10 best Royal Rumble events in WWE history

#4 Royal Rumble 1995

Bret Hart gave Diesel the best match of his WWF Title reign at Royal Rumble 1995.

It might surprise a few readers, but Royal Rumble from 1995 was probably the second-best pay per view of the New Generation Era, after WrestleMania X. This show had everything you'd need to have a great Royal Rumble event - A solid opening match, a fantastic World Title match and a virtually perfect Rumble match.

The value of the Intercontinental Title was at an all-time high in 1995, and it was Razor Ramon and Jeff Jarrett who kept its prestige intact during that period. Their opening clash at Royal Rumble 1995, while marred with shenanigans, was a beautifully fought contest that saw Double J play the cocky heel perfectly to win the Intercontinental Championship.

Diesel's WWF Title reign, while a lengthy one, was quite lackluster. Barring a handful of great matches, most of his defenses were sub-par affairs. However, his match against Bret Hart at Royal Rumble was a stunning encounter. Despite the non-finish, it was easily the best World Title match on the January Show up to then.

The Royal Rumble match, while the shortest in history, is an iconic one as it had the same two superstars who started the match, make it to the final two. Shawn Michaels' victory from #1, and the breathtaking closing sequence, is often considered the start of his run as a main-event star, and a foundation stone of all the innovative Rumble saves in the future.

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#3 Royal Rumble 2007

A long due victory that began the peak years for the Deadman.

Wrestling fans all over the world remember Royal Rumble 2007 for one reason - the legendary closing sequence in the main event. Fans witnessed a fantastic clash between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, face to face for the first time in many years, as they tore the house down and gave a glimpse of what they'd end up doing two years later at WrestleMania.

However, that final stretch is not the only memorable thing about the Royal Rumble. The Rumble match itself was a fantastic one, probably the best one in years. The Great Khali played the unstoppable monster, Edge and Randy Orton played the Iron Man role, and The Undertaker got his long overdue win that coincided with the start of his best years in WWE.

John Cena's Last Man Standing match against Umaga from Royal Rumble is often considered a landmark match in Cena's Title run. The brutal encounter, which ended with Cena choking The Samoan with the ropes and the turnbuckle, is often rated among the best match of either man's career.

Even the opening match between The Hardy Boys and MNM was a fun affair, with Jeff & Matt, despite outside interference from Melina, taking the win after a hard-fought battle. Elsewhere on the card, Batista and Bobby Lashley had below-par title defenses against Mr. Kennedy and Test. Regardless of those two matches, Royal Rumble 2007 will forever be remembered for that unbelievable final 15 minutes.