Written By: Mark Armstrong
Running Time: 176 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Clear Vision Ltd/Silver Vision
Released: May 9 2011
The draw for this Royal Rumble care was the fact that, for the first time, 40 men would enter the Rumble match. Because most PPVs were still three hours at this point, it means that there would only be time for three matches outside of the Rumble itself, which makes for a somewhat strange DVD experience.
Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler is a terrific opener, though, and a key match in Ziggler breaking out as a big star later that year. The Miz vs. Randy Orton is better than expected, with CM Punk and The New Nexus causing Orton to take the loss. We then get a thrown-together four-way for the Divas Championship, with Eve Torres’ title win barely getting a reaction from the Boston crowd.
And so we have the 40-man Rumble. Despite its numbers (which allowed for all Nexus and Corre members to enter), it’s low on star power due to multiple wrestlers having either left WWE or being injured at the time. Still, we do get big surprise returns for Booker T and Diesel, and at the time WWE was largely praised for giving the win to relative newcomer Alberto Del Rio. It’s not a great Rumble, but it’s better than you may remember. Oh, and listen out for Matt Striker getting way too excited at Booker’s return, which apparently contributed to him being replaced on commentary a few days later by – yes! – Booker himself.
I wouldn’t say to go out of your way to watch this, but Royal Rumble 2011 is better than its reputation suggests (partly due to ADR falling to maintain true stardom in subsequent years) and is worth checking out.
Overall Rating: 7/10 – Respectable
