With the 2010 Royal Rumble coming up in just a couple of weeks I thought it would be a good idea to look back on some of the moments that go to making the 'Over the Top Rope' match so special, and the start of the 'Road to WrestleMania'.

Ax v Smash - Royal Rumble 1989
Often billed as 'Friend v Friend' and 'Foe v Foe', the Royal Rumble match is unique in the way it forces Superstars to face off against each other. Never more true than at the start of the 1989 Royal Rumble when tag team partners in Demolition, Ax and Smash, entered the ring numbers 1 and 2 respectively. Not holding back one bit, these two feirce maniacs went at it tooth and nail - for 2 minutes all thoughts of being tag team partners were gone. Luckily they never got to the point of one eliminating the other, though unluckily the 3rd person to enter was the monstrous Andre The Giant!

Hogan v Warrior - Royal Rumble 1990
Hulk Hogan was the WWE Champion and Ultimate Warrior was the Intercontinental Champion, set to face off at WrestleMania VI, these two were both entered into the Royal Rumble match - this was back in the days when the WWE Champion entered the Royal Rumble match, before the winner was given a title shot, a tradition which started in 2003. After clearing the ring of all the other Superstars, Hogan and Warrior faced off for the very first time - you could cut the tension with a knife! Both Superstars were on the receiving end of thunderous clotheslines and neither could get a proper advantage before The Barbarian ended their party when he entered at number 27.

Giant Gonzales - Royal rumble 1993
Not long after Undertaker entered the 1993 Royal Rumble Harvey Wippleman appeared, and with him was the tallest 'man' to ever enter the Royal Rumble. Supposdely standing 8 feet tall was the enigma that we would later find out went by the name of Giant Gonzales. This was a giant of a man wearing a bodysuit with furry bits attached in random places who would bare his teeth and snarl like a wild animal. In spite of his strange appearance, he gave Undertaker a beating of the like we had never witnessed before, leaving him lifeless in the ring before walking to the back. Undertaker would go onto have 2 more high profile matches with Giant Gonzales at WrestleMania 9 and SummerSlam 1993, we've not seen the man of fur since!

Just Who Won - Royal Rumble 1994
Before we get onto the main point, it's worth remembering that this is the Royal Rumble in which Diesel, on his Royal Rumble debut, eliminated 7 Superstars ina row, a Royal Rumble record which may never have been broken - maybe you can comment and tell me if that record still stands? The last 4 Superstars in the ring were Shawn Michaels, Fatu, Bret Hart and Lex Luger - Hart eliminated Fatu and then Luger eliminated Michaels. What ensued was a Royal Rumble first as the struggle between Hart and Luger resulted in them both going over the top rope and falling to the floor at exactly the same time. After some referee disagreement it was agreed, the co-winners of the 1994 Royal Rumble were Bret Hart AND Lex Luger - a result which led to both of them getting title shots at WrestleMania X!

Vader Flips - Royal Rumble 1996
New to WWE, Vader was desperate to make an impression, and that he did. In quick time Vader eliminated Jake Roberts, Doug Gilbert, SWAT Team #1 (remember those guys?) and Savio Vega - then he encountered Yokozuna. While these two gargantuan Superstars tussled near the ropes Shawn Michaels, ever the one to seize an opportunity, pushed them both over the top rope, eliminating them from the Royal Rumble match. Incensed, Vader climbed back into the ring and attacked everyone, including Shawn Michaels. Vader went one step further on the next night's Raw, as seen on Raw 15th Anniversary DVD.

Foley, Foley and Foley - Royal Rumble 1998
This one needs no long drawn out explanation, suffice to say the following: The first entrant was Cactus Jack, the 16th entrant was Mankind and the 28th entrant was Dude Love (his music was great Duuuude Lovee!). Has to be seen to be believed!

Drew Who? - Royal Rumble 2001
We'd had a woman in the Royal Rumble (1999 Royal Rumble) and we'd seen the owner of the WWE enter and win the Royal Rumble (also the 1999 Royal Rumble) but 2001 saw the first time a non-wrestling celebrity had ever entered the Royal Rumble. In at number 5, Drew Carey stood back and watched Matt and Jeff Hardy eliminate each other. Next to enter was Kane, who had it not been for the timely entrance of Raven, would have chokeslammed the life out of Carey. Seeing enough carnage and fearing for his safety, Drew Carey elimianted himself by climbing over the top rope - losing a match was far less important to Carey than losing consciousness!

Maven Eliminates Undertaker - Royal Rumble 2002
Read that again, Maven Eliminates Undertaker. Nope, it still doesn't make any sense. Back at the 2002 Royal Rumble Maven was a rising star but still at the bottom of the ladder, maybe a few rungs up. Seeing an opportunity to make a name for himself he launched a dropkick at The Undertake which saw the Deadman go sailing over the top rope, eliminated from the 2002 Royal Rumble! In what turned out to be the worst thing he could have done, Undertaker returned to the ring and lay a beating on Maven, before throwing him through the ropes to continue his attack through the crowds and out the back. To this day fans all over the world lay claim to Maven never actually being eliminated from the 2002 Royal Rumble, being that he never went over the top rope!

Undertaker v Shawn Michaels - Royal Rumble 2007
Randy Orton was the 27th Superstar to be eliminated and Edge was the 28th Superstar to be eliminated. This left a one on one confrontation, for the first time since 1998, between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels! The crowd were on their feet and at home we were glued to the TV screen - two of the biggest Superstars in WWE history facing off to see who would win the 2007 Royal Rumble and go onto face the Champion of their choosing at WrestleMania 23. I won't spoil it for you but this epitomises the term 'must see'!

Undertaker v Shawn Michaels - Royal Rumble 2008
Carrying on from the confrontation described above, fate would play it's evil hand as Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were the 1st and 2nd entries into the 2008 Royal Rumble respectively. Though the
atmosphere was just as electric, these two Superstars didn't get as much time in the ring on their own as they were interupted by a certain Santino Marella at number 3, though he didn't last too long!

So, there are some fond Royal Rumble moments of mine, what are your thoughts on them and what are your favourite Royal Rumble moments?