Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are your commentators and they are first team to commentate together for two years running. This would also mark the first Royal Rumble where the winner would go onto the face the WWF Champion at Wrestlemania, a stipulation that still holds true to this day (or whatever the equivalent is at the time)
#1 is last year's winner RIC FLAIR, and at the time the also the record holder for the longest time in the Rumble, #2 is BOB BACKLUND to no music who was a long time WWF Champion from 77 to 83, and this was at the start of his comeback, it's crazy to think I thought he was an old guy at 43, crazy how many wrestlers still competing over that age and crazy I'm only 8 years away from that age myself. Backlund wants to shake hands to starts things off but Flair is having none of it. Notable they are both wearing red trunks. Backlund is getting the better of Flair most the time before Flair gets a chop in the corner. The two work pretty well together, it's quite they worked together during the terrority days? #3 is PAPA SHANGO a gimmick I have a lot of affection for, how can you hate a guy who can set fire to his opponent's feet? Always preferred him to Charles Wright more popular gimmick of The Godfather, and he's gone while I'm still writing that as Backlund with a bit of help from Flair getting him out. This was the last PPV for the Shango character.
#4 is TED DiBIASE, along with Jimmy Hart, it's trunk city here as he and Flair team up on Backlund, he was notably 2 the previous year and didn't even last a couple of minutes, #5 is BRIAN KNOBBS, I wonder if we get both Nasty Boys this year and he's taking on both the heels and almost gets out Flair, #6 is VIRGIL and DiBiase goes straight for him, so least there is continuity, I think I said before I'm not much of a fan of Virgil. Knobbs gets thrown out. I could get corrected down the line but I think this would be Knobbs last Royal Rumble #7 is JERRY 'THE KING' LAWLER, Memphis wrestling legend who arguably spent more recent years disproving how good he once was, he'd only been with the company since December 1992, so he was new on the scene here. #8 is MAX MOON portrayed by Paul Diamond, considered quite a silly character, another guy making his last PPV appearance as he would leave in the February, Flair almost gets Moon out but does a decent enough skimming the cat. Flair as almost got Moon out but his unsuccessful and goes for Lawler who he gets in the corner but Lawler dumps him out with no recognition, from the commentators. #9 is TENRYU to little response, since he rarely worked in the company. #10 is MR. PERFECT to a great response and now a face and he goes right for Ric Flair. Flair makes the mistake of going to the top rope but Perfect gets him back in the ring rather than throw him out. Perfect and Flair are fighting in the corner which is getting the most attention. #11 isPRINCIPAL SKINNER, as Perfect eliminates Flair to a great response, he even does the dangerous thing of celebrating in the corner. Flair and Perfect would have a loser leaves WWF match the next night which Perfect won, Flair would return to WCW shortly after until it's closure in 2001, then he would return to the WWF and have a much longer run. #12 is KOKO B. WARE in his ridiculous green pants and one half of High Energy, who seems to get used as the bar for the WWE Hall of Fame (if Koko can get in...). Perfect goes to eliminate Skinner but he manages to stay in but then Perfect his a nice drop kick and Skinner is out.
#13 is SAMU one half of the Headshrinkers who gets thrown into the ring by handler/manager Afa, Perfect and Koko try to headbutt him, but one of the major rules of wrestling is never headbutt a Samoan. I thought Lawler hit a nice DDT on Perfect but it goes unnoticed by the commentators and crowd. #14 is THE BERZERKER, another wrestler gone by February, thought he looked the part well, and Lawler as eliminated Perfect, and then DiBiase almost eliminated Perfect, and he and Koko team up to get Perfect as Lawler is pulling him from the outside, and Perfect is out, and the two fight, I guess it's pretty good, that it took 3 people to get Perfect out. Virgil went out somewhere in the middle of all this (boo hoo). #15 is THE UNDERTAKER with Paul Bearer, and Samu goes for him as soon as he gets in. Berzerker hits Backlund with a chair on the outside, I know Backlund isn't out but is Berzerker and The Undertaker has also just eliminated Samu, and Tenryu goes after running at the ropes him. I guess The Berserker is still in as he's just come back in.
