WWE’s annual Royal Rumble is perhaps the greatest stipulation match ever created, to the point where it brings back even the most jaded of wrestling fans just for one night to join in on the excitement. 30 WWE performers enter, with 29 of them well aware that they’ll be thrown over the top rope (with both feet touching the floor, of course), leaving one person standing in the end. Traditionally, that lucky individual earns a world title shot of their choosing at that year’s WWE WrestleMania. WWE

If there is one Royal Rumble match that can make the claim to having the most star power, it’s this one. It might seem like an obvious answer, but sometimes the most obvious answer is also the correct one, and the 1992 Royal Rumble match still holds up as being the greatest bout of its kind all these years later.

It holds a special place in people’s hearts for a number of reasons. The 1992 Rumble is regarded as the first time WWE ever got the match right, as it was previously seen as a way to get Hulk Hogan a title shot or just an overly long battle royal. It’s also the first time that the WWE Championship was on the line, as the title was made vacant at the end of 1991, and as we’ve already mentioned, the number of people who have gone on to be considered all-time greats in this match is honestly ridiculous.

Hogan and The Undertaker were already promised spots in the match as their feud resulted in the WWE Championship being made vacant. However, they were joined by the likes of Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, Jimmy Snuka, a young Shawn Michaels, Sid Vicious, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Jim Duggan, Ted DiBiase, The British Bulldog, and so many more. If anything, this was simply a match that was Vince McMahon’s way of parading his all-time great roster out for the world to see.

The backbone of the match is “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, who recently jumped ship from WCW and showed everyone why he called himself a “60-minute man.” Entering at number three, Flair outlasted all his competition and eventually eliminated Sid (with a little help from Hogan) to win and become WWE Champion for the very first time. Afterwards, he cut the now iconic “With a tear in my eye” promo, backed by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, who also produced perhaps the single best hour of wrestling commentary in history. It’s an all-time classic, and the perfect match to watch if you want to get in the mood for Royal Rumble season.