Most and least star studded Royal Rumble matches?

[The Rick Jericho]

Everyone points at 1992 as the standard bearer for star power in the Royal Rumble match. But as the years go on, does this still hold up?

And everyone seems to point to 1995 as the least star studded match. Does this still hold up today?

What are your most and least star studded Rumble matches over the years?

[msc]

Most
1990 - DiBiase, Jake, Piper, Macho Man, Bret, Andre, Dusty, Demolition, Haku, Warrior, Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Rick Rude, Mr Perfect, Snuka etc
2009 - Rey, HHH, Orton, Cody, Jericho, Miz, Undertaker, Mark Henry, CM Punk, Kofi, Kane, Big Show, Hacksaw - pretty stacked for the time

[Gerard Gerard]

2012 was a filler disaster with a semi-swerve ending in Sheamus winning instead of Jericho.

[BlackoutCreature]

The 2000 Royal Rumble was always interesting to me in this regard. It didn't really lack star power, but most of those "stars" were those popular Attitude Era mid-carders that developed cult followings through the years but weren't really headline acts. Out of all the guys in it the only ones you could really see winning were Rock, Big Show, Kane and maybe, if you're being really generous, Rikishi.

[CeilingFan]

1990 Rumble had past and future WWF, NWA, AWA, and WCW World Champions.

[tagteammatchplaya]

Most star studded without a doubt:

2022 - Madcap Moss

[msc]

2022 mens - AJ, Nakamura, Drew, Kevin Owens, Rey (in the Snuka role), Kofi, Big E, Orton, Brock
2019 - Nakamura, Angle, Big E, Joe, Rollins, Ambrose, Rey, Lashley, Braun, Orton - felt lightweight at the time.
2013 - Jericho, Cody, Sheamus, Cena, Bryan, Kane, Orton, Ryback.

For recent "they left most of their cards on the table" rumbles.

[CMWaters]

In retrospect: 2002 is a high up one.

You had former world champions in Austin, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Undertaker, Kane, Big Show and including WCW you also had Booker T, DDP and Faarooq (even if they barely recognized that through his run). Also Mr. Perfect if you want to stretch with AWA (they rarely recognized that though, see the Lawler/Miz feud with saying Lawler's never been world champ)

You had future world champs in Bradshaw, Christian, Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam (and Matt Hardy if you want to stretch with his ECW title run).

And filling in the cracks you had some high end mid-card acts like Rikishi, Goldust and Val Venis (though that last one was only for a short time with this return)

[Jindrak Mark]

2005 was really stacked.

Batista
Cena
HBK
Angle
Jericho
Eddie
Benoit
Rey
Edge
Booker
Flair
Kane
Christian
Hassan
Shelton

It had one of the most exciting final fours too with Batista/Cena/Edge/Rey. Not a Rumble win or world title between any of them yet so all possibilities were fresh.

2012 was pretty dire. Jericho and Orton felt like the only major names. A good 10-15 people in the match got absolutely no reaction from the crowd. There was too many low-carders. Cena and Kane should have pulled double-duty to add some star power.

[Legion]

1997 was terrible unless you cared for Mexican talent

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

I would say 1995 is the least star studded but I think 1993 is close. Really the only stars are Savage, Perfect, Undertaker, Yokozuna, Dibiase, and Backlund. Other then that it's a bunch of lower midcarders.

[tirtefaa]

2012 had to be the worst

You had the announce team of Jerry Lawler, Booker T and Michael Cole all as participants. Richardo Rodriguez was another entrant who was a complete waste. No one cared about Epico or Primo winning it. Same can be said for Hunico. Same can also be said for Alex Riley and Ezekiel Jackson. Kharma is in there, only to be eliminated quickly. And the big surprise entrants were Road Dogg and Hacksaw Jim Duggan.

[Renslayer]

2002 has a sneaky great amount of star power in it. 97 as well (tho a lot of the stars blossomed years later)

[coleslaw]

Idk if it counts but the Greatest Royal Rumble was a who's who of "who the f*** is this?"

[Andee9001]

2008 was a great rumble. Taker, Shawn, Triple H, Batista and Cena. Then you had guys like Punk, Umaga, Miz, Morrison, Kane, Mark Henry and Mick Foley.

1995 had guys like Well Dunn, The Squat Team, old Dory Funk Jr and racist Dick Murdoch.

[CMWaters]

Jan 8, 2023 18:25:17 GMT -5 Andee9001 said:

1995 had guys like Well Dunn, The Squat Team, old Dory Funk Jr and racist Dick Murdoch.

Easy to do, but you mixed 95 and 96. Well Dunn and Murdoch were 95, Funk and Squat Team were 96.

[Andee9001]

Jan 8, 2023 18:26:54 GMT -5 CMWaters said:

Jan 8, 2023 18:25:17 GMT -5 Andee9001 said:

1995 had guys like Well Dunn, The Squat Team, old Dory Funk Jr and racist Dick Murdoch.

Easy to do, but you mixed 95 and 96. Well Dunn and Murdoch were 95, Funk and Squat Team were 96.

Yeah the New Gen just kinda merges together

[bob]

last year for the men was completely pathetic

[1 Free Moon-Down with Burger]

Jan 8, 2023 18:07:28 GMT -5 coleslaw said:

Idk if it counts but the Greatest Royal Rumble was a who's who of "who the f*** is this?"

I remember my friend described it as a “veritable Who’s That of wrestling”

[Hulkshi Tanahashi]

Jan 8, 2023 18:25:17 GMT -5 Andee9001 said:

2008 was a great rumble. Taker, Shawn, Triple H, Batista and Cena. Then you had guys like Punk, Umaga, Miz, Morrison, Kane, Mark Henry and Mick Foley.

1995 had guys like Well Dunn, The Squat Team, old Dory Funk Jr and racist Dick Murdoch.

The Squat Team and Dory Funk were in the 1996 Rumble.