI. Taker wins his first Rumble and is the first person to win from the 30 spot.

1. Taking It To the Streets
-Royal Rumble 2000

-This deserves to be on the list, but I am STUNNED they didn’t include Cena’s return at MSG and Rumble win. How is that not on this list? With that said, it’s HHH VS FOLEY STREET FIGHT IN MSG. They just tore the house down with an amazing, bloody, brawl. Much like he did for Sting and Shawn, Foley have HHH his bloodbath to prove HHH was tough enough. He would later do the same for Randy Orton. HHH admits that Mick had to talk him into the Pedigree into thumbtacks spot. They are both proud of the match and thank the other.

-The big miss here was clearly Cena’s return and win in 2008. How do you now have that on this list? Especially when you have the Orton/Hardy Match from the same show on the list. The other misses can be explained as they won’t include Benoit’s 2004 win or the WWE Title Match against Angle. I would take out the Hardy/Orton match and put Cena in 2008 on here and we are good to go. Fun stuff as always though and I want to go watch this decade of Rumble PPVs now. Thanks for reading!