Review: WWF/WWE Royal Rumble 2001 DVD

Brett Mix’s WWF Royal Rumble 2001 Review:

 

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“Look at Austin’s reaction! My god I’ve done it! A year ago he had spinal surgery, he’s fought his way back! This HAS BEEN ROYAL RUMBLE, 3:16!” -Jim Ross

-WWF Royal Rumble 2001 took place on Sunday, January 21st 2001 at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana in front of 16,056 fans.

This was the 14th Annual WWF Royal Rumble event.

-Steve Austin broke the record for most Royal Rumble wins with his third win. The previous record of two wins was held jointly by himself, Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels.

Kane broke the record for most eliminations in a single Royal Rumble with 11.

the event the WCW Hardcore Champion as Meng, made a surprise move to the WWF as Haku. The WCW Hardcore Championship as a result was abandoned.

-Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler do commentary for this event.

-On Sunday Night Heat before the PPV started, Lo Down (D’Lo Brown and Chaz) (with Tiger Ali Singh) defeated Kaientai (TAKA Michinoku and Funaki) at 1:57 in a Royal Rumble Qualifying match, however they didn`t get to enter the Rumble due to Drew Carrey appearing.

-Now onto the PPV……………

1) Opening Contest- The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) vs Edge and Christian (c) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

New Orleans is ready for the night as the opening pyro`s go off and then some more do as The Dudleyz come out! A thunderous beginning in many ways.

Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von came out as the challengers in this tag title attraction to kick off the 2001 Royal Rumble event.

They were the babyface team in the match as Edge and Christian were the HEELS and they did that so well, and the Dudleyz had not yet grown stale in the WWF so this was a great opener for the fans to get involed with, it`s always nice to see the Rumble kick off with a hot tag match again and that`s just what this was.

Edge and Christian came out with the gold to greet them and then The Dudleyz didn`t waste any time getting the bell to ring and the match as on!

The WWF had such a strong tag division back then.

Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von sent Edge and Christian to the ropes and they re-grouped by sliding under the bottom rope and taking a walk to the back and the fans booed. The Dudleyz chased them up the aisle way. D-Von started it out with Edge and he hit a nice neck breaker which got him a two count. D-Von then got kneed in the gut by Edge and he tagged in Christian. D-Von hit a hiplock to Christian followed by a reverse elbow after an irish whip to the ropes, and another near fall.

Bubba Ray Dudley tagged in and he threw Christian to the ropes and both him and D-Von knocked him down. Bubba with an elbow drop and then a third nearfall by the Dudleyz as they went for it early. Crowd chanted they wanted tables while Bubba cornered Christian and gave him solid right hands. Bubba elevated Christian high and he landed stomach first on the canvas. Bubba then with a right hand to Christian in the corner and an irish whip to the other corner but Christian caught Bubba Ray Dudley with a hurricanrauna. Bubba still got up to knock Edge off the apron and hit a sidewalk slam! Bubba with a 4th nearfall!

D-Von tagged in and so was Edge but he was powerslammed and ANOTHER nearfall! Wow, quick match here.

Edge threw D-Von right into Christian on the apron and he took a cheap shot behind the official to the concussed head of D-Von. Edge lifted up D-Von and hit a back body suplex dropping him on the back of his head. Not a bad strategy by the then 5 time WWF tag champs, they got much higher if memory serves correct. Christian tagged in and hit a side russian legsweep to D-Von. Christian slammed D-Von hard against the mat! Christian then cornered D-Von and gave him a hard shot to the head being well aware of the convussion problems. Edge with an artificial tag in the air behind the ref`s back but Keota lets it fly. Never got that logic.

Edge hit a neck breaker and got a two when Bubba Ray Dudley interupted the count when Edge pinned D-Von. Christian came in and kicked at D-Von`s head, that was the focus point by the team. A ton of tags in this match!

A ton, and the fans chanted D-VON! Never remember hearing that chant before, Edge with a snap takeover to D-Von and then a reverse chinlock! Edge with another neck breaker to D-Von and then he said he`d break him like a twig, and King said he loved when Edge talked trash. JR asked if it made him aroused and King shot back with his `WHAT`! Christian and Edge keep up the frequent tags working over D-Von who was seperated from his brother on one half of the ring.

Edge attempted a piledriver but he catapolted Edge up high into his brother which knocks him off the top rope, both guys meet each other in the middle of the ring with a double clothesline.

The crowd was very lively and into the match in the attitude era with teams like this and they applauded. Bubba tagged in and he wasn`t allowed to enter.

Christian and Edge grabbed chairs and tried to hit D-Von but he hit a double clothesline to Edge and Christian!

D-Von needs to make the tag!

Bubba Ray Dudley was begging for a tag and he finally got in! Bubba Ray Dudley punched Edge and then backdropped Christian. Bubba elevated Edge and he came off on the top rope, Bubba hit the Bubba bomb to Christian! Bubba then powerslammed Edge. He signalled for the “What`s UPPPP!“ D-Von came crashing into Edge`s groin section and then Bubba Ray Dudley pushed D-Von and the crowd LOVED it, I mean they just ate this up on this occasion.

D-Von went outside the ring to get the Table. Christian distracted him but then Edge missed Bubba`s head with the title and he rolled up Edge but just got a two. Unprettier attempt by Christian to Bubba and then D-Von took him out. Edge speared Bubba Ray Dudley taking him out and saving Christian in the process! 1…2… NO!

Still no, and Christian held Bubba`s legs while Edge went up for the What`s UP! Hillarious. Bubba though reversed it and held Christian up, D-Von pushed Edge off the top into Christian, Dudleyz hit the 3-D!

We got new Tag Team Champions!

Crowd explodes, and JR says those Damn Dudleyz have done it!

In the end The Dudley Boyz became the new WWF Tag Team Champions at a second under ten minutes at 9:59 after that 3-D!

Awesome action, good psychology, nice wrestling, frequent tags, complimenting styles makes for a great tag team title match!

Hot opener for the crowd.

Just great fun, great stuff!

 

 

 

*** 1/4

 

 

 

 

2) Y2J Chris Jericho vs `The Rabid Wolverine` Chris Benoit (c) in a Ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship

This one is a CLASSIC in every sense of the word.

Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit wasted absolutely no time getting things going as both men gave each other shots in the middle of the ring, the brawl had begun!

Both men met each other with hard right hands and then Jericho irishwhipped Benoit to the other side of the ring.

Chris Jericho met Benoit in the middle with a reverse elbow. Benoit was chopped in the corner by Jericho and then kicked at him and he irishwhipped Benoit to the other side but he reversed it and then Jericho caught Benoit with a boot, and then Benoit attempted to expose the injured arm with a Crossface attempt.

Jericho though rolled out and tried to slap on a Walls of Jericho but Benoit got out.

