Royal Rumble

Along with Backlash, Fully Loaded and Summerslam (all year 2000), this was is one of my favorite WWF pay-per-views. Aside from Ivory vs Chyna (which was inexcusable crap), every match was solid and excellent. The Dudley Boyz vs Edge & Christian for the Tag Team Titles was very exciting and a good starter for the great pay-per-view. Kurt Angle vs Triple H for the WWF Title was very good, though it ended differently than I expected. Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental Title was the best match of the night and definitely the best of the year so far.

And of course there was the main event, the Royal Rumble itself. It was very exciting and entertaining, with great action moments and very funny moments too. It featured the returns of the Big Show, Al Snow and Haku. It included funny moments from Drew Carey and the Honky Tonk Man. The overall Rumble was very good, with Stone Cold Steve Austin winning, of course.

Everybody knew Stone Cold was going to win, but the most impressive of the night was obviously Kane. Kane, who has always been one of my favorite wrestlers, was in the Royal Rumble for over an hour. He outlasted everybody and took out more wrestlers than anybody else did. Though he was one of the first ones out, he was also the last one eliminated, and it was almost disappointing to see Austin beat him. You've got to be impressed with Kane. It was truly his night.

Taking place in the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, WWF Royal Rumble 2001 is the 14th running of the PPV event, named after its main event, and the second-to-last one before WWF was forced to change its name to WWE. As a result, this can be considered the final Royal Rumble of the Attitude Era by many fans.

Starting with a match between The Dudley Boyz and the team of Edge and Christian for the WWF Tag Team Championship, the main PPV has four matches, all being for certain championship belts, before the Royal Rumble, making it a total of five matches (six if one decides to count the tag team match on the Sunday Night Heat that took place beforehand). The best match was the ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship between Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit since the two showed some skill and made the match brutal using a steel chair and the ladder as weapons, but the worst I have to say is the WWF Women's Championship between Ivory and Chyna, as it was so bad due to its length and its end, but we all know the Royal Rumble is the match we want to watch, and this is one of the best ones the company had. One of the competitors allowed in is comedian and future WWE Hall of Famer and Price is Right host Drew Carey, which is a neat way to add a comedic moment when Kane comes in, eliminating himself after Raven comes in and saves him from a chokeslam with a kendo stick attack, although Kane also gets another Royal Rumble moment to cement his legacy as a monster by easily taking out Honky Tonk Man with his own guitar just as he enters and he could have won if not for Stone Cold Steve Austin (although he lasted long enough to be eliminated last). But still, a great PPV.

As with all the post-Wrestlemania 2000 events up to and through this one, Royal Rumble 2001 is defined more by "attitude" than "talent". Your overall enjoyment of that atmosphere will almost exclusively determine your ranking of this PPV.

Some further thoughts...

-The only reason I care about the Dudley Boyz is their table-bashing antics. The duo in a straight tag match? Ugh.

-Jericho vs. Benoit should be iconic, but to me those were always just two above-average (but no more) talents that were elevated due to the lack of performers in this era.

-What a sham the actual rumble is. Drew Carey? Give me a break. Half the guys entering the ring are absolute nobodies, and the ending is as predictable as the event seems long. Opportunities actually abounded for interesting conclusions, but all were discarded in favor of the safe choice.

-Angle/HHH was clearly the best match on this card--and even that essentially evolved into a Trish/Stephanie catfight, as per the nature of the business at this time.

Clearly, I am not an Attitude Era fan. If you are, your ranking will likely be far higher. But I view such antics as distractions from an enormous talent issue and little more.

