WWE Royal Rumble 2014: Top 5 Championship matches in history of PPV

Umaga and John Cena

The main attraction for WWE’s Royal Rumble has always been the big battle royal which gives the winner a title shot and a place in the main event of WrestleMania.

But one aspect of the pay-per-view that doesn’t get the deserved limelight is the matches being fought for the coveted titles in the company. Down its history, Royal Rumble has produced some epic encounters apart from the battle royal. And as the annual event approaches closer, here is a look back at those matches that made the headlines even without being the theme of the show.

5- John Cena vs. Umaga (2007)

John Cena vs. Umaga

This match was a depiction of how the monster characters would be used properly in the wrestling business. Though it may sound comic, Cena went into the match like a superhero to put an end to the monster who was causing chaos.

The last man standing match surprisingly produced the goods despite a comic plot and ended up as one of the most cruel and intense matches in the history of Royal Rumble.

Umaga wasn’t one of those main event stars in the business and that hurt the match a bit. the match ended when a bloodied Cena choked Umaga with the ring ropes making the monster split blood and unable to answer the ten count.

4-Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (2000)

Cactus Jack vs. Triple H

Mick Foley’s Cactus Jack was one of those gimmicks which stands out from the rest mainly because of the development it had along with the brilliance of Foley himself. And one of the feuds that redefined the character was with Triple H in the start of the century.

This street fight had a lot of buildup unlike the new age storylines. Triple H was portrayed as an arrogant champion when Jack was more unique than the last man on earth.

The barb wires and thumbtacks ripped flesh for 30 grueling minutes before Triple H gave Jack a pedigree through the thumbtacks for a win.

3- The Rock vs. Mankind (1999)

Mankind vs. The Rock

It’s just one of those examples showing why Mick Foley is considered as a Hardcore Legend. He went against The Rock in an I quit match for the WWE Championship on the 12th annual Royal Rumble and gave the fans a memorable encounter.

Most of the match happened outside the ring when each men would go through immense punishment to please the fans. The match went to and fro with a lot of entertainment value and the Mankind never admitted that he quit but ended up on the losing side when the audio of Mick screaming I quit was played so that the Rock could win.

2- Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (2004)

Triple H vs Shawn Micheals

It’s no secret that these two could make stars shine on the earth when pitted against each other. The match was being fought for the World Heavyweight Championship but the deep currents of emotions took the centre-stage than the title itself.

The excellent angle of friends turning into enemies was pulled off with such precision that the fans still drool when thinking about this feud.

Both men painted the canvas red in this last man standing match but the match failed to produce a winner and ended in a draw. The lack of a proper result doesn’t hinder the place that this match has in the history of the pay-per-view instead it led to another great match when the duo would go against Chris Benoit in a triple threat match at the twentieth anniversary of WrestleMania.

1- Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle (2003)

Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit

The match didn’t have any special stipulations like the other matches on the list but technical maestros like Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit proved that they only need a canvas to paint a masterpiece.

The match came amidst of Angle forming Team Angle to avoid facing Brock Lesnar while Benoit was someone pursuing his destiny to win the title. The match was at the epitome of technical wrestling as both men exchanged suplexes and submissions with pin point perfection. The adrenaline pumping action would keep the energy levels up from the first bell to the last till Benoit tapped out to an Angle lock just after an Angle slam from the top rope.

The matches in the future would have a tough time surpassing this epic which showed that wrestling doesn’t need to have chair shots and blood to be entertaining.