Chris Benoit threw Jericho hard shoulder first into the corner. Benoit with a hard chop to Jericho and then he scooped him up and hit a shoulder breaker, following up on the shoulder to the corner, nice strategic wrestling by the best ever in the squared circle.

Benoit sent Jericho to the ropes but he came off with a flying forearm! Benoit rolled to the ring apron and then stood there, Jericho leaped up to the top turnbuckle and leaped off trying to knock Benoit off the apron but he caught nobody as Benoit resourcefully ducked RIGHT in time and Jericho landed hard on the floor after jumping from the top turnbuckle!

Chris Jericho was hurt as Benoit had that well scouted, Jericho used the ropes to springboard and he looked to dropkick but couldn`t. Benoit then like a machine knew where to go and walked towards the ladder but Jericho followed him up with a shot, but Benoit irishwhipped Jericho into the solid steel exposing Jericho`s hurt shoulder some more.

Benoit is the king of psychology, for real. He can adapt to any environment.

Jericho ran up to Benoit to try and stop him from putting the Ladder in the ring, but Benoit was a step ahead. Benoit threw Jericho hard into the steel steps, shoulder first! He still followed up on the shoulder, amazing!

Benoit climbed the ladder but Jericho scooped him on his shoulders and landed back first. Jericho chopped Benoit in the corner and sent him in there and delivered a clothesline. Jericho picked up the ladder, put it together and then nailed Benoit in the head with it. Jericho`s shoulder still hurting him but he caught Benoit right in the head. It`s tough watching Benoit take head shots given what we now know, but this isn`t the best match if you don`t like that type of thing. Chris Jericho rammed the ladder into Benoit`s gut twice hard in the corner while New Orleans chanted for Y2J! Benoit holding his gut on the canvas and Jericho kicked at the hurt stomach region of Benoit and then he got irishwhipped hard by Benoit hard and he was catapolted hard face first into the ladder set up in the corner and he went to the outside! Amazing!

Benoit then with a suicide dive and Jericho caught him with a chair shot as he flew between the ropes, UNBELIEVABLE.

Jericho hit head first into the ladder, then Benoit dove out and met a chair in mid-air to break his fall. That would be unpleasent.

Jericho on the outside set Benoit up and dropped him abdomen first onto the security wall, the gut that had been hurt earlier. Jericho then off the apron glided with the Ladder and Benoit moved just in time and he avoided the contact of the Steel Ladder and Jericho just fell. Benoit charged towards Jericho and hit him head first with the Ladder.

Benoit then with a couple of shots to the face and back with a Steel Chair to Chris Jericho.

One of the most violent matches I`ve ever seen here.

Benoit with an irish whip followed by a knee to the gut of Jericho. Benoit gets the ladder back in the ring and Jericho is down. Chris benoit set up the Ladder in the corner of the ring, and King brought up a good point. How long could this match last at this pace. [B]No LADDER match EVER has had this pace, EVER. Period.[/B] It`s not even debatable. Benoit sent the ladder right into Jericho`s face. Benoit placed the Ladder in the corner and sat it up there and went to ram Chris Jericho into the Ladder, but Jericho dropped to his feet and pushed Benoit into it and hit a dropkick. Jericho now placed the Ladder in the corner and gave Benoit a shot to the head and then Jericho placed one leg of Benoit over the rung of the middle ladder. Jericho then fell backwards as both guys put there body on the line!

Incredible!

Benoit landed with his leg inside the ladder, and Jericho landed back as well. Chris Jericho then picked up the Ladder and Benoit dropkicked it right back in his face! Benoit to his feet first and then picked up Jericho and gave him a nice back suplex. Benoit then put the ladder up top of the corner of the ring and Jericho reversed an irishwhip and sent Benoit head first into the corner of the Ladder. JR said it was rattling there brains, well in Benoit`s case it was for real and Benoit`s head had hit the ladder directly on multiple times.

Jim Ross suggested that this ladder match was taking Ladder matches to another level, I`d fully agree.

If this wasn`t amazing enough, Jericho hung off the apron and caught Benoit under the chin with the Ladder as he sprung it up when Chris Benoit got to his feet.

Jericho with a missile dropkick to Benoit with the ladder and it might of hurt his knee!

Jericho placed the Ladder in the middle of the ring with Benoit down!

Jericho began to climb but Benoit slowly got to his feet and levelled his kidneys with hard forearms!

Benoit then with a suplex to Jericho over the top rope, and Y2J landed pretty much on his head right in front of JR and King! Amazing, it just didn`t stop. Ever.

Benoit climbed the ladder slowly and Jericho just got back in the ring but Benoit kicked him off. Chris Jericho tried to reach Benoit up there and then he got him and pulled back with a ton of tork! A version of the Walls of Jericho to Benoit on top of the Ladder! Awesome and new, the fans loved it! It looked even better when Jericho`s legs were grabbed by Benoit so both men were hanging over the Ladder with the submission hold locked on!

Jericho shoved Chris Benoit off the ladder and Benoit fell on his already damaged head.

Benoit still somehow had the strength to kick Jericho off the Ladder!

Chris Jericho kicked the ladder and made it flat again and then he rammed into Benoit again up high. Beyond amazing says Ross. Jericho kicked at Benoit`s bruised head and Jericho climbed up high and Benoit caught him with a crossface when Y2J jumped from the top. Jericho tapped out but it didn`t mean anything because you have to grab the belt.

Benoit then sent Jericho left shoulder first into the post following up on his bruised shoulders. Jericho followed up on Benoit`s bruised cranium and sent him face first into the ladder and he tried to block it realizing he couldn`t afford another shot to the head.

Y2J still gave him one though. He rammed the ladder hard into Benoit.

Benoit though with the ladder set up knocked Jericho off and Benoit leaped from the top and Jericho avoided the headbutt, and Benoit headbutted the Canvas.

Okay this is incredible.

Benoit must have recieved a dozen concussions in this match alone. You saw that Benoit dive clip likely on the news during the Benoit tragedy, it`s a good thing this match made the Ladder DVD before that tragedy.

Benoit knocked Jericho off the ladder while he climbed, JR says this is the damndest match he has ever seen!

Benoit climbed the ladder but Jericho caught him with shots to the spine with a chair. Benoit kicked Jericho off the ladder and he bounced off the side ropes and he knocked Benoit off the ladder to the outside of the ring.

Benoit had just recieved one too many shots.

This bought Jericho the break he needed to capture the title.

Jericho after the match said Benoit was the toughest bastard he had ever faced.

Words don`t do this match justice, it`s one to be watched and studied and enjoyed, I`ve seen this so many times and I respect it more with each viewing.

In the end Jericho captured the IC title to become the New Intercontinental Champion to end the brutal war at 18:44.

Nothing but QUALITY and the BEST.