Match 1: WWF Tag Team Title Match: Edge and Christian (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz Edge and Christian went to the outside early, but the Dudleyz stopped them in the aisle. D-Von started out by giving Edge a neckbreaker. Buh Buh got the tag and they hit a double elbow on Christian. Buh Buh gave Christian a huge flapjack. Christian came back after a headscissors takedown, but D-Von came back after a powerslam. Edge regained control after a back suplex. Christian got the tag and hit a side Russian leg sweep. Edge hit a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Edge applied a rear chin lock, and d-Von tried to escape, but Edge hit a spinning neckbreaker for a 2 count. Edge went for a piledriver, but D-Von catapulted Edge into Christian in the turnbuckle. Bug Buh got the tag but the referee was distracted so the referee didn't allow the tag. Edge and Christian went for the Conchairto, but D-Von hit a double clothesline. Buh Buh then got the hot tag and he cleaned house with a hot shot and a Buh Buh Bomb. The Dudleyz then hit the Wassup drop and Buh Buh signalled for the tables. Back in the ring, Buh Buh got a rollup. The Dudleyz signalled for the 3D on Christian, but Edge speared Buh Buh. Edge and Christian went for the Wassup drop, but D-Von moved Christian in the way. The Dudleyz then hit the 3D on Edge for the win. Winners: The Dudley Boyz by pinfall, to become the new WWF Tag Team Champions.

Match 2: WWF Intercontinental Title Match - Ladder Match: Chris Benoit (c) vs. Chris Jericho Jericho started out with a back elbow. Benoit tried to go for the Corssface early, but Jericho reversed it and tried to go for the Wallks of Jericho, but Benoit escaped. Benoit hit a shoulderbreaker, but Jericho came back with a flying forearm. The match went to the outside where Benoit whipped Jericho into the steel ringpost. Benoit set the ladder up in the ring and began to climb it, but Jericho came in and propped Benoit on his shoulders and dropped him to the mat. Jericho then rammed the ladder into Benoit's head. Benoit came back and whipped Jericho into the ladder who went to the outside. Benoit went for a suicide dive to the outside, but Jericho grabbed a chair and smashed it over Benoit's head. On the outside, Benoit came back again and knocked the ladder into Jericho's face. Back in the ring, Benoit set the ladder in the corner, and threw Jericho into it. Benoit tried it a second time, but Jericho escaped and pushed Benoit into the ladder. Jericho put Benoit in the ladder in the corner, and Jericho started to climb when the ladder fell over. Benoit then dropkicked the ladder into Jericho. Jericho came back and slingshot the ladder into Benoit. Jericho then hit a missile dropkick off the top rope into the ladder on Benoit. Jericho started to climb, but Benoit caught him and gave him a back suplex over the top rope. Benoit started to climb the ladder, but Jericho caught him and applied a modified Walls of Jericho on top of the ladder. Benoit was pushed off and Jericho started to climb up, but Benoit pushed the ladder over with his feet. Jericho jumped off the ladder but Benoit caught him and applied the Crossface, and Jericho was tapping out. Benoit let the hold go, but Jericho came back and threw Benoit into the ladder. They both started to climb the ladder, but Benoit pushed Jericho off. Benoit went for the headbutt off the top of the ladder, but Jericho moved. Jericho started to climnb once more, but Benoit pushed the ladder over and Jericho hit the ropes. Benoit treid to climb up but Jericho threw Benoit off after a chairshot, and he went flying over the top rope. Jericho climbed up the ladder and retrieved the IC Title. Winner: Chris Jericho, to become the new WWF Intercontinental Champion

Match 3: WWF Women's Title Match: Ivory (w/Steven Richards) (c) vs. Chyna. Chyna started out with a clothesline and a few hair biels. Chyna propped Ivory on the top rope and hit a snap mare. Chyna then tossed Ivory over the top rope. The match then went into the crowd. Chyna then press-slammed Ivory back into the ringside area. Chyna then hit a powerslam, and Richards came in but Chyna took him down with a clothesline and threw him over the top rope. Chyna then hit her trademark handspring elbow. Chyna then collapsed and held her neck. Ivory got the pin. The announcers sold it as a serious injury. Billy Gunn came down to the ring. The EMT's took her to the back. Winner: Ivory by pinfall