#16 isTHE RED ROOSTER TERRY TAYLOR, he was closer to an enhancement talent by this point, and he's hardly in as DiBiase gets him and Koko out at the same time, but he walks right into a chokeslam by Undertaker and is then thrown out. He and Berserker fight as THE GIANT GONZALEZ in his ridiculous suit is coming down the aisle (not an entrant) with Harvey Wippleman. Taker eliminates Berzerker as Undertaker turns around and see Gonzalez. #17 is DAMIEN DEMENTO as the two haven't touched each other and we haven't seen Demento on camera yet, it takes an age as Gonzalez finally hits him before one punch sends Undertaker flying over the top rope, Gonzalez who is clearly not skilled as he manhandles The Undertaker (like no one ever has) and he's pretty much just beating him up. Demento is still just watching from the outside. The clock is going down and it's #18 IRS who taking his time getting down there, there's always been a rule that the entry must make it into the ring before the next entrant and Demento hasn't step foot in the ring, so he should be eliminated right?, now some officials including Sgt. Slaughter are trying to put a stop to Gonzalez. Gonzalez was a dumb character in a dumb suit but I don't hate him. The action is back in the ring now with IRS and Demento beating up a floored Backlund. #19 is TATANKA who was still undefeated at the time, and it's noticeable Undertaker is still laid out in the corner as Paul Bearer comes Back out with the urn which wakes him up. #20 is JERRY SAGGS! marking the first time both Nasty Boys appeared in the same Rumble (and the last time) and he goes for IRS, #21 is TYPHOON, I think he was Tugboat last time he was in a Rumble. There isn't much going on at the moment and to be honest no one in the ring you can see winning it. #22 is FATU of the Headshrinkers, who played numerous characters but hit success thanks to putting his backside in people's faces as Rikishi years later.
Backlund is hanging in there wall as #23 is EARTHQUAKE, and we have both members of the Natural Disasters in there this can't be good for anyone with both of them in here, and... and he's goes straight for Typhoon, and the two are fighting quite awkwardly to be honest and Typhoon tries to splash Earthquake but he gets him out, maybe they should have teamed together. #24 is CARLOS COLON, the Caribbean character and according to Monsoon as a youngster... A YOUNGSTER he was 44 in this match a year older than the ancient Backlund, and Colon eventually eliminates Demento. #25 is EL MATADOR TITO SANTANA, who goes for Backlund, I think he was on the very tail end of his run, and Fatu as been eliminated which both me and Monsoon miss, and Santana is closer to eliminating Backlund but IRS saves him. #26 is THE MODEL RICK MARTEL and he goes straight for Santana, love that they always go for each other, but Matador ends up getting the better of the exchange, IRS runs at Earthquake at the rope but he ducks and he's out. #27 is YOKOZUNA with Mr. Fuji making Quake look tiny by comparison. It's amazing how he moved for a man his size before his weight went really out of control, and he's dumped Tatanka, following that he dumps the youngster Carlos Colon as Zuna comes face to face with Quake and it's a pretty cool moment actually With Zuna doing the Sumo pose and Quake doing his jump. Quake is trying to knock down Zuna but is getting nowhere as #28 OWEN HART in those High Energy pants, Quake hits the avalanche on Zuma but he moves out the way and he dumps out Earthquake. It's good booking to sacrifice a big man in Quake to Zuna as he would leave the day after and have a couple of more short runs after this.
Yokozuna tries to dump Santana as #29 is REPO MAN, another guy making his last PPV appearance, all the remaining competitors are now teaming up to get Yokozuna out and the crowd are going wild and Zuna fights them all off. #30 is MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE to a huge response, and he's the neon cowboy era of his career. Yokozuna has eliminated Santana, as Saggs holds Martel at the rope for Owen to drop kick but Martel moves and Owen sends out Saggs. Owen runs at Yokozuna. at the rope but is thrown out with some height and lands awkwardly on his knee, Owen and Zuna would go on to be tag champions together. Backlund is now a minute away from Flair's record as he mights Martel, and Zuna and Savage are fighting in the other corner and Backlund has sent out Martel who gets a good response from the audience, think they appreciated the effort. Backlund tries to drop kick Yokozuna but he eventually makes the mistake of running at Yokozuna but he moves and throws him over which gets the audience to boo. We are left with Savage and Yokozuna and Zuna is getting the better here and while Zuna dominates for a while Savage begins to fight back and makes Zuna stagger against the ropes (he hasn't left his feet yet), Savage hits the axe handle off the top rope which gets Zuna onto his knee but another attempt to knock him down ends in a thrust kick for Savage. Zuna is continuing to dominate and you kind of feel this should have ended sooner.