Chris Jericho`s 2nd best match ever to Y2J-HHH LMS from Fully Loaded 2000 and a top 5 for Benoit.

Some of the best innovative offense you`ll ever see with the ladder mixed with the best bumping in my opinion. This is not only my favourite ladder match but I consider it to be the very best just ahead of the famous Hall-Michaels series in 94 and 95.

Top 25 material.

 

 

 

**** 3/4

 

 

 

 

3) Ivory (c) (with Steven Richards) vs Chyna for the WWF Women`s Championship

From the god awful build up to the god awful match I refuse to review this piece of garbage.

McMahon and Co should be ashamed of themselves.

Just 19 months after Owen Hart fell to his death on a LIVE PPV event which saw Jerry Lawler run to the ring to check on him and then adress the crowd afterwards, we see a repeat of that.

And for what, I ask.

So that the fans POP a little louder at Mania X7 when Chyna defeats Ivory for the title. Pathetic.

They really went over the edge here (no pun intended) and I am not overreacting, this was just sickening.

Ross talking in that voice where you can barely understand him due to the NATURE of things and Lawler talking as if she had died but was just beyond brutal.

Clearly the WWF needs to look at themselves in the mirror sometimes.

Even if the match didn`t end like that it`d still be a dud. Pathetic in every sense of the word, you go from one of the best matches of all time to one of the worst.

It`s a good thing that this event was fantastic overall or this could bring the quality of any event down a great deal, the rest of the event made up for this event.

What happened in this match was Chyna dominated the entire thing until hitting a handspring into the corner where she caught a type of deal where it hurt her neck even further.

She layed there and people checked on her. Blah.

Ivory won the match at 3:32 and the fans hated it.

Just ridiculous and it`s a shame it had to be on a show like this, if any show at all.

The lowest of Dud`s imaginable. Probably in my top 5 bottom matches ever with Tomko-Richards, Rooster-Heenan and another two.

A Disgrace to Professional Wrestling.

This is definitely an underrated match here and it features the best work ever between Angle and Triple H.

It’s a good thing were back to good matches, actually this can be called Great. Excellent. Awesome. Even a classic when you consider what a gem it is, and to think it never gets it praise and it happened on such a big event like the Rumble. However I’ve come to the conclusion it’s just simply overshadowed by the Classic Ladder match and Entertaining Rumble match on the same night.

If this were to happen on any other Rumble Card it’d likely get its due.

This feud DID not have good buildup, it was mostly around Trish and Stephanie but the match was great!

Triple H posed on the apron as he always does, but this was a big match, you could feel it!

I guess there was still some bad blood between Hunter and Angle from the year 2000 I guess.

Angle won every title in the year 2000, and the King of the Ring and was overcoming all the odds, each obstacle set in his way he took on.

Nobody expected him to retain at Armageddon and he did, not many even expected him to beat Taker at Survivor Series.

Steve Austin almost had him beat on Raw but HHH screwed him out of the title, more on that later at the end of this match.

The point I’m making is Angle was a surprising champion and even many thought there was no way he’d beat HHH here, but in the end everyone was wrong.

Kurt Angle and Triple H tied up in mid-ring and then Angle with a fireman’s carry takeover and then both men tried to out power the other and Triple H got him into a corner, and gave Kurt Angle a shoulder block until on the next exchange Angle hit a hiplock and then sent HHH over the top to the outside of the ring.

“Angle Sucks!” chanted as Hunter made his way back in the ring. Triple H traditionally with his right hand levelled Angle a few times and then slammed his head into the top of the buckle before delivering another hard shot. Angle then irishwhipped Hunter to the corner and hit a backdrop, before Angle tied up HHH’s arm and then with a roman knuckle lock he took down the Game.

Kurt Angle torking the wrist of HHH but he kicked Angle in the mid-section. Triple H then with a knee to the gut and a backslam attempt but Angle landed on his feet kicked HHH and applied a quick vertical suplex. Hunter up and then another one. Trish clapped as Angle hit two suplexes and then a third!

Angle with a hatrick of suplexes and then a nearfall. HHH in pain on the outside and took a breather holding his back. Good action to start.

Angle outside the ring hammered The Game with non-olympic right hands and then HHH threw him viciously twice into the steel gaurdrail on the outside. Hunter then elevated Angle up and hit him abdomen first on the top of the barricade.

Good stuff.

Trips slammed Kurt Angle’s head onto the top of the steel steps. HHH with a punch to Angle.

Jim Ross says in his book there was no one better then Triple H in the business, in the year 2000. Definately.

Angle caught HHH with a right hand in the ring and then a few more before he went off the side ropes but HHH caught himw ith a droptoe hold and then HHH ripped at Angle’s knee with a leg grapevine. HHH kept it locked on showing some technical skill like the late Buddy Rogers.

HHH then with a leg whip to Angle and he had him down on the canvas. Hunter then with a big right hand to Angle and then a kick to Angle’s mid-section but Angle hit a spinning heel kick catching Hunter up high! Angle with a nearfall but just a two.

Back and forth match here with a solid pace and a great blend of moves.

Angle speared HHH into the corner and then HHH turned the tide and kicked at Angle’s left leg that was his focus. He isolated it as he lifted it up above a rope and gave him some shots. As Hunter charged towards Angle he flipped him over the top to the outside to buy himself some time to rest the injured left leg. HHH landed rough on the outside with a lot of impact but he still applied the offense. HHH dished it out and grabbed Angle’s bad leg and rammed it into the steel post.

Angle limping badly but still gave Triple H a shot and then an irishwhip into the steel steps.

Kurt Angle rammed HHH into the post and then put him back in the ring. HHH in the corner and ducked a clothesline when Angle charged towards him. Hunter resourcefully went right to the outside and rammed Angle’s leg into the steel post, this time the right. HHH was perhaps trying to take out both legs.

HHH grabbed a chair and hit him with a chair into the leg while Stephanie had the ref distracted.

Angle rested a bit on the outside and then HHH jumped out of the ring and grabbed a limping Angle on the outside and dropped him knee first onto the steps. What a move.

The Cerebral Assasin was calculating with his strategy now as he just had the Champion’s leg out.

Back in the ring HHH followed it up with nice psychology implemented and hit a chop block to Angle’s left knee. HHH pre-injury was so awesome.

Hunter with another knock down and he seemingly had the match in the palm of his hand. HHH just tortured Angle’s left knee in every imaginable form much like Bret Hart would. HHH dropped his body weight onto Angle’s knee on the ropes, and then he dropped an elbow to the knee joint. The knee of Kurt Angle had been traumitized by the onslaught and then HHH dropped another elbow.

Angle was selling pretty good which is always a nice surprise.

