The Royal Rumble is traditionally viewed as the official starting point on the road to WrestleMania. The January PPV is one of the most prestigious events on WWE’s calendar. However, the Royal Rumble match is the main selling point of the event, but high-stakes WWE Championship matches on the card are just as important.
In 1992 and 2016, the WWE Championship was on the line in Royal Rumble matches. Nevertheless, the Attitude Era was star-studded, and several blockbuster WrestleMania-quality WWE Championship matches occurred at the Royal Rumble.
RELATED:
Singles Matches that Closed Out the WWE Royal Rumble PLE, Ranked
Some of the WWE Championship matches in the Attitude Era were so good that they could have closed out the Royal Rumble. All five of the WWE Championship matches that happened in the Attitude Era did not fail to disappoint. The storytelling was excellent in these title bouts, and four of the five victors walked into WrestleMania as the defending WWE Champion, showcasing the significance of a successful title defense at the Rumble.
5. Kurt Angle Vs. Triple H – Royal Rumble 2001
The WWE Championship match between Kurt Angle and Triple H at the 2001 Royal Rumble is often forgotten about. Their title bout was an underrated gem, but the 2001 Royal Rumble match is widely-regarded as one of the best, which is why this WWE Championship match gets lost in the shuffle. However, both men were heels with both desperate to walk into WrestleMania X-Seven as the reigning WWE Champion.
Angle and the Game had good chemistry, and their match clicked. Triple H was close to regaining the WWE Championship after he executed the Pedigree, but the referee was knocked down. However, Triple H’s rival, Steve Austin, interfered, and he attacked Triple H.
The Texas Rattlesnake clocked the Game with the WWE Championship, with the challenger busted wide open. Austin added insult to injury by executing the Stunner on Triple H, and Angle took advantage to retain the WWE Championship.
