Game Review: WWF Royal Rumble (2000)

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Publisher: THQ
Developers: Sega and Yuke's
Genre: Wrestling
Series: N/A
Released: August 1 2000 (US) and September 22 2000 (UK)
Certificate: 15+ (Nowadays 16)
Consoles: Dreamcast (also Arcade)

When wrestling fans reminisce about the golden age of wrestling videogames, the year 2000 is a vintage one to look back upon. We had the first two SmackDown! games as well as the incredible No Mercy. Sure, we also had WCW Backstage Assault which was, quite frankly, woeful, and two ECW games, but it's the WWF titles which first come to mind.

One WWF game which is easy to forget, however, is Royal Rumble. An arcade game which was later released on Sega Dreamcast, Royal Rumble is almost always overshadowed by the more famous WWF games on PS1 and N64. Mind you, there's a good reason why: Royal Rumble is nowhere near as good as any of its three counterparts from that year, but that isn't to say that it's a completely bad game.

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DVD Review: Royal Rumble 2017

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 211 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 20 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The marketing slogan "Remember The Rumble" was used to promote the 30th annual Royal Rumble, which would arguably be the biggest in history as the show returned to the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas with a star-studded line-up across the board. Ultimately, the Rumble will be remembered for reasons good and bad, more positive than negative, as this DVD reaffirms.

Kicking off with Charlotte vs. Bayley for the Raw Women's Championship, the opener is a good one and it marks a refreshing change from the Charlotte-Sasha Banks battles on Raw (this is the first televised match for said title which doesn't involve Sasha since Extreme Rules way back in May, believe it or not). The result is logical, despite Bayley's popularity, although events since the Rumble suggest that the outcome was a bit pointless, since the title change that many assumed was being saved for WrestleMania, and ultimately was not, could have made for a big moment here at the Rumble.

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DVD Preview: Royal Rumble 2017

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

For 30 years, Royal Rumble has been a stepping stone for superstars to rise to legendary status by getting the chance to headline WrestleMania. Which superstar from Raw or SmackDown will take their career to the next level? “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles and John Cena write the next chapter in their historic rivalry in a match for the WWE World Championship. WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens faces challenger Roman Reigns with Kevin Owens’ best friend suspended high above the ring in a shark cage! And WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair looks to extend her famed Pay-Per-View winning streak against Bayley! Buckle up, because we are now on The Road To WrestleMania!

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The Top 50 Most Memorable Royal Rumble Moments

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

We are days away from the 2017 Royal Rumble event. It's officially the 30th Royal Rumble match (an appropriate milestone, incidentally), although there have been some non-televised Rumble-style encounters, and even some scaled-down Rumbles on Raw and SmackDown over the years, not to mention the many "homages" to the Rumble in wrestling promotions around the world since its inception. However, the annual January 30-man battle is the true original, and its legacy has only increased over the years. Besides the WrestleMania main events, it's the one match that still continuously provokes mass interest, even amongst those who haven't regularly watched the product for years.

This year's Rumble could be one of the very best, due to a star-studded cast that includes Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker making special appearances, all of whom could potentially win the thing, along with other big names such as Chris Jericho, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose and The Miz. Even Sami Zayn could be a potential dark horse, since a Universal Championship match with Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 33 is not an unthinkable prospect. That doesn't include the other surprises that could be thrown in, along with the Alamodome setting ensuring that the atmosphere could be the loudest ever for a Rumble match.

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Royal Rumble 2013

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 169 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 15 2013

Kicking off the year in WWE on PPV, Royal Rumble delivered a memorable main event with an outcome that seemed inconceivable just a short time ago, and some decent action elsewhere which makes for a fun DVD to watch.

The opening Last Man Standing match between Alberto Del Rio and Big Show is perhaps slightly inferior to their previous LMS meeting on SmackDown a few weeks earlier, but it's still entertaining nonetheless. Team Hell No vs. Team Rhodes Scholars is okay, and we then jump ahead to the Royal Rumble match itself. It's not the best Rumble by any means, but it does deliver some nice surprises and is overall superior to the 2012 effort.