HHH then dropped a leg onto Angle’s injured knee and slapped on an Indian Deathlock! I love when HHH does this, he did it in his match with Booker T at WM X9 as well. A very methodical, sound pace by HHH and during the Indian Deathlock both men were throwing shots at each other. Kurt Angle was barely able to stand but he gave him some shots, sent him to the ropes but The Game hit a face buster, and it got him two nearfalls as the Champ kicked out twice.

Triple H then went back to the leg which was smart and he lifted it up and slammed it hard into the canvas, crushing the kneecap. Hunter with a nice chop in the corner to the Olympic Gold Medalist and then targetted the knee again and put it on the 2nd rope and he dropped his weight right into the knee joint.

HHH then slapped on the Figure Four Leglock!

His idol Ric Flair’s submission move. One of the most painful moves in wrestling and this fit the match perfectly, definately an appropriate move by Hunter at the time. Kurt Angle almost forgot his shoulders were down and we almost had a new champion. Behind the officials back HHH used the ropes for leverage to tork on the figure four harder, Trish then tried to come in the ring, Stephanie stopped her.

Cat fight! Trish looked pretty good here to be honest, she was definately money around this time. McMahon came out, Vince then tried to break off the fight, they kept fighting, Vince bent Trish over (not the first time) and lifted her out and the three of them battled to the back.

Alright back to the match which is by the way awesome.

HHH went to put the figure four back on and Angle used that time to get back together and hit a roll-up surprising HHH and got a two. HHH went right back to the knee and dropped an elbow to his joint and then Angle fought back with a series of right hands. Angle then got kicked by HHH but he kicked him back and a desperation DDT by the Champion got a chorus of boo’s from New Orleans but just a nearfall. Angle then with some more right hands and then an atomic drop and a belly to belly suplex. Nice moves but what happened to Angle’s bad knee? Oh well HHH was doing a fine enough job to carry it. Oh there’s Angle limping, he temporarily forgot while he hit a side russian legsweep.

Angle went up high and then HHH hit a lowblow on the top followed by a Razor’s Edge off the top rope. and then a two count and another. A third nearfall and Triple H can’t believe he didn’t win the WWF title with the Razor’s Edge off the top after a lowblow in front of the ref.

HHH goes for the pedigree, Angle counters, HHH pushes him off to the corner while down on the mat, Angle falls right into HHH’s groin unintentionally. Angle then climbs to the top, whast happened to his bad leg!?

Angle hit a moonsault regardless.

Angle hurt his knee even more says Ross, good luck telling Angle that. He gets another nearfall.

Hunter tossed Angle out of the ring over the top rope and he landed on his bad knee on the outside.

HHH then with an elbow drop to Angle on the outside by the apron in front of the referee which knocked him down. HHH irishwhipped Angle into the steel post.

The Game tries to be a high flyer and goes to the top, but Angle climbs to the top and hits a beautiful armdrag of the top. It looked good, it was flashy but what happened to his bad leg!? Angle and his selling, jeesh.

Hebner was down so he couldn’t count Angle’s nearfall and they tried to get him back up. Angle dragged HHH to the outside and HHH slammed Angle into the steps and it hit Hebner down again.

HHH threw Angle back into the ring. HHH grabbed the WWF title and put it into the ring and went to hit Angle with it but he kicked HHH and hit an overhead belly to belly suplex! Angle then grabbed the belt and waited for Hunter to get to his feet, when he did HHH kicked him in the mid-section and hit the Pedigree!

1…wait, no ref!

Angle had the same predicament earlier with no reg, HHH suffers the same fate.

Wait!

Stone Cold Steve Austin runs out and attacks HHH and it’s okay because the referee is out.

Austin assaults The Game. Stone Cold with a bunch of right hands to HHH outside the ring to get revenge for when HHH costed him the title against Angle on Raw.

Austin rolled HHH into the ring and hit HHH right between the eyes with the title belt and the fans were going crazy. Austin got Hebner up and Austin chants broke out. Stone Cold then ran into the ring, flipped off HHH and hit the Stunner. Mr. Royal Rumble arguably just made his mark and HHH was bloody.

Angle then covered HHH with one arm over and Hebner counted a slow three!

Angle retained the title in the end at 24:15.

This was AWESOME.

JR’s call at the end was great with Angle’s music playing in the background.

Jim Ross:

 

1 Jeff Hardy
2 Bull Buchanan
3 Matt Hardy
4 Farooq
5 Drew Carey
6 Kane
7 Raven
8 Al Snow
9 Perry Saturn
10 Steve Blackman
11 Grand Master Sexay
12 The Honkytonk Man
13 The Rock
14 The Goodfather
15 Tazz
16 Bradshaw
17 Albert
18 Hardcore Holly
19 K-Kwik
20 Val Venis
21 William Regal
22 Test
23 The Big Show
24 Crash Holly
25 The Undertaker
26 Scotty 2 Hotty
27 Stone Cold Steve Austin
28 Billy Gunn
29 Haku
30 Rikishi

We had the opening fun bit with The Hardyz, we had the Drew Crey PART, then Kane`s roll started as the Rumble turned hardcore and it made the instance with a bunch of jobbers fun to watch. We see four surprise returns all spread out in the Rumble Match and the big five were also spread out as well. The closing sequences with Austin and Rock was just amazing as was the final two which made it just another obstacle for Austin and he broke a Rumble record in the process to the delight of the crowd.

People also wondered if The Undertaker and Kane were together in this match. Was Kane together with The Undertaker, was The Undertaker together with Kane. Does Undertaker want to tickle, Kane’s big red nipple. Some Rock quotes thrown out before the Rumble match. Nice promo to make it seem like there were more favourites in the match and that Rocky could actually go back to back even with Austin back!

Jeff Hardy came running out and Lawler was hilarious with his comments and JR compared him to Michaels of 95 who came out #1. Buchanan of the RTC came out next to start The Rumble match with him. Could you get a duller wrestler then Bull Buchanan, wow. Bull with hard shots to Jeff and then an irishwhip, a hurricanrana from the corner attempt but he was pushed to the apron, he came flying in and hit a headscissors takedown to Bull, but Bull got up and hit a clothesline. Everyone in the match was drawn at random but Rikishi has earned the right to be #30 as they point out. Buchanan stomps on Jeff on the canvas and then gave him some hard uppercuts in the corner. Jeff fought back and then put Bull’s big legs on the top of the ropes. Buchanan then got Jeff into another corner and lifted him up but he couldn’t get him out just yet. Jeff with some more shots to Bull in the corner. Jeff Hardy gave size and strength away and Bull doesen`t quite go over the top. Buchanan was now attempting to let Jeff slide but he rakes his eyes.

