WWF Royal Rumble Results
January 21, 1990
Orlando, Florida (Orlando Arena)
Commentary: Tony Schiavone and Jesse “The Body” Ventura
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
Video: Vince McMahon narrates a video that lists all the participants we will see in the Royal Rumble match. McMahon also goes over the matches and segments on the undercard.
We go live into the Orlando Arena to be greeted by Tony Schiavone and Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Ventura must have gone hard at Disneyworld as he is clad in Mickey Mouse attire and Mickey Ears. Ventura gives Schiavone a Goofy hat.
Tag Team Match
The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond Rougeau) w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart vs. The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke)
The bell rings, and the Bushwhackers are posing in the ring. The Rougeaus talk strategy with Jimmy Hart at ringside. There is a lot of stalling before the match begins, with the Bushwhackers up to their antics. They keep the crowd roaring. Bushwhacker Butch will start the match against Raymond. Raymond looks for a handshake, but Luke isn’t sure. Raymond attacks and wants to get Jacques involved, but Bushwhacker Luke chases him away. Butch sends Raymond into the ropes, but Raymond applies a sleeper hold. Butch powers Raymond into the turnbuckles and bites him on the rear end. Butch then bites the referee’s rear end. Luke runs in, and the Bushwhackers hit Raymond with a double-team clothesline. They go for a Battering Ram on Jacques, but Jacques gets out of the ring. The Bushwhackers celebrate as the Rougeaus regroup at ringside.
Jacques gets in the ring, and Luke tags in. Jacques punches and clubs Luke down. Luke quickly head-butts him in the midsection and punches away at him. Luke then bites the bridge of the nose. Jacques reverses a whip and leapfrogs him before challenging him. Luke ducks a clothesline and knocks Raymond off the apron. Butch runs in and takes Jacques out. The Rougeau brothers regroup at ringside once again. Jimmy Hart gives them some strategies and tells them to watch for the head-butt. Jacques gets in the ring and taunts Butch, calling him a chicken. Raymond attacks Luke from behind, and Jacques stomps away at Luke. Jacques distracts the referee, and Raymond chokes Luke. Jacques covers for a two-count. Raymond tags back in and hits a savant kick for a two-count. Raymond punches away at Luke and whips him hard into the corner. Raymond then dumps Luke out of the ring. Jacques grabs Luke and drives him into the ring apron. Luke holds his back in pain. Butch chases Hart away. Luke starts to bite Raymond, but Jacques knocks him off his brother. Raymond punches Butch off the apron and whips Luke into Jacques. Raymond picks up a two-count. Jacques tags in and hits a nice leaping back elbow. Jacques drops down and does a kip-up. Raymond tags back in. The Rougeaus powers Luke to the corner. Jacques tags in. They slam Luke into the turnbuckles again. Butch runs in to help, but the referee keeps him back. The Rougeaus then drop Luke throat-first on the top rope. Raymond hits a snapmare and applies a rear chin lock. The Orlando Arena is rumbling for the Bushwhackers. Luke fights out and bites the forehead. Jacques quickly tags in and stops Luke from making a tag. Jacques attacks Butch and tags Raymond back in. Jacques applies an abdominal stretch. Raymond tags in and takes Luke down, applying a seated rear chin lock. Jacques tags in, and Raymond connects with a scoop slam on Luke. Jacques goes for a big splash, but Luke gets the knees up.
Butch tags in to a HUGE ovation. Butch turns Jacques inside out with a punch to the midsection before knocking Raymond down. Butch hits a knee lift on Jacques and attacks Raymond. Luke runs in to help. The Bushwhackers send the Rougeau brothers into each other and pose. They go for a Battering Ram, but Jimmy Hart grabs the feet. They pull Hart into the ring and take him down before going for a wishbone split, but the Rougeaus stop it with stereo dropkicks. Raymond applies a Boston Crab to Butch. Jacques hits the ropes, but Luke trips him. The Bushwhackers hit a Battering Ram to knock the Rougeaus into each other and pick up the win.
Winners by Pinfall: The Bushwhackers
Mike’s Thoughts: From an action standpoint, this wasn’t much of a match, but from a reaction standpoint, it was massive. The Bushwhackers were incredibly over with the crowd, who stomped their feet and cheered wildly throughout. Classic WWF stuff. This would ultimately be the last televised match for the Rougeaus. Raymond Rougeau retired soon after, and Jacques went on to become The Mountie before finding further tag team success as a member of the Quebecers.
Backstage Interview
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and Virgil. DiBiase does not look happy. Okerlund says the random drawing has taken place for the Royal Rumble. Last year, DiBiase allegedly drew No. 30. DiBiase is not happy about the allegation and insists it was legitimate. Okerlund says there was a hint of chicanery. That couldn’t happen this year because WWF President Jack Tunney put security on. DiBiase is furious and said he didn’t even get to draw the number. Okerlund says Virgil was told to draw the number. DiBiase cuts Okerlund off and will not tell him what number he drew. Okerlund takes the number out of DiBiase’s hand and reveals he drew No. 1, the worst of the bunch. DiBiase says he’ll be the first man in the ring and the last in the ring. DiBiase will prove he’s the greatest wrestling talent in the world.