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Royal Rumble 2014

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 176 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 14 2014

Although fans have fond memories of Royal Rumble, the 2014 event was not warmly-received, with one match completely panned by the Pittsburgh crowd and the finish to the main Rumble bout widely criticised, particularly by the live audience. If nothing else, though, it makes for an intriguing DVD to watch!

To be fair, the opening contest is very good, as Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt create an atmosphere to die for amidst some tremendous sequences. Brock Lesnar vs. Big Show is a short, brutal massacre of the giant by the Beast Incarnate. Strangely enough, fans didn't mind the brevity of this one, but they were determined to spoil Randy Orton vs. John Cena for the WWE Title. Admittedly, the match has been featured way too many times, but on this occasion, fans watching on TV or DVD aren't given a chance to enjoy it, unless you watch it on mute.

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Royal Rumble 2015

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 188 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 6 2015

I won't beat about the bush here: Royal Rumble 2015 is remembered for the very good and the very bad. One match is exceptional, whilst the other is so poorly-booked, one would assume upon first glance that it was a p-ss-take. Therefore, the DVD experience is undoubtedly interesting, but by no means fulfilling.

Let's begin with the good: Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins is incredible; one of the best Triple Threat matches in WWE history, and an early contender for Match Of The Year. The Kick-Off match included as an extra - Tyson Kidd and Cesaro vs. The New Day - exceeds expectations, partly due to a red-hot crowd. And the Rumble match itself is not entirely without merit, with some surprise appearances by DDP, The Boogeyman and, particularly, Bubba Ray Dudley (in the ECW hometown of Philadelphia, no less), and a couple of notable spots scattered throughout the match. But the praise ends there.

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The True Story Of The Royal Rumble

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 437 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: December 5 2016

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The Royal Rumble match is arguably the most anticipated WWE encounter of the entire year, more so even than the main event of WrestleMania. The potential for big moments, elevation of younger talent, surprise returns or debuts, shock eliminations, face/heel turns, unexpected square-offs and more, along with the guarantee for the Rumble winner to earn a World Title shot at Mania (usually, anyway), all combine to create a match that has seen its legacy grow over the years, especially during the modern era where fans know so much of what will happen long before it hits the screen. The Rumble match remains unpredictable, where the key layers are a closely-guarded secret and almost anything can happen.

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The True Story Of The Royal Rumble coming soon on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

For nearly 30 years, both WWE Superstars and WWE Universe members alike begin their Road to WrestleMania at Royal Rumble! An over-the-top-rope free-for-all battle where the winner is given a one-way ticket to the Showcase of the Immortals. For the first time ever, WWE brings you behind-the-scenes to get the unique story of the monumental January event from those who created it and the Superstars who have competed in the Royal Rumble match. Get all the history, get all the stories, and learn The True Story Of The Royal Rumble!

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Royal Rumble 2016

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 182 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 21 2016

(To read a full event review of WWE Royal Rumble 2016, click here.)

The 29th annual Royal Rumble's greatest achievement was arguably that the Rumble match itself was better and more well-received than the previous two Rumbles, the backlash to which bordered on riot-level after the omission of Daniel Bryan in 2014 and his early elimination in 2015, along with wins for Batista and Roman Reigns. That aside, there's still enough entertainment on offer that you should enjoy the Rumble '16 DVD.

After a short segment that shows The McMahons arriving at the arena (as brief as it is, Vince McMahon is nevertheless on comedy form here), the Rumble PPV kicks off with a very good Dean Ambrose-Kevin Owens Last Man Standing match, one of Ambrose's best WWE battles to date. Following that, The New Day vs. The Usos is decent, although the fan reaction to the then-heel New Day borders on ridiculously positive, given that John Cena or Roman Reigns (more on him later) would be booed out of the building if they behaved in the same fashion.

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WWE Royal Rumble 2014

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DVD Network

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Genre: Wrestling
Produced By: WWE
Format: Pay-Per-View
Date: January 26 2014
Location: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Attendance: 15,715

Royal Rumble is usually one of the most anticipated and exciting supershows of the WWE calendar. One reason is due to its unpredictability, as it's the one night of the year when literally anybody could potentially show up in some capacity (well, maybe not those under contract to competitors, but you get the point). A bigger reason, though, is its knock-on effect on WrestleMania: as every WWE fan knows, whomever wins the Royal Rumble match earns a World Title shot in the main event at WrestleMania (usually, anyway). This year, with WrestleMania hitting its 30th entry, there was even more interest on who would win the Rumble match, boosted further by the fact that the recent unification of World Championships means that there would only be one World Title match at WM, further heightening the importance of winning the Rumble match.

