Arguably, the road to WrestleMania 17 in 2001 was one of the best build-ups to WrestleMania in WWE history. The 2001 Royal Rumble was the first pitstop, and it was a magnificent card. The card was stacked from top to bottom with the WWE World Tag Team Championship, Intercontinental Championship, WWE Women's Championship, and the WWE Championship featuring before the titular 2001 Royal Rumble match.
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Whilst, there were a plethora of good moments on the show, it wasn't flawless with a few faults that could have been avoided. Usual suspects featured in the 2001 Royal Rumble match, and the picture on the road to WrestleMania 17 became clearer after the show.
10 Best: The Dudleys Winning The Tag Team Championship
The curtain-raiser to get the PPV off to a flying start was Edge and Christian defending the WWE World Tag Team Championship against The Dudley Boyz. Both teams are no strangers to each other, so it's no surprise that they had a remarkable back-and-forth championship match.
The Dudleys were looking to bring their nine-month drought as Tag Team Champions to a halt. Edge and Christian pushed them hard, but the Dudleys captured their second WWE World Tag Team Championship with the 3D.
9 Worst: Ivory Vs. Chyna
Ivory and Chyna clashed over the WWE Women's Championship, and it was the first time that the Ninth Wonder of the World challenged for the Women's Championship. Ivory represented Right to Censor, and Steven Richards accompanied her to the ring.
Richards attempted to fire up Ivory, but it was to no avail with Chyna overpowering Ivory, and Ivory could not lay a finger on Chyna. The Ninth Wonder of the World was closing in on her first Women's Championship reign with a back spring elbow, but she "re-injured" her neck with Ivory covering Chyna to retain the title in a lackluster bout.
8 Best: Chris Jericho Clinches The Intercontinental Championship In A Ladder Match
For the first time in the history of the Royal Rumble, there was a ladder match on the card, and Chris Jericho attempted to regain the Intercontinental Championship. Y2J was hoping that lightning would strike twice as he became the Undisputed Intercontinental Champion in a triple threat match at the previous Royal Rumble in 2000 by beating Chyna and Hardcore Holly.
Jericho was engaged in a hard-fought battle, and there were some brutal bumps. Nevertheless, it proved to be a successful night for Jericho as he captured his fourth Intercontinental Championship.
7 Worst: Drew Carey's Appearance In The Royal Rumble Match
The Royal Rumble match is full of surprise entrants, and the 2001 edition was no different. Drew Carey appeared backstage, and Mr. McMahon announced that he would be competing in the Rumble. Carey rocked up in a tracksuit and he was a fifth entrant in the Royal Rumble match.
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Lo Down's Chaz and D'Lo Brown couldn't decide who would inform the Rumble, but McMahon was the bearer of bad news to inform them that Carey would enter the Rumble. Whilst it may have gained publicity, Carey's participation in the Rumble was unnecessary as he eliminated himself after Kane entered the Rumble as the following entrant.
6 Best: The WWE Championship Match
Kurt Angle had a stern test in his latest WWE Championship title defense against Triple H. Both men were heels, but it didn't stop the pair from producing an outstanding championship match. Despite the Olympic Gold Medalist being the reigning WWE Champion, he was the underdog.
Triple H's wife Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley was in his corner, and Trish Stratus accompanied Angle to ringside. The Game was closing in on the WWE Championship, but Steve Austin attacked Triple H with the referee knocked down. That allowed Angle to pick up one of the biggest wins in his career by retaining the WWE Championship.
5 Worst: Rikishi As The 30th Entrant
Rikishi turning heel in the fall of 2000 didn't go according to plan, and no one saw Rikishi in the same ilk as the likes of Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, and The Undertaker. However, he entered the Royal Rumble match as the 30th entrant.
A lot of steam in Rikishi's heel run had run out, and barely anyone thought that he could win the Royal Rumble match. It was a pitiful performance although he managed to eliminate The Undertaker. He lasted two and a half minutes, and he was removed from the equation by The Rock.
4 Best: Steve Austin Winning A Record Third Royal Rumble Match
The most prolific performer in the history of Royal Rumble matches is Steve Austin. The Texas Rattlesnake won back-to-back Royal Rumble matches in 1997 and 1998, and he was looking for a record third Royal Rumble match in 2001.
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Before Austin entered the ring as the 27th entrant, he was viciously assaulted by Triple H, who he cost the WWE Championship earlier on in the night. Nevertheless, Austin only registered three eliminations as he eliminated Haku, Billy Gunn, and Kane to win his third Royal Rumble match in five years which was a highlight of the show.
3 Worst: The Inclusion Of Weapons
Royal Rumble matches are non-disqualification matches but there was a hardcore element to the match when the Hardcore Champion Raven got involved in proceedings. Raven introduced a kendo stick when he prevented Kane from chokeslamming Drew Carey.
Al Snow introduced trash cans and trash can lids into the match, and there was no need for weapons to be involved in the Rumble. It felt like a 24/7 Hardcore Championship match with the likes of Steve Blackman, Perry Saturn, and Grandmaster Sexay using weapons.
2 Best: Kane's Performance
Kane was unlucky not to win the 2001 Royal Rumble match as his performance warranted a Royal Rumble match victory. The Big Red Machine made history as he became the first man to eliminate 11 competitors in a Royal Rumble match, and that record stood for 13 years until Roman Reigns broke it.
The Big Red Machine was on fire, and he spent the longest amount of time in the Rumble at 53 minutes and 46 seconds. The Rock was his biggest scalp in terms of eliminations, and it took several chair shots and a clothesline from Steve Austin to eliminate Kane to score the Rumble win.
1 Worst: The Honky Tonk Man's Participation
The longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history, The Honky Tonk Man made a surprise appearance in the Royal Rumble match. He began to sing his theme song, but Kane was displeased.
Kane cracked him in the head with his signature guitar, and he shook his head before he removed The Honky Tonk Man from the Rumble. Whilst it was good to see The Honk Tonk Man in the Rumble, his appearance was short-lived as he lasted a little over one minute,
