WWE Royal Rumble: 5 singles or tag classics you may have forgotten

January brings WWE's Royal Rumble our way and, with it, some of the classic matches we'll no doubt be talking about for the rest of 2020.

As one of WWE's 'big four' pay per views, the Rumble traditionally produces big matches and memorable encounters.

And it isn't just the historic hour-long men and women's Royal Rumble matches, either; from championship clashes to all-time grudge meetings between arch-rivals.

As with many events, however, there are always plenty of contests that go right under the radar; from under-appreciated storylines to bouts that have faded in the memory.

With that said, then, here are 5 classic non-Rumble match bouts from the Royal Rumble pay-per-view that you may have forgotten about. All with that 1990s theme, of course...

#5 Double J Jeff Jarrett v Razor Ramon - 1995

Though he would still be a WWE superstar for around a year or so after this bout, it's my feeling that this Rumble meeting with Double J was one of Razor Ramon's last big outings in WWE.

Having made his debut in late 1992, Razor was thrust into the WWF title picture come 1993 and even challenged Bret Hart for the title at that year's edition of the Rumble. After that, he dropped down to the mid-card picture and became synonymous with the Intercontinental title picture, and one of the most popular stars on the roster.

Come 1995, though, that popularity appeared to be on the wane slightly. That said, it never stopped Razor from putting in a good show. No matter what the match, occasion or event, nobody seemed able to sell a good knee injury better than Razor back in the 1990s.

That pesky knee would be his undoing against Jarrett in 1995, too, albeit the challenger getting a bit of help from his Roadie at the time, who'd, of course, go on to find fame in his own right as the Road Dogg.

Jarrett went on to small-package Razor and snare away the IC title in what was a good old fashioned heel smash-and-grab

#4. The Steiner Brothers v The Beverley Brothers - 1993

As I have noted before in a previous feature on underrated stars of the 1990s, The Steiner Brothers really did arrive in WWE at the wrong time.

Technically gifted, athletically sound and tremendously popular, Scott and Rick Steiner were the all-around perfect package for a tag team in what was the WWF in the mid-1990s, yet their run in the company was all-too fleeting.

Though they featured with a cameo as single's wrestlers in the Rumble match a year later in 1994, the 1993 Rumble featured the Steiner's last and only solid outing as a team at the January blockbuster.

In what was billed as their hometown in Michigan, they look on the elitist Beverley Brothers in front of their fans and their family, in a match which is remembered every bit for their fantastic prowess in the squared circle as it is a hilarious interview segment featuring Scott and Rick's mother and sister at ringside. There's just something about Todd Pettengill asking about the broken lamp that gets me every time...

#3. The Rock v Mankind - 1999

Now here's a match that's worth 21 minutes of anyone's time.

If you think back to the 1999 Rumble and only remember Vince McMahon winning the Rumble match, you need to take a long hard look at yourself - this night also played host to one of the best WWE Championship matches ever at a Rumble pay per view.

Still trying to shake off the challenge of Mankind after the masked superstar was humiliated at Survivor Series two months prior, WWE Champion The Rock put the gold on the line in an I Quit match - vowing to make Mankind say the dreaded two words.

He managed it, too - albeit controversially. It would later be revealed that with Mankind out cold after a savage beating, Rock and his corporate cronies played a recording of the challenger previously saying the words 'I Quit' during an interview over the arena public address system, fooling most people - including the referee - into thinking there had actually been a submission. The match was over.

Of course all was eventually revealed, but it did little to ease Mankind's aching wounds. During the battle, he was assaulted with steel chairs and handcuffs, and thrown into electrical circuitry. It was a hellacious battle, and not one you'll be able to un-see in a hurry.

#2 The Rock v Ken Shamrock - 1998

There's probably no greater mark of progress for The Rock's WWE career - and more specifically his rapid ascent to the top - than this bout with Ken Shamrock.

What I mean by that is, take a look back at the previous slide and you'll have seen the Rock 12 months on from the Shamrock match of 1998 as WWE Champion, the face of the company and arguably the most charismatic sports entertainer on the planet.

That's not to say the 1998 model of The Great One was too shabby, either. Then Intercontinental champ, the Florida native had dubbed himself The People's Champion and rubbed everyone up the wrong way - not least his fellow Nation of Domination leader at the time, Faarooq.

Here's a fact you might have forgotten - Ken Shamrock did actually win this match and celebrated with the intercontinental championship; only to have it cruelly stripped away from him moments later after the scheming Rock had managed to convince the referee that the challenger had only toppled him with the use of brass knuckles.

Of course, no such skullduggery had taken place, but the champ cared little - he made it out of San Jose, California, with his precious IC title intact. The match was a great watch for anyone wanting to see the loudmouth Rock get a good beating for a while, even if him retaining, in the end, was, ultimately, the right way to go.

#1. Bret & Owen Hart v The Quebeckers - 1994

The 1994 Rumble featured one of the most iconic heel turns in history

Full disclosure - this is probably my all-time favorite non-Rumble match in this history of the Royal Rumble event. Partly because of the in-ring action of the match itself, but mostly because of its place in arguably one of WWE's greatest long-running feuds of all time, the battle between Bret and Owen Hart.

Seeds had been planted that all was not well between Bret and the youngest Hart child, Owen, a few months prior at the previous year's Survivor Series. However, it had appeared that the two had patched things up and were once again on the same page as they went in search of the tag team championships, then held by The Quebeckers.

Owen, itching to make a success of his career in WWE and gain a title, would end up totally livid at his brother's perceived arrogance. After taking a beating from the champions, Bret was given the opportunity to tag in his fresher, stronger sibling who would hopefully go on and win the match.

As it was, Bret tried to lock in the sharpshooter himself and win the gold, only to break down in agony. Feeling he was in no state to continue, the referee called for the bell; the Quebeckers had retained and Owen's big chance had gone. He was raging - eventually attacking him after the match had ended, screaming "You're too damn selfish!"

This, of course, paved the way for their string of matches across 1994. The rest, they say, is history.

Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE