Why Do People Hate Battle Royal(e)s?

[theryno665]

I don't get it. It seems like every time I read a TV show or DVD review and there's a battle royal match on it, the reviewer almost always says "I hate battle royals so I won't rate it." Why? Honestly, battle royals are one of my favorite types of matches. I know going in I'm not going to be seeing a technical classic between 10 or more men. I'm going to be seeing people trying to survive getting thrown over the top rope. And usually, its a match where some people get the chance to shine as long as they can do something to get noticed. So, what's the deal? Why the hate?

Also, what's the difference between a "battle royal" and a "battle royale"? Does the "royale" come with cheese?

[PaperStreetBrigade]

Probably because you can't be snarky and rip on one or two guys, so its easier just to dismiss the whole thing.

[peltier]

Compared to a Royal Rumble, a Battle Royal is too hard to keep track of until around the final 8.

Though I enjoy watching them anyway.

[Schemer]

I dunno about anyone else, but I love battle royals. I like the chaotic element it brings. One of my favorite Raw matches is the battle royal where Razor Ramon and Rick Martel won to go on and face the next week for the belt. Personally, I think they should've just finished it there, but it was still an awesome battle royal.

[Deleted]

I love battle royals they should be more frequent IMO.

[neal]

IMO battle royals are too predictable, have very few wrestling moves due to the nature of them and mostly use the lower card guys with maybe two or three upper mid-carders or in the days of old, Andre. And Andre wasn't losing so outside of the spectacle of seeing a mass of guys clubberin' in the ring and throwing themselves over the top rope until Andre is left, what is there?

[comahan]

Im not a fan of battle royals either. Its just a lot of standing around and pushing one another in corners and such until the final few people are left.

[Alex Shelley]

Battle Royals are one of my favorite types of matches, personally. I can see how people wouldn't like them, because they're not strictly "wrestling", but I love them.

[ICBM]

I loved em when I was a kid but nowadays I hear there is a battle royal and I change the channel (yes even TNA). They are huge flusterclucks that have less logic than a May 2000 Thunder main event. The only thing tha matters is the last 5 minutes. It's a waste of TV time IMO

[johnnyk9]

I like them when the strench out and not weed out in like 5 minutes

[doinkmark]

I like brawls where the locker room empties without warning, yet I dislike Battle Royals. I don't know. Maybe it's because after years of seeing them you pretty much know it's not going to be anything too exciting until near the end. Maybe it's because the Royal Rumble format has spoiled us. Your favorite wrestler might make it through until the end and even win, but before that he'll just be punching and kicking. Assuming you can even find him in all the chaos.

[Kris Kobain]

I love them.
I remember one on Superstars after Shawn won the Royal Rumble where he came in and everyone was geared towards him and he jumped out. Then later Lawler was thrown over the top and landed on one foot and was standing outside the ring on one foot until Bret came out and beat him up.

[noleafclover1980]

Better then hearing "ladies and gentleman..the following contest is a DIVAS TAG TEAM MATCH!"

[Tiger Maskooo]

i think it just comes from the fact that during a certain period of time when they just didnt have anything to do with talent or needed a spot to fill on the card theyd just put a random battle royal on the card no one cared about. I think it just got overexposed for alot of folks but Ive always loved battle royals. I think theyre for special occasions and dont need to be used frequently but,I've always loved them.

[TripleMerc]

I like them, to an extent. Smackdown's random battle royals that they used to have when Khali was getting pushed = cool. World War 3 with 87 rings and 4 trillion men? not as cool.

[Mozenrath]

I like them, particularly if they include a big guy to gang up on. I always love when they try it on Big Show, only for him to beat the ever loving piss out of them in retaliation.

[Larryhausen]

I love two things about battle royals.

1: When it gives wrestlers a chance to revisit old feuds that wouldn't get the time of day in todays market. See: Flair/ Von Erich in the 92 Rumble, and Piper/Snuka in the '08? Rumble.


2: When it can give us a tease and test the waters of another feud that might come along. See: Warrior/Hogan, Rumble '90

[James McCloud IS John Godot]

I don't normally see battle royales unrated because a reviewer hates them. Most of the time the reason I hear is that it can't really be rated on the same criteria as other wrestling matches which, with smark reviewers, is usually wrestling.

I mean, you can totally compare, say, a battle royale and some ROH match on a vague FUN-O-METER scale. But what could you give a battle royale on a technical wrestling scale but "N/A"?

[wrestlinggod13]

I've always had a soft spot for the Royal Rumble, but I dislike battle royales in general. As others have said, it usually involves a lot of random punching and kicking in the corners while other guys aimlessly walk about the ring looking for something to do. I always skip to the last 3-4 minutes , because it's usually uninteresting until then.

[TuneinTokyo]

I love battle royals. I used to love how the winner got a check at the end. Like 10,000 dollars or something.

I've seen a few live ones and I think they are better live than on TV.