Royal Rumble Count-Up – 2003: Some High Quality Professional Wrestling
Royal Rumble 2003
Date: January 19, 2003
Location: Fleet Center, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 15,338
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler
The opening video is your standard montage of wrestlers talking about what it means to go to Wrestlemania because the road starts tonight.
Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar
Chris Jericho is ready to win the Rumble and gets his World Title back at Wrestlemania.
Raw Tag Team Titles: Dudley Boyz vs. William Regal/Lance Storm
Nathan Jones vignette.
Dawn Marie vs. Torrie Wilson
Dawn is in regular ring gear and a black veil, which makes her look more like Jimmy Jack Funk (from the neck up) than anything else. Dawn elbows her in the face at the bell but Torrie takes her down as well as these two are going to be able to do. Torrie gets caught in a Fujiwara armbar as the announcers cover the story in detail. Well the recent part at least as basically everything after Armageddon has been forgotten at this point.
Raw World Title: HHH vs. Scott Steiner
Back in and Steiner charges into a boot to the face before being sent into the steps for good measure. HHH stomps and chokes in the corner with Flair adding choking of his own. Another neckbreaker gets two for the champ and you can see how winded Steiner already is. Flair chokes on the ropes again to fill in as much time as possible before Steiner reverses the Pedigree.
Smackdown World Title: Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle
Royal Rumble
Ratings Comparison
Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar
Original: D
2013 Redo: C+
2017 Redo: D+
Dudley Boyz vs. William Regal/Lance Storm
Original: C
2013 Redo: D
2017 Redo: C-
Dawn Marie vs. Torrie Wilson
Original: DD
2013 Redo: D-
2017 Redo: F
Scott Steiner vs. HHH
Original: G-
2013 Redo: H (For HHH)
Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle
Original: A+
2013 Redo: A+
2017 Redo: A+
Royal Rumble
Original: B
2013 Redo: B-
2017 Redo: B
Overall Rating
Original: B-
2013 Redo: C-
2017 Redo: B-
This is a rare instance where the original is much closer to the new ratings than the first redo. Maybe I was in a bad mood that day?
You can read the original review here:
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2011/01/22/royal-rumble-count-up-2003-best-match-ever/
And the 2013 redo here:
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Volume VI: July – December 1999 in e-book or paperback. Check out the information here:
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/11/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-and-thunder-reviews-volume-vi/
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6