Match 4: WWF Heavyweight Title Match: Kurt Angle (c) (w/Trish Stratus) vs. Triple H (w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) Triple H started out working on Angle's arm. Angle came back with a hiptoss, and sent Triple H to the outside. Angle hit a backdrop, and took Triple H down with an armbar. Angle took down Triple H with a few suplexes for a 2 count. On the outside, Triple H dropped Angle face first over the ringside barrier. Back in the ring, Triple H took down Angle with a drop toe hold and applied a leg grapevine. Angle came back with an enziguri. Triple H went to crotch Angle on the ringpost, but Angle pulled his feet up and Triple H went flying into the ringpost. Angle then sent Triple H into the ringsteps. While the referee was distracted by Stephanie, Triple H whacked Angle's knees with a chair. Back in the ring, Triple H took Angle down with a few chop blocks. Triple H then applied his old WCW finisher, the Indian Deathlock, but Angle escaped. Triple H then hit his head-to-knee facebuster for a near fall. Triple H then applied a figure 4 leglock. Trish tried to help Angle escape, so Stephanie slapped Trish and pummeled her on the announce table. Vince McMahon then came down and tried to separate the two. Vince then tried to carry Trish to the back, but Stephanie pushed them both over. They all went to the back. Back in the ring, Triple H tried to apply the figure 4 again, but Angle rolled him up for a 2 count. Angle hit a DDT for another near fall. Angle hit a German suplex for another 2 count. Angle then hit a Russian leg sweep, and went up to the top rope for a moonsault, but Triple H caught him and gave him a modified version of a powerbomb for a 2 count. Triple H went for a pedigree, but Angle escaped. Angle then hit a top rope moonsault, but only got a 2 count. The action went to the outside where Triple H accidently knocked down the referee. Triple H went up to the top rope, but Angle hit a top rope flying arm drag, but the referee was still knocked out. Triple H threw Angle into the steps and once again accidently hit the referee in the process. Back in the ring, Angle then hit a overheard belly-to-belly suplex. Angle went to hit Triple H with the WWF Title belt, but Triple H then hit the pedigree but the referee was still knocked out. Stone Cold Steve Austin then came out and knocked Triple H out with the WWF Title belt. Stone Cold then hit the Stunner on Triple H and Angle made the cover and the referee slowly counted to 3. Winner: Kurt Angle

Match 5: Royal Rumble Match Participants in order of their entry: 1) Jeff Hardy 2) Bull Buchanan 3) Matt Hardy 4) Faarooq 5) Drew Carey 6) Kane 7) Raven 8) Al Snow 9) Perry Saturn 10) Steve Blackman 11) Grandmaster Sexay 12) The Honky Tonk 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 25) The Undertaker 26) Scotty Too Hotty 27) Stone Cold Steve Austin 28) Billy Gunn 29) Haku 30) Rikishi.

Match Details: Back and forth action early on. Matt and Jeff double clotheslined Bull out of the ring to eliminate him. Matt and Jeff went at it until Faarooq came in and pummeled both Hardyz. The Hardyz came back and hit Faarooq with the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb, and then eliminated Faarooq. Both Hardyz then suplexed each other to the outside to eliminate each other, and Drew was the only one left in the ring. Once Kane came out, Drew asked the Hardyz to come back in the ring but they left. Drew tried to shake Kane's hand. Drew then offered Kane some money. Kane went for a chokeslam on Drew, but Raven came in and broke it up. Drew then eliminated himself by jumping over the top rope. Raven threw lots of hardcore weapons into the ring. Al Snow came down and attacked Raven. Snow got a bowling ball and rolled it into Raven's crotch. Everyone was pummeling Kane but he wouldn't go down. Blackman came out and whacked everyone with his kendo sticks.

