2001 Royal Rumble Thoughts

   2001 is definitely up there in terms of my favorite Royal Rumble matches of all time.  Between big time superstars like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, to Kane's impressive eliminations, to surprise entrants, this Rumble was filled with excitement.  There were also some fantastic matches to go along with it, such as the Intercontinental Title Ladder Match and the WWF Championship match.  

Pre-Show Match - Lo Down vs. Kaientai

   Lo Down was a team consisting of D-Lo Brown and Chaz, formerly Headbanger Mosh.  After an awful gimmick change and a questionable angle involving domestic abuse, Chaz joined up with Brown under the guise of Tiger Ali Singh.  They even started wearing turbans like their manager.  Kaientai was a low card team but popular when they begin a subtitle gimmick and their famous catchphrases; "Evil" and "Indeed!"  This match occurred on Sunday Night Heat, just before the Rumble began.  Nothing of note happened here and Lo Down were victorious.

Tag Team Titles - Edge & Christian vs. Dudley Boys

   Edge & Christian were already mult-time Tag Team Champions by this point and their personalities were really shining.  Everything from their ring gear to their mannerisms to their catchphrases were caught on with the fans.  Oddly enough, they were the heels.  The Dudley Boys were now one of the most popular tag teams in the WWF and were now applauded for putting opponents through tables.  These teams brought it to each other in this match.  In the end, the Dudleys took home the gold.  Not long after, these teams, along with the Hardy Boys. would meet once again in a TLC match.

Intercontinental Title Ladder Match - Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho

   You couldn't have asked for two better opponents to compete in a series of compelling matches.  This feud was now reaching the breaking point and the only way to end this was a Ladder Match.  With Jericho outside the ring, Benoit dove through the ropes, only to be greeted by a steel chair.  In an incredible moment, Jericho had Benoit in his Walls of Jericho while on the ladder.  It was quite the visual!  Later, while Benoit was ascending the ladder, Jericho pushed the ladder, causing Benoit to fall out of the ring.  This gave Jericho enough time to set up the ladder, climb it, and once again become the Intercontinental Champion.

Women's Title - Ivory vs. Chyna

   Ivory was part of the faction Right To Censor.  This was a direct response to the PTC, or Parents Television Council, that were trying to decide what the WWF could and could not show on TV.  The RTC were hated, as they wanted to ban inappropriate things and their entrance music was just a siren noise.  One of the people against this group was Chyna.  To counteract Chyna's clear power advantage, Ivory had RTC leader Stevie Richards in her corner.  Due to a neck injury, Chyna lost the match and her chance at the Women's Championship.  Commentator and RTC rival Jerry "The King" Lawler then check on the hurt Chyna.  Chyna ended up getting her moment of glory at WrestleMania!

WWF Title - Kurt Angle vs. Triple H

   Kurt Angle, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon were in a bit of a love triangle in the later half of 2000.  To make things even more interesting, Trish Stratus was added to the story and something that wasn't what it looked like caused Hunter to be in Stephanie's dog house.  Angle was the reigning Champion, having won it from The Rock back in October.  At this time, Trish was also Vince McMahon's mistress and her feud with Stephanie over who was the dominant female in the WWF was extremely entertaining.  It was a great back and forth contest and it could have been anybody's win.  Stone Cold Steve Austin, who still in a heated rivalry with Triple H over the hit-and-run incident in 1999, came to the ring. Austin attacked Hunter when the referee was incapacitated and when the referee came to, Angle made the cover to retain his Championship.  Meanwhile, by WrestleMania, the three men ended up in three different feuds and matches.

Royal Rumble Match

   As Howard Finkel would say..."It is now time for the Royal Rumble!" The Rumble match began with Jeff Hardy and the RTC's Bull Buchanon as numbers one and two, respectively. Unfortunately for Bull, Matt Hardy entered next and we saw some classic Hardy Boys double team maneuvers.  After the brothers also eliminated Faarooq, they started battling each other.  After all, it's every man for himself.  The next entrant was comedian Drew Carey, who happened to arrive just as the Hardys eliminated each other.  Much to his dismay, Kane then entered the Rumble at number six.  Visibly frightened, Carey tried bribing the Big Red Machine with cash.  Kane was having none of it and grabbed him by the throat.  Just then, hardcore icon Raven entered and hit Kane with a Singapore cane, allowing Carey to eliminate himself and leave with everything still in place.  Somehow, this was enough for Carey's induction into the WWF Hall of Fame, but that's neither here nor there.

   Kane then dominated the Rumble, eliminating everyone else until #11.  Number 12 was the Honky Tonk Man but as he sang his theme song, Kane took his guitar and blasted Honky in the head and eliminated him.  Kane was on fire until the next person entered, The Rock!  The ring filled up again and out came the Big Show, returning after several months.  He decimated everyone in his path until The Rock clotheslined him out of the ring. An irate Big Show dragged The Rock under the ropes and proceeded to Choke Slam him through a table.  Meanwhile, Kane eliminated several more competitors until the remaining ones decided to team up and take him out.  That is, until his brother the Undertaker showed up and saved him.  From there, the Brothers of Destruction destroyed everyone in their path.  All in all, Kane eliminated 11 men and held the record of most eliminations for 13 years.

   Stone Cold Steve Austin entered at number 27 but before he was able to get in the ring, Triple H assaulted him and left him bloody.  Meanwhile, the Rock finally reentered the ring after his earlier assault at the hands of the Big Show.  Billy Gunn then entered the ring, followed by the returning Haku, straight from WCW. #30 was Rikishi, the man that Triple H ordered to run down Austin with a car.  What a shit show that was!  The final four were Austin, Kane, The Rock, & Gunn.  Gunn was eliminated shortly after and then Austin and Rock went at it.  After the Rock was eliminated, Kane grabbed a chair and tried to hit Austin but missed.  Austin then hit a Stunner and tossed Kane from the ring, winning his third Rumble.  

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