#3 was Jeff’s brother Matt Hardy. You`ve really gotta love those RANDOM DRAWINGS….never seen this before. Matt came out and of course the two would double team Buchanan to a loud response. Matt then bent down and Jeff jumped up top and hit Bull up high and then both Hardyz double clothesline Bull out. Matt and Jeff show that it is every man for themself and pat hands and then tie up. Matt got Jeff up in the corner of the ring and then Jeff shot back with some hard righthands but Matt hit a side suplex. Matt then caught a jawbreaker from Jeff. Jeff then tried to throw out Matt but he hung on. These two NEVER had great chemistry together. Jeff is on the upperhand trying to throw Matt out and with another entrant makes the Haryz break up and now apply offense to someone else.

The next entrant was Farooq. Both Hardy Boyz attacked him and then Farooq came off with a hard double clothesline to both Hardyz. JR calls him a stud. Farooq stomped at Matt in one corner and Jeff in another. Farooq scooped up Matt up high and then Jeff botched his jump over Matt to Farooq but Farooq improvised wisely and almost tossed out Jeff in the process. Jeff came off the top with a Swanton Bomb to Farooq after Matt hit a twist of fate. Farooq was gone and then the Hardyz were alone again. Matt tried to throw out Jeff but he stayed in and took off his shirt, as did Matt followed by the louder then usual screams. King asked if they were going to fight or un-dress. Jeff with a corkscrew moonsault off the top to Matt.

It`s Drew Carey!

Carey comes out to join the Hardy Boyz. Matt meanwhile hit a legdrop to Jeff in the ring while the crowd chanted “Drew.” Matt missed a clothesline and then Jeff punched him and Matt landed on the apron. Matt hit Jeff against the Buckle and then tried to suplex him out. Both were outside the apron and Carey came in the ring. King said he should take his glasses off because he wasn’t a Dudley. Jeff threw out Matt and then Jeff fell off the top and lost his balance. Both Hardyz were out but Drew Carey stayed in the ring and jumped around and the fans loved it. Good stuff. Fans had a big DREW chant, they try and put over his PPV as many times as they can, Lawler gets media excited like he usually does whenever a Celebrity gets involved.

Pyro’s hit and Kane came out. Hilarious how Carey was in the ring and Kane was his next opponent with JR`s call of OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD. Here comes the start of the most dominant Rumble run in any Rumble match arguably, well he did eliminte most men in this match at 11 as of this writing. Kane then took a long walk around the ring. Carey offered Kane some money as if he was DiBiase. Kane said it wouldn’t work, Kane grabbed him by the throat until someone else came out.

Raven with a kendo stick hit Kane’s back and he was forced to drop Drew Carey. Drew then eliminated himself to a lot of laughter. Kane then kicked Raven in the corner as the fans applauded for Drew Carey on his way out. Now we get a bit of a hardcore Rumble. The pace to this Rumble has changed a quarter of the way through it once Kane gets involved. Kane took Raven down on the outside and Raven went under the ring and got a fire extinguisher and then sprayed it in Kane’s face. King hilariously says he bets Kane wished he had that a few times in his life. Flashback humor. Al Snow attacked Raven from behind. What the hell, if I ever had a surprise appearance the last person I`d want it to be is Al Snow.

Al Snow was then official and came out and some of the fans were to brain dead to realize Snow was the next entrant. Snow then threw trashcans in the ring and hit Kane and Raven in the head with chairs. Trash flew everywhere. Al Snow got out a bowling boll and hit Raven in the crotch with a hard shot. Ouch. Kane with an uppercut to Snow in the corner. Raven hit kane with a trashcan to Kane. Snow then hit Kane in the back with the can. Snow kept hitting him as did Raven but it didn’t even knock Kane off his feet! Kane won’t go down! Snow and Raven both hit a drop toehold to Kane onto a trashcan, nice spot.

Out next was Perry Saturn with a revealing Terri. Saturn then dropped Kane’s leg onto the top of the apron. Saturn sprung into the ring and dropped Kane with a legdrop. Good strategy by Saturn to destroy the vertical base of the big red machine but Raven jumped on Kane from behind. Saturn doing something not many else were. Saturn with a dropkick to the kneecap of Kane. Kane kicked Saturn in the groin and lifted him up and slammed him to the canvas eventually as the leg work had gone to hell due to the strength of Kane. Snow jumped on Kane and he slammed him down. Raven jumped on Kane and slapped on a sleeper. Snow hit Kane with a lid and it took three men and several shots to finally get Kane off his feet. All three kicked at Kane and took the big man off his vertical base. They really put over how powerful Kane was in this Rumble match and the fans knew it. That`s just great booking-business.

The 10th entrant was Steve Blackman. It was a hardcore Rumble and Blackman came out conveniently with his kendo sticks and took down Snow with them. Kane gave Blackman a hard shot and then Raven hit Snow in the head with a trashcan lid! I liked the offense in this hardcore rumble here. Raven tried to get Snow out while Kane worked on Blackman in the corner and Saturn kicked at him. Snow hit a spinning heel kick to Raven. Snow with kendo stick shots to Raven. Blackman with head shots with that lid. Kane threw Blackman into the corner and choked him out. All of these men ripping the other apart, a lot of trashcan lid`s, cans, sticks lay down on the canvas as Jim Ross puts over how important it is to win the Royal Rumble. The buzzer goes.

Out next was Grand Master Sexay, the son of Jerry Lawler who loves seeing him as always which is always tongue in cheek. GMS hit Snow in the head with a lid shot. Snow almost thrown out but he remained in and then Saturn hit him with a shot to the head. Blackman with a right to Kane and he answered with one back. Raven with a lid shot to Saturn. Raven hopped on Kane and choked him while Christopger hit Blackman in the corner. Kane went under the bottom rope to grab a trashcan and then he came in the ring and hit Grand Master Sexay in the head and that eliminated him. Blackman thrown out after a lid shot despite him holding on, there’s two eliminations. Kane threw out Snow! Kane threw out Raven. Kane then beat on Saturn and hit him in the head and threw him out! Domination galore by the Big Red Monster. Kane finally takes charge of the Hardcore entrants.

Kane was all alone by now. Honkeytonk Man comes out! Lawler’s cousin after his son (What is this a Lawler family reunion) and now he sings his song after he dances a bit. Kane didn`t like Honkytonk Man`s singing so he crashed his guitar over his head! Funny stuff, Kane then threw him out after he shook his head. Comic relief.

It`s The ROCK! The Rock was number 13 which spiced things up a bit, giving the match more star power. He was going to go toe to toe with the dominant to this point Kane! The Rock got in Kane’s face with a series of righthands but Kane reversed an irishwhip, Rock still came off with a clothesline. Rock went to eliminate Kane but he put on the breaks and knocked him down, everyone in New Orleans chanted for Rock. Kane kicked at Rocky a bit and gave him a shot in the corner. Kane then gave Rock a reverse elbow shot and then a clothesline off the side ropes. Rock blocked a punch and then came off the ropes and caught a boot from Kane.