The Match: Grandmaster Sexay came in but got quickly eliminated him after a trash can shot. Kane then eliminated Raven, Steve Blackman, Al Snow and Saturn. The Honky Tonk Man then entered the Rumble. Honky came in and told Kane to stand aside for a few minutes. Honky began to sing his song. Kane then got Honky's guitar and smashed it over Honky's head. Kane then threw him out. The Rock came out to a huge pop and battled back and forth with Kane for the next few minutes. As soon as The Goodfather came in, he got punched out by The Rock and thrown over the top rope. As soon as Tazz came in, he was thrown out immediatly by Kane. Bradshaw came in and gave The Rock the Clothesline from Hell. The Rock came back and gave him a spinebuster. Kane came very close to throwing The Rock out. As soon as K-Kwik came out, Bradshaw gave him a big powerbomb. The Rock soon after gave Val Venis a spinebuster. Test came out and straight away eliminated william Regal. Test then hammered away on Albert. The Big Show came in and eliminated Test and K-Kwik. He then gave Albert, Bradshaw, Hardcore Holly, Kane and Val Venis a chokeslam. He tried that on The Rock, but The Rock low-blowed him and eliminated him. The Big Show then took The Rock under the bottom rope and chokeslammed him through the announce table. Everyone was attacking Kane until The Undertaker came out and cleaned house. Kane and The Undertaker then eliminated Crash, Bradshaw, Albert, Hardcore Holly and Val Venis. Kane and the Undertaker were the only two in the ring, with The Rock still on the outside. Scotty Too Hotty warily walked to the ring while Kane and The Undertaker looked on. Kane and The Undertaker pummeled Scotty and eliminated him. Stone Cold walked to the ring but Triple h attacked him in the aisle and continued to pummel him for the next few minutes. Stone Cold was busted open. Back in the ring, Kane and The Undertaker double teamed Billy Gunn and The Rock. Haku aka Meng came in but was double teamed by Kane and The Undertaker. Stone Cold, The Rock, The Undertaker, Kane, Billy Gunn, Rikishi and Haku were the last participants in the ring. Stone Cold came back in the ring and quickly eliminated Haku. The Undertaker then chokeslammed Rikishi. Rikishi then got revenge bu superkicking The Undertaker out of the Rumble. Rikishi went to give The Rock a Bonzai Drop, but the Rock got up and pushed rikishi over the top rope, eliminating him. Billy Gunn then got thrown out by Stone Cold. Kane, Stone Cold and The Rock were left. Stone Cold and The Rock then exchanged punches, and The Rock outpunched Stone Cold. Stone Cold turned about and gave The Rock a Stunner. Stone cold then gave Kane a Thesz press. Stone cold turned around and received a Rock Bottom by The Rock. Kane got thrown out through the middle rope. Kane then came back in and threw The Rock out. Kane then chokeslammed Stone Cold. Kane was going to thrown Stone Cold out, but Stone Cold low blowed him. Kane went to the outside and got a chair. Stone Cold intercepted him and gave him a Stunner. Stone Cold then levelled Kane with 3 chairshots and clotheslined him over the top rope. Winner: Stone Cold Steve Austin

A pritty good PPV. This derserves a B+ (Drew Carrey in the Royal Rumble, I don't think so)

There couldn´t have been a better pay-per-view for the WWF to open the year 2001, because it is almost perfect. This pay-per-view contains 5 matches:

Women´s Championship Match: Ivory vs. Chyna The least interesting match of the evening. I´m not a favorite of women´s wrestling because most women in the WWF can´t wrestle all too well. Except for Chyna of course.

Tag-Team Championship Match: The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian

All I can say about this match-up is that they have had better ones in the past.

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit

This was a good solid match with two of the better wrestlers within the WWF.

WWF Championship Match: Kurt Angle vs. Triple H This match-up could have been better, but it was entertaining.

30-man Royal Rumble Match The highlight of the evening. The best royal rumble ever, because there were so many great superstars involved in this match, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker, Kane, Rikishi, etc. It also contained the surprising return of the Big Show and some guest entrances from The Honky Tonk Man and Drew Carey. This certainly was a perfect rumble.