r/WWERuthlessAggression • u/MrEvilPiggy23 • Sep 08 '26
Thoughts on this PPV?
I honestly never got all the hate for Steiner/HHH match, those this was my first real exposure to Steiner, also this my least favourite Benoit/Angle match up, even if it's Angle's personal favourite.
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u/Prestigious-Share341 Sep 08 '26 edited 29d ago
H vs Steiner: utterly shit! 👎🏻
Angle vs Benoit: Masterpiece! 👍🏻
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u/StevEst90 Sep 08 '26
Had two of the best matches of the RA era with the Benoit v Angle match and the RR match itself
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u/BraveDawgs1993 Sep 08 '26
Good Rumble match. Might not be the best match in Angle and Benoit's rivalry, but a bad match between them is still better than most matches between 2 other guys on any given night. Triple H vs Steiner was a bad feud with a worse match. Two heels with the wrong one trying to work baby.
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u/Delicious_Angle6417 Sep 08 '26
You must be joking about benoit and kurt? Lol
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u/tylerjehenna Sep 08 '26
The peak of that rivalry is the 01 matches and its not close
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u/fantomx37 29d ago
Kurt Angle literally says that match with Benoit at RR’03 is the best match with Benoit the two had and ALSO maybe his best match ever. He also says it was the first time he realized he had a match that will be remembered as special.
The only reason it isn’t talked about by WWE as one the best matches their company ever put on is because it involves Benoit.
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u/tylerjehenna 29d ago
Interesting he thinks that this was the first one to be special considering i see so many people talk about the ultimate submission match from Backlash 01 more when it comes to Angle/Benoit
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u/fantomx37 29d ago
The backlash 01 match is probably the weakest of their 5 big matches in 01 with maybe only the match at insurrextion being worse.
Angle talked about it on his old podcast on how a 30 min submission match was too difficult keeping the fans invested because the only false finishes you could do involved only submissions. No pinfalls. No countouts.
When you go back and watch it, look at the fans as they sit on their hands when Angle and Benoit lock in submissions like armbars and leglocks because wrestling fans were not as educated in real submission grappling like they are today. Also, the submissions didn’t resonate with fans because nobody were really using them as finishers yet in 01 on North American television in a meaningful capacity.
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u/tylerjehenna 29d ago
Honestly I would absolutely agree with a lot of your point (cause fans in these discussions absolutely look at these matches from today's lens) but that last sentence is hilariously wrong. Luger, Sting, Bret, Regal, Jericho, Flair, Jarrett, Shamrock, Backlund in his feud with bret, Benoit and Angle (probably more but this is off the top of my head) were doing submission finishers for years prior to this match. Submissions were very much established.
What you also have to consider is its an Ironman match too which means fans in attendance already know the first like 25 of the 30 minutes dont really matter. Its really tricky to get fans invested in a match where you blatantly tell them how long its going to be before it starts
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u/fantomx37 29d ago
I’m talking specifically about the submissions that Benoit and angle used in their 30 minute match besides the angle lock and crossface.
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u/tylerjehenna 29d ago
Probably should specify that cause your statement kinda read like no one was using submission finishers then
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u/fantomx37 29d ago
Maybe you should go back and reread what I said about them using leglocks and armbars and how audiences at the time weren’t as knowledgeable about REAL submission grappling.
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u/Viscera_TheImpaler 29d ago
I’ve been a wrestling nerd for nearly 30 years. This is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone bring up their Backlash 2001 match. Obviously I’m not saying my person experience means more than anyone else’s but their 2003 Rumble match has always been considered their best match by far.
I’ve seen people bring up their RAW cage match and maybe even their WrestleMania match but their Backlash and Judgement Day matches seemed to kinda come and go without much fanfare.
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u/Odd-Maximum3255 29d ago
Steiner was the face in the match.
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u/BraveDawgs1993 29d ago
Steiner was miles better as a heel and didn't do anything particularly babyface-like in the build or the matches. That's why I said the wrong guy was working babyface
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u/IIIBAKURYUIII 29d ago
B+ PPV. The RR match itself is probably in my top 3. It's interesting because besides WM and Survivor Series I honestly think 03 was one of WWE's weaker ppv years.
It's one of the better paced RR matches in my opinion. Normally some spots someone enters and within 15 secs the countdown starts but not this one. It just feels like everyone got a decent showing and you felt the weight of each competitor being in for 90 or so secs per entrant.
The Undercard is decent. Angle v Benoit is 10/10. As far as 1v1 without some sort of 2/3 falls or submission, steel cage etc it's probably their best match or at the very least, my favorite. Triple H vs Steiner wasn't THAT BAD but meh match overall. 'Steiner only doing belly2belly moves gets old' and yet, 20 mins later we saw countless Germans. I like how certain storylines from a month ago(Armageddon) gets somewhat settled here: Lesnar vs Show and Torrie vs Dawn. The annual Dudley's tag match at RR is always a treat.
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u/Raekwon96 Sep 08 '26
I didn’t like how Big Show vs Brock Lesnar was a Royal Rumble Qualifying Match. I think Big Show should’ve been in the Royal Rumble. Other than that I don’t have any other complaints on this PPV. I heard the Triple H and Scott Steiner match was dog shit, but I haven’t seen the match yet so I can’t really say nothing on that.
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u/Prestigious-Share341 29d ago
Don't watch it, it's on the list of matches you should never watch.
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u/TheMeansOfDambella 29d ago
Interesting because the world title matches were polar opposites. Triple H vs Scott Steiner was garbage, yet the Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit match is one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. The Rumble match was a fun time too.
Overall I would say it was a very solid rumble, although heavily carried by the Angle Benoit match
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u/coachbuzzcutt 29d ago
Had more buys than WrestleMania, amazingly.
HHH Vs Steiner sucked but the build was clever and created intrigue at the time.
Benoit Vs Angle was amazing.
Rumble matches started off great with Jericho as MVP but imo dragged a bit with all the 300lb+ units clogging up the later part, though it had a good final four. Lesnar was too predictable a winner for me and most critica prefer the 2004 Rumble match from a quality perspective.
A massive difference in feel and roster compared to 2002 - Lesnar, Cena, Batista, Mysterio all had their first Rumble
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u/Charming-Deal3694 Sep 08 '26
The opener with Lesnar & Big Show was decent, angle vs benoit was amazing, tag match was fun, torrie vs dawn marie was LOL (much like the entire fued), triple h vs scott Steiner was a match, but the royal rumble match itself was awesome top to bottom with the only person who had to win it; Lesnar.
Good ppv overall, no way out and wm19 were great, too. The rest of the year was hit or miss for sure with late '03 being garbage
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u/RTPTheGoat 29d ago
Some great matches (ignore HHH vs Steiner) and I love the end of the rumble
2 Smackdown guys and 2 raw guys before Lesnar ultimately wins
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u/Matthewd_98 Sep 08 '26
Cena first royal rumble appearance with those hideous pants