Going in, the most likely contender seemed to be Batista, after his much-hyped return to WWE; an Animal victory would set up a star-studded main event for Mania. CM Punk was also in the Rumble, albeit from the #1 position, reducing his chances of victory. There were no other real contenders, at least amongst those officially announced, meaning that a surprise entry would have the best chance of upsetting the odds. As it turned out, however, it was the non-entry of a certain wrestler which would ultimately be the most memorable aspect of the 2014 Rumble match.

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WWE Royal Rumble 2016

Image Source: Wrestlezone

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Genre: Wrestling
Produced By: WWE
Format: Pay-Per-View
Date: January 24 2016
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida, USA
Attendance: 15,998

The 29th annual Royal Rumble event marked a first for the format. Instead of the match deciding who faces the WWE World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania, the title would actually be defended in the match by champion Roman Reigns (the 1992 Rumble was also for the same prize, but the title was vacant as opposed to being defended by, say Hulk Hogan). One vs. All, WWE called it, as the Rumble match was based on whether Roman could successfully defend his crown against 29 opponents. And with him entering as #1, he would have to battle through the entire field to retain the championship. Add to that some intriguing under-card matches, and whispers about certain wrestlers potentially appearing/debuting, and you have a Pay-Per-View that was eagerly anticipated by fans.

The Kick-Off Show was notable for the panel appearance of Jerry Lawler, who appears to have been downgraded from commentating on PPV events after doing so for over 20 years, save for his nine-month absence from WWE in 2001. The King isn't as good as he used to be at announcing, but he is still more entertaining than Byron Saxton or JBL, and his recent heel turn has re-energised his commentary, so it was a bit sad to see what is actually the end of an era; the legendary Jim Ross-Jerry Lawler announce team has now completely disappeared from Pay-Per-View.

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WWF Royal Rumble 1992

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Genre: Wrestling
Produced By: WWF
Format: Pay-Per-View
Date: January 19 1992
Location: Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, New York, USA
Attendance: 17,000

For this week's retro show review, the spotlight shines on the 1992 Royal Rumble, an event largely remembered for one match - but what a bout it was.

Of course, the feature bout was the Royal Rumble match, but what made this one special is that, for the only time in history, the winner of the Rumble would become WWF Champion (the title had been declared vacant in December 1991). As this was the early days of the Rumble, and the match had a star-studded field, there were plenty of potential winners, and the vast majority of entrants were Hall Of Famers or similarly memorable stars. And if all that wasn't enticing enough beforehand, the performances of two people - one of whom wasn't even a participant - elevated the match, and the event, to all-time great status. The card began with a promo video that featured a classic Vince McMahon voiceover: "It's time to RUMMBBLLE! It's time for a ROYYYALLL RUMMMMMBBLLLE!"

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WWE Royal Rumble 2015

Image Source: PWMania.com

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Genre: Wrestling
Produced By: WWE
Format: Pay-Per-View
Date: January 25 2015
Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Attendance: 17,164

The Royal Rumble traditionally starts the Road To WrestleMania, usually the most exciting time of the year in WWE. This, in turn, makes the Rumble one of the most anticipated matches of the year: the Rumble shapes the big one, WrestleMania, which in turn sets up the remainder of the year.

Last year, the Rumble misfired when Daniel Bryan was not entered into the match to the dismay of fans who wanted him to win, leading to resentment towards the victor Batista and storylines changing to give the people what they wanted. There was an element of risk heading into this year's show too: Bryan was back from injury and was clearly a favourite to win, but reports dating back to last summer suggested that Roman Reigns was the man who WWE wanted to win. It would make for a fascinating Rumble, as we would all learn who got the big opportunity and what fate awaited the runner-up (it was very unlikely that somebody else was going to win).

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