So Zuna sends Savage into the turnbuckle but after the second attempt Savage moves out of the way and Yokozuna is down and he goes for the elbow drop yay and then a pin nooooooooooo - and he throws Savage out from that angle and Zuna is your winner.
Rather than his music Caesar and Cleopatra come out to greet him with Roman music and Zuna is on his way to Wrestlemania to fight for the WWF Championship!
So it's probably lacking in the star power of years past as well as having to follow up an awesome Rumble, speaking of star power it's notable there is two international stars in this which would be more present a couple of years later but it's still a pretty good Rumble in it's own right. Savage is again an idiot in the Rumble so he didn't deserve to win. They was successful in making Yokozuna a dominant heel monster so it did it's job properly.
#1 is last year's winner RIC FLAIR, and at the time the also the record holder for the longest time in the Rumble, #2 is BOB BACKLUND to no music who was a long time WWF Champion from 77 to 83, and this was at the start of his comeback, it's crazy to think I thought he was an old guy at 43, crazy how many wrestlers still competing over that age and crazy I'm only 8 years away from that age myself. Backlund wants to shake hands to starts things off but Flair is having none of it. Notable they are both wearing red trunks. Backlund is getting the better of Flair most the time before Flair gets a chop in the corner. The two work pretty well together, it's quite they worked together during the terrority days? #3 is PAPA SHANGO a gimmick I have a lot of affection for, how can you hate a guy who can set fire to his opponent's feet? Always preferred him to Charles Wright more popular gimmick of The Godfather, and he's gone while I'm still writing that as Backlund with a bit of help from Flair getting him out. This was the last PPV for the Shango character.
#4 is TED DiBIASE, along with Jimmy Hart, it's trunk city here as he and Flair team up on Backlund, he was notably 2 the previous year and didn't even last a couple of minutes, #5 is BRIAN KNOBBS, I wonder if we get both Nasty Boys this year and he's taking on both the heels and almost gets out Flair, #6 is VIRGIL and DiBiase goes straight for him, so least there is continuity, I think I said before I'm not much of a fan of Virgil. Knobbs gets thrown out. I could get corrected down the line but I think this would be Knobbs last Royal Rumble #7 is JERRY 'THE KING' LAWLER, Memphis wrestling legend who arguably spent more recent years disproving how good he once was, he'd only been with the company since December 1992, so he was new on the scene here. #8 is MAX MOON portrayed by Paul Diamond, considered quite a silly character, another guy making his last PPV appearance as he would leave in the February, Flair almost gets Moon out but does a decent enough skimming the cat. Flair as almost got Moon out but his unsuccessful and goes for Lawler who he gets in the corner but Lawler dumps him out with no recognition, from the commentators. #9 is TENRYU to little response, since he rarely worked in the company. #10 is MR. PERFECT to a great response and now a face and he goes right for Ric Flair. Flair makes the mistake of going to the top rope but Perfect gets him back in the ring rather than throw him out. Perfect and Flair are fighting in the corner which is getting the most attention. #11 is
#13 is SAMU one half of the Headshrinkers who gets thrown into the ring by handler/manager Afa, Perfect and Koko try to headbutt him, but one of the major rules of wrestling is never headbutt a Samoan. I thought Lawler hit a nice DDT on Perfect but it goes unnoticed by the commentators and crowd. #14 is THE BERZERKER, another wrestler gone by February, thought he looked the part well, and Lawler as eliminated Perfect, and then DiBiase almost eliminated Perfect, and he and Koko team up to get Perfect as Lawler is pulling him from the outside, and Perfect is out, and the two fight, I guess it's pretty good, that it took 3 people to get Perfect out. Virgil went out somewhere in the middle of all this (boo hoo). #15 is THE UNDERTAKER with Paul Bearer, and Samu goes for him as soon as he gets in. Berzerker hits Backlund with a chair on the outside, I know Backlund isn't out but is Berzerker and The Undertaker has also just eliminated Samu, and Tenryu goes after running at the ropes him. I guess The Berserker is still in as he's just come back in.
