January 25, 2004. Philadelphia. The Wachovia Center was buzzing, but not for the reasons WWE’s marketing department probably hoped. If you look at the WWE Network today—or "Peacock" if you’re in the States—you’ll notice something weird. The 2004 WWE Royal Rumble is there, but it feels like it’s been scrubbed with digital bleach. There’s a giant, elephant-sized shadow hanging over the whole event.
You know why.
Chris Benoit won the match. He went the distance, entering at number one and lasting over an hour to toss Big Show over the top rope. In any other universe, this is the ultimate "underdog makes good" story. In our universe, it’s a historical nightmare that WWE tries to pretend never happened. But if we’re being honest, ignoring the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble is impossible because, bell-to-bell, it was actually one of the best-booked shows the company ever produced during the Ruthless Aggression era.
The Atmosphere in Philly was Electric (and Mean)
Philly crowds are different. They don’t just watch wrestling; they interrogate it. By the time the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble rolled around, the fans were starving for something that didn't feel like a recycled Triple H or Brock Lesnar promo. The brand split was in full swing. Raw and SmackDown were two different worlds.
The night started with a Last Man Standing match between Triple H and Shawn Michaels for the World Heavyweight Championship. It was bloody. It was long. It ended in a draw. Usually, a draw makes a crowd want to riot, but these two beat the absolute hell out of each other so convincingly that the "no winner" finish actually worked. It set a gritty tone.
Then you had Brock Lesnar defending the WWE Championship against Hardcore Holly. It was a short, stiff sprint. People forget how much legitimate heat there was there because Holly had previously suffered a broken neck during a match with Lesnar. The story wrote itself.
Breaking Down the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble Match
The Rumble match itself is the meat on the bone. It’s where the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble earned its reputation for top-tier storytelling.
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Benoit started at #1. Randy Orton started at #2.
Think about that for a second. In 2004, Orton was the "Legend Killer," the young punk with the punchable face. Benoit was the "Rabid Wolverine," the guy who had spent twenty years in the trenches of Japan, ECW, and WCW just to get a sniff of the main event. They went at it for 33 minutes before anyone managed to eliminate Orton. That’s how you build a star while simultaneously validating a veteran.
The match had layers. It wasn't just guys standing around waiting for the buzzer. You had the Mick Foley/Randy Orton saga ignite here. Remember, Foley wasn't even supposed to be in the match. Test was found unconscious backstage (kayfabe, obviously), and Stone Cold Steve Austin, acting as the Sheriff of Raw, told Foley to take his place. Foley entered at #21, went straight for Orton, and eliminated both himself and Randy in a chaotic blur. It was perfect. It set up their legendary Hardcore match at Backlash later that year.
The Goldberg and Lesnar Seed
We also have to talk about the beginning of the end for Goldberg’s first WWE run. He entered at #30. He looked like a god for about two minutes. Then, Brock Lesnar—who wasn’t even in the match—snuck into the ring and delivered an F-5 to Goldberg.
The crowd went nuclear.
Kurt Angle took advantage and dumped Goldberg out. This was the precise moment the Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar WrestleMania XX match was born. At the time, it felt like the biggest dream match possible. Little did we know that by the time they actually got to MSG in March, both guys would be leaving the company and the fans would boo them out of the building. But on this night in January, the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble felt like the center of the sporting world.
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The Big Show Problem
The final act of the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble was a masterclass in "David vs. Goliath" psychology. It came down to Chris Benoit and The Big Show.
Big Show was a monster back then. Not the "friendly giant" version we saw later, but a dominant, scary athlete. He eliminated five guys, including Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, and John Cena. When it was just Benoit and Show, the size discrepancy was hilarious. Benoit looked like a child next to him.
The finish remains one of the most technically impressive things ever done in a Rumble. Benoit didn't just clothesline him over. He locked in a front facelock, climbed over the ropes onto the apron, and used leverage to literally choke/pull the giant over the top. It took forever. It looked painful. It looked real. When Big Show finally hit the floor, the pop from the Philly crowd was deafening.
Why the Legacy is So Complicated
Here’s the thing about the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble. You can’t talk about it without talking about the tragedy of 2007. Because Benoit is the winner, WWE cannot "celebrate" this match. They don't put it in video packages. They don't mention it when they list "Number One Entrant Winners" (usually they just skip from Shawn Michaels in '95 to Rey Mysterio in '06).
It’s a ghost match.
But for wrestling historians, it’s a vital piece of the puzzle. It marked the moment WWE finally decided to pull the trigger on the "workrate" guys. For years, the knock on Vince McMahon was that he only liked bodybuilders. The 2004 WWE Royal Rumble proved that if you were good enough, the office would eventually give you the ball.
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Looking Back at the Undercard
Don't sleep on the rest of the card.
- Evolution (Ric Flair and Batista) vs. The Dudley Boyz: A solid tables match that kept Evolution looking dominant.
- Rey Mysterio vs. Jamie Noble: A cruiserweight gem that showed just how deep the roster was.
- Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero: This was pure emotion. The story of family betrayal was peak SmackDown soap opera, and the match was stiff as hell.
The 2004 WWE Royal Rumble was arguably the most "complete" Rumble event from top to bottom. There was almost no filler. Even the transitional segments served a purpose.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan of wrestling history, you really have to watch the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble with a critical eye. Don't just watch the highlights. Watch the way the wrestlers interact in the corners of the ring during the Rumble match. Notice the "selling" from guys like Rob Van Dam and Chris Jericho.
To truly understand the impact of this event, follow these steps:
- Watch the Eddie vs. Chavo match first. It provides the emotional context for the "underdog" theme of the night.
- Track the time. Use a stopwatch to see how long Benoit and Orton actually go. It’s a clinic in pacing.
- Observe the crowd. Notice how the reaction shifts when it becomes clear that the "favorite" (Goldberg) isn't going to win.
- Contrast with WrestleMania XX. After finishing the Rumble, watch the main event of WrestleMania XX. It’s the second half of a story that is both incredible and deeply tragic.
The 2004 WWE Royal Rumble remains a fascinating, uncomfortable, and brilliant piece of sports entertainment. It’s the night the underdog won, the night a giant fell, and the night that WWE would eventually try to forget—but fans never will.
Actionable Takeaway for Wrestling Historians
When researching or viewing the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble, pay close attention to the commentary by Tazz and Michael Cole versus Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. The "Brand War" was at its peak here, and the way they argued for their respective superstars added a layer of legitimacy to the competition that modern WWE often lacks. To get the most out of your viewing, try to find a version that includes the original "Heat" pre-show, which featured a fun tag match between the World's Greatest Tag Team and the APA. Understanding the full scope of the roster in 2004 explains why this specific Rumble match felt so much more "stacked" than the years that followed.