Another RTC member was next, The Goodfather. Rock made short work of him and gave him a ton of shots until he fell over the ropes and was eliminated. Rock turned around and Kane knocked him down. Kane then hit a big vertical suplex on The Rock. Kane sounded exhausted but he was still putting on a show and was choking out The Rock but the fans chanted for him. Kane irishwhipped Rock and then he ducked a clothesline and
fought back and came off the ropes but Kane hit a sidewalk slam.

Tazz. We often hear him talk about this Rumble appearance in many Rumble’s he broadcasted and it’s because he’s one of the eleven eliminations from Kane and his shortest. Tazz lasted a good 3-5 seconds and then caught a big shot from Kane off the top turnbuckle and the fans booed. Rock tried to eliminate Kane with everything he had once he got back to his feet. Kane though irishwhipped Rock into the corner but Rock met him with some hard shots. Rock hit a Samoan Drop on Kane.

It’s Bradshaw. The second Acolyte came in and he pounded on a fatigued Kane with a few hard right hands. Rock and Bradshaw both irishwhipped the big red monster to the corner and Rock gave Kane a decent clothesline. Then Bradshaw gave The Rock a clothesline from hell. Huge blow. Rock hit a spinebuster on Bradshaw but before a people’s elbow attempt Kane knocked him down with a clothesline. Three men down, Kane first to his feet. Kane stomped on both Bradshaw and The Rock on the canvas.

Albert ran out and the fans were tired of the undercard following out draw after draw by now showing little response. Albert attacked Rock in the corner and then Kane and Bradshaw both irishwhipped Albert and then they proceeded to knock him down. Albert almost had Bradshaw eliminated. Kane almost had Rock gone on the other side of the ring. Bradshaw knocked down the ring with clothesline’s then caught Albert with a boot.

Jim Ross asks what we think of Holly now when he ran out and I still say he sucks. Albert nearly got Kane out at the top of the ring. Holly and Bradshaw double teamed The Rock and attempted to get him out. A scissors kick from Albert to Kane and he got him off his feet with just one move. Rock bounced off the corner and hit Bradshaw with a clothesline, Kane ALMOST thrown out by Rock but he remained in. Nice spot there.

K Kwik came out next. His first Royal Rumble, and his only one to date. Albert kicked at him in the corner and then threw him head first into the top turnbuckle. Rock worked over K-Kwik in the corner while Kane hit a slam to Holly. Albert caught Rock with an uppercut then went to throw him out but he remained in with one foot on the mat.

Another RTC member in Val Venis. King said there’s way too many RTC members. Kane had been in for 30 minutes and then picked up Venis in the corner who was pounding on him and dropped him with a Spinebuster slam. Hardcore Holly was stomping on Rock in the other corner of the ring and he had been fatigued had The Rock by this point. Ring started to fill up now. Lawler wisely points out how Rock was talking a lot of Smack and now had to back it up in the Rumble match. Rock being worked on, while Kane delivered a hard uppercut to Venis in the corner, while Kane had been in for over 32 minutes by this point. Ross says we`ve yet to see Undertaker, Austin, Rikishi, AMONG others.

Out next was William Regal. The European Champion added class to the Rumble match says Lawler and the fans booed. Regal kicked at K Kwik. Kane stomped on him and Venis kicked at Rock in the corner. Val almost threw Rock out as if that was going to happen but Ross and the audience still reacted as if he could of been, the same thing immediately by Holly.

Test ran out at #22. Rock had been in for over 20 minutes, Kane for over 35. Regal was thrown out around this time and Test stomped on his former partner Albert. Some big stars were still yet to come out which added to the final twenty minutes of this Rumble match. The Rock stayed on the apron and then Test hit Venis with a big boot. Test and Kane went to work on each other in the ring, in a big man`s match.

#23 was finally a bigger star. Maybe the “Biggest” as out ran The Big Show to a loud pop. It was a surprise return. They editted out “The biggest SON OF A BITCH!” comment from Ross for some reason. Big Show clotheslined Test out of the Rumble. Big Show picked up K Kwik and he was gone. Albert tried to hit Big Show but he caught a giant chokeslam. Bradshaw then got chokeslammed by the 500 pounder. Big Show then with a one armed chokeslam to Val Venis. Big Show grabbed Holly and planted him down to the mat. Big Show then grabbed Kane and dropped him. Big Show had cleaned house and Rock was last but he low blowed Show and gave him some right hands to the side of the ring and then The Rock clotheslined out Show. Rock eliminated Big Show 2 years in a row. Big Show then destroyed King and JR’s monitors.

Crash Holly was the next entrant but nobody payed any attention to that because Big Show dragged Rock out of the ring under the rope and then chokeslammed Rock through a table! Jim Ross has a stroke. Everyone in the ring tried to throw out Kane and conveniently at that moment out biked Taker to a loud roar. Taker then cleaned house on the competitors while Rock layed outside the ring beaten down. Taker with a right hand to everyone in the ring and then tossed out Bradshaw. Kane threw out Crash and clotheslined Albert. Taker then threw out Hardcore Holly Val Venis. Ross screamed “NOW WHAT!?” Are Taker and Kane on the same page. It started with brother against brother with the Hardyz and now in kayfabe land we’re at that time again. They elect not to go at it but wait for there next kill. Nice strategy. Kane had been in fourty minutes, Taker just a minute and a half.

Out next was Scotty 2 Hotty. Scotty came out with a hilarious look on his face and JR told him he should make a U-Turn as he looked on at the BOD. Scotty came in the ring and eventually caught a shot from Taker and then a shot from Kane. Taker irishwhipped Scotty to the ropes and he caught a big boot. Kane with a big slam to Scotty. Kane set up a chokeslam for Taker and then both grabbed him and double chokeslammed Scotty 2 Hotty out of the ring. Scotty was grabbed by both the BOD and was thrown out of the ring.

Al Snow was then official and came out and some of the fans were to brain dead to realize Snow was the next entrant. Snow then threw trashcans in the ring and hit Kane and Raven in the head with chairs. Trash flew everywhere. Al Snow got out a bowling boll and hit Raven in the crotch with a hard shot. Ouch. Kane with an uppercut to Snow in the corner. Raven hit kane with a trashcan to Kane. Snow then hit Kane in the back with the can. Snow kept hitting him as did Raven but it didn’t even knock Kane off his feet! Kane won’t go down! Snow and Raven both hit a drop toehold to Kane onto a trashcan, nice spot.