#16 is
Backlund is hanging in there wall as #23 is EARTHQUAKE, and we have both members of the Natural Disasters in there this can't be good for anyone with both of them in here, and... and he's goes straight for Typhoon, and the two are fighting quite awkwardly to be honest and Typhoon tries to splash Earthquake but he gets him out, maybe they should have teamed together. #24 is CARLOS COLON, the Caribbean character and according to Monsoon as a youngster... A YOUNGSTER he was 44 in this match a year older than the ancient Backlund, and Colon eventually eliminates Demento. #25 is EL MATADOR TITO SANTANA, who goes for Backlund, I think he was on the very tail end of his run, and Fatu as been eliminated which both me and Monsoon miss, and Santana is closer to eliminating Backlund but IRS saves him. #26 is THE MODEL RICK MARTEL and he goes straight for Santana, love that they always go for each other, but Matador ends up getting the better of the exchange, IRS runs at Earthquake at the rope but he ducks and he's out. #27 is YOKOZUNA with Mr. Fuji making Quake look tiny by comparison. It's amazing how he moved for a man his size before his weight went really out of control, and he's dumped Tatanka, following that he dumps the youngster Carlos Colon as Zuna comes face to face with Quake and it's a pretty cool moment actually With Zuna doing the Sumo pose and Quake doing his jump. Quake is trying to knock down Zuna but is getting nowhere as #28 OWEN HART in those High Energy pants, Quake hits the avalanche on Zuma but he moves out the way and he dumps out Earthquake. It's good booking to sacrifice a big man in Quake to Zuna as he would leave the day after and have a couple of more short runs after this.
Yokozuna tries to dump Santana as #29 is REPO MAN, another guy making his last PPV appearance, all the remaining competitors are now teaming up to get Yokozuna out and the crowd are going wild and Zuna fights them all off. #30 is MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE to a huge response, and he's the neon cowboy era of his career. Yokozuna has eliminated Santana, as Saggs holds Martel at the rope for Owen to drop kick but Martel moves and Owen sends out Saggs. Owen runs at Yokozuna. at the rope but is thrown out with some height and lands awkwardly on his knee, Owen and Zuna would go on to be tag champions together. Backlund is now a minute away from Flair's record as he mights Martel, and Zuna and Savage are fighting in the other corner and Backlund has sent out Martel who gets a good response from the audience, think they appreciated the effort. Backlund tries to drop kick Yokozuna but he eventually makes the mistake of running at Yokozuna but he moves and throws him over which gets the audience to boo. We are left with Savage and Yokozuna and Zuna is getting the better here and while Zuna dominates for a while Savage begins to fight back and makes Zuna stagger against the ropes (he hasn't left his feet yet), Savage hits the axe handle off the top rope which gets Zuna onto his knee but another attempt to knock him down ends in a thrust kick for Savage. Zuna is continuing to dominate and you kind of feel this should have ended sooner.
So Zuna sends Savage into the turnbuckle but after the second attempt Savage moves out of the way and Yokozuna is down and he goes for the elbow drop yay and then a pin nooooooooooo - and he throws Savage out from that angle and Zuna is your winner.
Rather than his music Caesar and Cleopatra come out to greet him with Roman music and Zuna is on his way to Wrestlemania to fight for the WWF Championship!
So it's probably lacking in the star power of years past as well as having to follow up an awesome Rumble, speaking of star power it's notable there is two international stars in this which would be more present a couple of years later but it's still a pretty good Rumble in it's own right. Savage is again an idiot in the Rumble so he didn't deserve to win. They was successful in making Yokozuna a dominant heel monster so it did it's job properly.
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