Top 10 Royal Rumble Matches Of All-Time
By Tim Sherry
#5: Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit – Ladder Match – 2001
If the original Razor Ramon/Shawn Michaels ladder match is the best ladder match of all time, this is a very close 2nd. Benoit and Jericho put on a master class in this epic from 2001 that managed to even out-perform what would become one of the best Rumble matches off all time later in the night. From the suicide dive chair smash on Benoit, to Benoit’s missed diving headbutt from the top of the ladder, all the way to Y2J’s Walls on top of the ladder, this match was about as innovative as any of the originals.
When a match of this caliber contested between two workers of this caliber for a secondary championship, not only does it elevate the prestige of the Intercontinental title but it also elevates any championship that is more prestigious. Benoit and Jericho took that idea to a whole new level. If there were two workers in the history of the sport that were more perfect for each other in the ring, I dare somebody challenge this paring.