Out next was Perry Saturn with a revealing Terri. Saturn then dropped Kane’s leg onto the top of the apron. Saturn sprung into the ring and dropped Kane with a legdrop. Good strategy by Saturn to destroy the vertical base of the big red machine but Raven jumped on Kane from behind. Saturn with a dropkick to the kneecap of Kane. Kane kicked Saturn in the groin and lifted him up and slammed him to the canvas. Snow jumped on Kane and he slammed him down. Raven jumped on Kane and hit a sleeper. Snow hit Kane with a lid and it took three men and several shots to finally get Kane off his feet. All three kicked at Kane and took the big man off his vertical base.

The 10th entrant was Steve Blackman. It was a hardcore Rumble and Blackman came out with his kendo sticks and took down Snow with them. Kane gave Blackman a hard shot and then Raven hit Snow in the head with a trashcan lid! I liked the offense in this hardcore rumble here. Raven tried to get Snow out while Kane worked on Blackman in the corner and Saturn kicked at him. Snow hit a spinning heel kick to Raven. Snow with kendo stick shots to Raven. Blackman with head shots with that lid. Kane threw Blackman into the corner and choked him out.

Out next was Grand Master Sexay, the son of Jerry Lawler who loves seeing him as always. GMS hit Snow in the head with a lid shot. Snow almost thrown out but he remained in and then Saturn hit him with a shot to the head. Blackman with a right to Kane and he answered with one back. Raven with a lid shot to Saturn. Raven hopped on Kane and choked him while Christopger hit Blackman in the corner. Kane went under the bottom rope to grab a trashcan and then he came in the ring and hit Grand Master Sexay in the head and that eliminated him. Blackman thrown out after a lid shot despite him holding on, there’s two eliminations. Kane threw out Snow! Kane threw out Raven. Kane then beat on Saturn and hit him in the head and threw him out!

Kane was all along. Honkeytonk Man comes out! Lawler’s cousin after his son come out and now he sings his song after he dances a bit. Kane didn`t like Honkytonk Man`s singing so he crashed his guitar over his head! Funny stuff, Kane then threw him out after he shook his head.

The ROCK! Rock was number 13 which spiced things up a bit. He was going to go toe to toe with the dominant to this point Kane! The Rock got in Kane’s face with a series of right hands but Kane reversed an irishwhip, Rock still came off with a clothesline. Rock went to eliminate Kane but he put on the breaks and knocked him down, everyone in New Orleans chanted for Rock. Kane kicked at Rocky a bit and gave him a shot in the corner. Kane then gave Rock a reverse elbow shot and then a clothesline off the side ropes. Rock blocked a punch and then came off the ropes and caught a boot from Kane.

Another RTC member was next, The Goodfather. Rock made short work of him and gave him a ton of shots until he fell over the ropes and was eliminated. Rock turned around and Kane knocked him down. Kane then hit a big vertical suplex on The Rock. Kane sounded exhausted but he was still putting on a show and was choking out The Rock but the fans chanted for him. Kane irishwhipped Rock and then he ducked a clothesline and fought back and came off the ropes but Kane hit a sidewalk slam.

Tazz. We often hear him talk about this Rumble appearance in many Rumble’s he broadcasted and it’s because he’s one of the eleven eliminations from Kane and his shortest. Tazz lasted a good 3-5 seconds and then caught a big shot from Kane off the top turnbuckle and the fans booed. Rock tried to eliminate Kane with everything he had once he got back to his feet. Kane though irishwhipped Rock into the corner but Rock met him with some hard shots. Rock hit a Samoan Drop on Kane.

It’s Bradshaw. The second Acolyte came in and he pounded on a fatigued Kane with a few hard right hands. Rock and Bradshaw both irishwhipped the big red monster to the corner and Rock gave Kane a decent clothesline. Then Bradshaw gave The Rock a clothesline from hell. Huge blow. Rock hit a spinebuster on Bradshaw but before a people’s elbow attempt Kane knocked him down with a clothesline. Three men down, Kane first to his feet. Kane stomped on both Bradshaw and The Rock on the canvas.

Albert ran out and the fans were tired of the undercard following out draw after draw. Albert attacked Rock in the corner and then Kane and Bradshaw both irishwhipped Albert and then they proceeded to knock him down. Albert almost had Bradshaw eliminated. Kane almost had Rock gone on the other side of the ring. Bradshaw knocked down the ring with clothesline’s then caught Albert with a boot.

Jim Ross asks what we think of Holly now when he ran out and I still say he sucks. Albert nearly got Kane out at the top of the ring. Holly and Bradshaw double teamed The Rock and attempted to get him out. A scissors kick from Albert to Kane and he got him off his feet with just one move. Rock bounced off the corner and hit Bradshaw with a clothesline, Kane ALMOST thrown out by Rock but he remained in. Nice spot there.

K Kwik came out next. His first Royal Rumble, and his only one to date. Albert kicked at him in the corner and then threw him head first into the top turnbuckle. Rock worked over K-Kwik in the corner while Kane hit a slam to Holly. Albert caught Rock with an uppercut then went to throw him out but he remained in with one foot on the mat.

Another RTC member in Val Venis. King said there’s way too many RTC members. Kane had been in for 30 minutes and then picked up Venis in the corner who was pounding on him and dropped him with a Spinebuster. Hardcore Holly was stomping on Rock in the other corner of the ring and he had been fatigued had The Rock by this point. Ring started to fill up now.

Out next was William Regal. The European Champion added class to the Rumble match says Lawler and the fans booed. Regal kicked at Kwik. Kane stomped on him and Venis kicked at Rock in the corner. Val almost threw Rock out as if that was going to happen but Ross and the audience still reacted as if he could of been, the same thing immediately by Holly.

Test ran out at #22. Rock had been in for over 20 minutes, Kane for over 35. Regal was thrown out around this time and Test stomped on his former partner Albert. Some big stars were still yet to come out which added to the final twenty minutes of this Rumble match. The Rock stayed on the apron and then Test hit Venis with a big boot. Test levelled away on Kane in the corner of the ring.

#23 was finally a bigger star. Maybe the “Biggest” as out ran The Big Show to a loud pop. It was a surprise return. They editted out “The biggest SON OF A BITCH!” comment from Ross for some reason. Big Show clotheslined Test out of the Rumble. Big Show picked up K Kwik and he was gone. Albert tried to hit Big Show but he caught a giant chokeslam. Bradshaw then got chokeslammed by the 500 pounder. Big Show then with a one armed chokeslam to Val Venis. Big Show grabbed Holly and planted him down to the mat. Big Show then grabbed Kane and dropped him. Big Show had cleaned house and Rock was last but he low blowed Show and gave him some right hands to the side of the ring and then The Rock clotheslined out Show. Rock eliminated Big Show 2 years in a row. Big Show then destroyed King and JR’s monitors.

7

Crash Holly was the next entrant but nobody payed any attention to that because Big Show dragged Rock out of the ring under the rope and then chokeslammed Rock through a table!

