The Royal Rumble Match is one of the most exciting matches not just in WWE, but in the entire world of professional wrestling. Every year, 30 wrestlers compete for a world title shot at WrestleMania, but that’s not the only reason why the Royal Rumble Match is so beloved. Surprise appearances, shocking eliminations, and exciting last-second saves are all moments that can elevate stars every year.
RELATED:
WWE Attitude Era: Every WWE Championship Match At The Royal Rumble, Ranked
WWE had an incredibly stacked roster during the Attitude Era, which led to some iconic Royal Rumble Matches during that glorious period. However, not every Rumble of that era lived up to expectations due to questionable creative decisions that didn’t quite land. Without any further ado, let’s review every Royal Rumble Match of the Attitude Era and rank them from worst to best. Enjoy!
5. 1999 Royal Rumble Match
| Date | January 24, 1999 |
|---|---|
| Longest time in the match | Steve Austin & Vince McMahon (56:38) |
| Shortest time in the match | Gillberg (0:06) |
| Most eliminations | Steve Austin (8) |
| Winner | Vince McMahon |
The 1999 Royal Rumble Match could’ve only taken place in the Attitude Era for how wild and unique it was. Everyone knew Austin/McMahon was the hottest storyline going at the time, but “sacrificing” that year’s Royal Rumble Match in order to extend that one program (as epic as it was) was definitely a questionable decision from Vince Russo and the rest of the WWF’s writing team.
Austin and McMahon started the bout as #1 and #2, respectively. A few moments later, they took the fight to the backstage area, which proved to be a trap from McMahon as Austin was attacked and taken out of the match while McMahon proceeded to join the commentary team. As this was happening, a bunch of midcarders killed time in the ring while the fans looked at the Titantron once every 5 seconds to see what would happen next.
The Texas Rattlesnake eventually returned, and the Royal Rumble came down to him and his evil boss. Just when it looked like Austin had the match won, The Corporation’s WWF Champion, The Rock, came out and helped McMahon toss Steve Austin over the top rope. This moment only intensified Austin and McMahon’s legendary feud going forward, but that doesn’t mean the ’99 Royal Rumble Match was good.