Everyone in the ring tried to throw out Kane and conveniently at that moment out biked Taker to a loud roar. Taker then cleaned house on the competitors while Rock layed outside the ring beaten down. Taker with a right hand to everyone in the ring and then tossed out Bradshaw. Kane threw out Crash and clotheslined Albert. Taker then threw out Hardcore Holly Val Venis. Ross screamed “NOW WHAT!?” Are Taker and Kane on the same page. It started with brother against brother with the Hardyz and now in kayfabe land we’re at that time again. They elect not to go at it but wait for there next kill. Nice strategy. Kane had been in fourty minutes, Taker just a minute and a half.

Out next was Scotty 2 Hotty. Scotty came out with a hillarious look on his face and JR told him he should make a U-Turn as he looked on at the BOD. Scotty came in the ring and eventually caught a shot from Taker and then a shot from Kane. Taker irishwhipped Scotty to the ropes and he caught a big boot. Kane with a big slam to Scotty. Kane set up a chokeslam for Taker and then both grabbed him and double chokeslammed Scotty 2 Hotty out of the ring. Scotty was grabbed by both the BOD and was thrown out of the ring.

Stone Cold Steve Austin the man who had won back to back Rumble’s in 97 and 98 came out to an amazing ovation. He has the BMF walk as if to say he`s not afraid of the Brothers of Destruction. Rock was still layed out in front of Ross and King. Back to Steve Austin, earlier he had cost HHH the title and therefore HHH attacked him from behind. The Rock came back in the ring and hammered on Kane and Taker then hit Rock. HHH and Austin brawled up into the entrance way but it was mostly HHH beating him down making it seem impossible for Austin to be back in the match. HHH made Austin bleed as he busted him open hitting him against the security rail, Austin had yet to even be in the ring. You’d think it was the 99 Rumble again.

“The One” Billy Gunn charged out to the ring to believe it or not, a good ovation. Gunn, Taker, Rock and Kane in the ring, HHH was making it impossible for Austin to come to the ring as HHH had seemingly taken him out of the equasion. Kane choked out Rock in the corner while Kane kicked at Billy Gunn. Rock shot Taker with some right’s. The Undertaker caught Rock with a DDT and JR might of oversold it but it was still nice.

No one knew who this entrant was when his music hit because he wasn’t with the company, it was HAKU otherwise known as Meng. He was WCW’s Hardcore Champion so this was a huge shock to most at the time and most fans seemed shocked as well. Haku hit Taker with a big headbutt then a chop on Taker. Austin was shown still bloodied from ear to ear. Kane and Taker then teamed up on Haku. Crowd chanted for Austin. Billy Gunn got up and beat on Kane. The Undertaker then beat on Haku in the corner. Haku chopped at Taker in the corner of the ring. Rock then hit Gunn head first into the top turnbuckle pad.

#30 was a bad man, last was of course Rikishi. A fan dressed as a RTC member held up a sign “Entrant #31.” Rikishi met Austin crawling to the ring bloodied with some shots. He did run him down for DA Rock afterall. Austin battled back. Steve entered the ring with Rikishi, like I said this Rumble had awesome booking.

Haku was eliminated by Austin. Stone Cold Steve Austin hammered on a fatigued Kane in the corner.

The final six were Rikishi, Taker, Rock, Kane, Austin and…Billy Gunn. Like most of his career, Gunn was just kind of…there. Taker tossed Rock over the rope but he held on. Taker gave Rikishi a headbutt and then Kane attacked Austin who was stomping on Gunn. Stone Cold Steve Austin was then driven with a big boot from Kane. Rikishi gave Taker a thrustkick up high and it eliminated The Undertaker! Something tells me he’d be more angry with who threw him out the next year. Rock then beat on his cousin in the corner till Rikishi fought back. Rikishi went to drop from up top on Rock but he got up and lowblowed Rikishi and then gave him a big shot which eliminated him.

The final four were Austin, Kane, Rock and…Bully Gunn? What? Gunn with a fameasser to Austin and then flipped him off which took away any babyface heat Gunn previously had, Austin got up and stunnered him and then got rid of Gunn. Kane got DDT’d by Rock.

The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin locked eyes. Rock tells GLEN to get out of the way for the famous Austin-Rock mania preview in the Rumble match. You`ve got to really love those, (Others like the Mega Powers and Warrior-Hogan from Rumble`s 89 and 90 stick out)

Amazing shot with Austin raising to his feet in blood and having the two showdown with the fans having waited for this for awhile.

Kane was down and Rock hit Austin with right hands and then Austin got hit down. Rock was waiting for a Rock Bottom to Austin and as he turned around he elbowed it off and then hit Rock with a Stunner. Stone Cold stomped on Rock in the corner. Kane grabbed him and then went for a shot but Austin hit him with some more shots. Kane got hit with a Thesz Press and more right hands, Austin then stomped on Kane’s groin. Rock met Austin with a couple of right hands and then Austin raked his eyes, Austin caught a Rock Bottom out of the corner! Amazing sequences here, as good as any Rumble with the last three if not the very best! Kane had been in over an hour said Ross and Rock threw Kane through the ropes which confused the ladies in the crowd who screamed. Rock and Austin gave each other shots and Austin had Rock up and over the top rope and Rock raked Austin’s eyes. Rock bought himself some time and then went to slam Austin over the top and Kane threw out Rock as Austin hung on the apron!

Down to two! Austin got to his feet and then ducked a clothesline and beat on Kane at the side of the ropes. Austin off the side of the ring ran right into a chokeslam by Kane. Stone Cold Steve Austin’s end was coming apparently as Kane signalled that the end is here. Crowd chanted for the Rattlesnake as he hit Kane with a desperate lowblow. Should take some points off for Ross calling it an XFLlike punt. Kane under the ropes was amazingly exhausted and he grabbed a chair. Kane with a chair went for Austin but he kicked him in the gut and gave him some shots. Kane reversed Austin into a possible tombstone and then Austin hit the Stunner on Kane! Austin hit Kane with two chairshots!

In the end Stone Cold Steve Austin last eliminated Kane to win by clotheslining him out after the consecutive chairshots at 1:01:55 and New Orleans popped! JR went crazy saying The Rattlesnake had overcome it all and is now heading to Wrestlemania 17!

My personal favourite Rumble Match and the second best Royal Rumble ever as far as I`m concered only to 1992 and Flair`s wild run.

A Classic way to end an amazing show!

 

 

 

This is not only the Greatest Royal Rumble event of all time, but it is one of the best shows of all time. With only 5 matches and one being a DUD you`d consider it almost impossible for it to reach that level but this does. Everything else was CLASS, a few classics with one other fun match. Also, the Rumble Match takes up almost half the PPV event and with this being my favourite Rumble ever, it definitely adds to the overall greatness of the event and overall grade. I wish I could say nothing but quality but it`s as close as it comes, pick this up! Two thumbs up.