Back in the Orlando Arena, The Genius is in the ring. Genius reads a poem about Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, his opponent. Genius says Beefcake is “double dumb.”
The Genius vs. Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake
The bell rings to start the match. Beefcake is still wearing his ring jacket and has the scissors in his hand. Beefcake puts the giant pair down and produces a smaller pair before putting that down as well. The Genius prances toward Beefcake and extends his left hand. Beefcake goes to shake, but Genius pulls his hand away. Genius stretches in the corner as Beefcake plays to the crowd. Beefcake gets the crowd cheering before circling the ring. Genius gets out of the ring and does a cartwheel at ringside.
The Genius gets in the ring before locking up with Beefcake. Beefcake powers him to the corner and gives a clean break. Beefcake blows him a kiss and rubs his backside. Genius does a handspring to show Beefcake up. They lock up, and Beefcake powers him back to the corner. The Genius rakes the eyes and kicks him in the midsection. Genius punches him a few times and rakes the eyes again. Genius has him in the corner and climbs the ropes, but Beefcake pulls him out for an inverted atomic drop. Genius gets up and prances out of the ring in pain. The Genius takes a moment to recover before getting back in the ring. They lock up, and Genius rakes the eyes before kicking him in the midsection. Genius punches away at Beefcake before slamming his face off the top turnbuckle pad. Genius punches him in the midsection and whips him to the opposite corner. Genius charges, but he crashes and burns when Beefcake moves. Beefcake locks him in a test of strength and stomps the hands. Beefcake easily overpowered him. Beefcake stops Genius from trying to escape and stretches him on the top rope. Genius hobbles around the ring before getting out.
The Genius jogs around ringside before getting back in. They lock up, and Genius gets Beefcake in the corner. Genius hits some shoulder thrusts before head-butting him. Genius kicks away at the midsection and whips him into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Beefcake puts Genius’s head between his legs and jumps up to hurt the neck. Genius quickly responds by clubbing Beefcake in the neck. Genius sends him into the ropes for a dropkick. Beefcake kicks out and powers Genius into the ropes. Genius continues to club and kick Beefcake. Genius rolls him up for a two-count. Genius connects with a scoop slam and heads to the second rope. Genius leaps, but Beefcake punches him in the ribs mid-air. Beefcake sends him into the ropes and punches him in the midsection. Beefcake connects with a scoop slam and rakes the face with his boots. Beefcake signals for the end. Beefcake sends him into the ropes and goes for the Sleeper Hold, but Genius gets out. Beefcake shoves Genius off and into the referee, knocking the referee out of the ring.
Genius gets up and punches away at Beefcake. Genius punches the midsection and rakes the eyes. Beefcake reverses a whip and applies the Sleeper Hold. The Genius fades away and is out, but the referee is down. Beefcake signals that it’s time for a haircut. Beefcake goes to ringside and retrieves his scissors. Beefcake takes the unconscious Genius and sits him up. Beefcake begins hacking away at Genius’s hair.
Mr. Perfect runs down and attacks Beefcake. The ring is littered with the Genius’s hair. Perfect takes Beefcake out with a Perfect-Plex. A furious Genius, with a terrible haircut, gets up and holds Beefcake up. Perfect goes outside and grabs a chair. Perfect gets in the ring and cracks Beefcake in the ribs with the chair. WWF referees (including Shane McMahon) run into the ring, but Perfect drives the chair into Beefcake’s ribs again. Beefcake writhes around in pain as the referees get Genius and Perfect out of the ring.
Howard Finkel announces that the referee has disqualified both men.
Double Disqualification
Replays are shown of Beefcake giving the Genius a haircut before being attacked by Mr. Perfect.
Mike’s Thoughts: That was absolutely atrocious – abysmal, even by the standards of this era in WWF/WWE. The action was painfully dull, dragging on far longer than it had any right to, and the Double DQ finish only added insult to injury. The post-match angle did serve to set up Mr. Perfect vs. Brutus Beefcake at WrestleMania VI, a match that saw the incomparable Mr. Perfect… lose to Beefcake, of course. It really paid to be friends with Hulk Hogan during this period.
Backstage Segment
Sean Mooney is backstage with the Heenan Family, consisting of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, “Ravishing” Rick Rude, and WWF Tag Team Champions André the Giant and Haku, named The Colossal Connection. Mooney mentions that the Royal Rumble is every man for himself. Heenan says it’s every family for itself. Mooney asks Rude what his number is, but Heenan stops it. Mooney stirs the pot and gets them arguing about what would happen if they were all in the ring at the end of the Rumble.
WrestleMania VI is coming to Toronto on Sunday, April 1.
Submission Match
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart vs. “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin
The match can only be won by forcing your opponent to submit.
The bell rings, and Valentine is complaining to Jimmy Hart about Garvin wearing a brace on his leg. Valentine is also wearing a brace. Valentine gets out of the ring, and Garvin grabs him from behind before punching him in the face. Garvin gets Valentine in the ring, and Valentine begs him off. Garvin rocks him with a right hand and chops him down before going for a pin. There are no pins in this match. Garvin bounces Valentine’s face off the top turnbuckle a few times. Garvin punches away at Valentine’s midsection. Valentine kicks and chops him a few times. Garvin responds with some big chops, and Valentine goes down. Valentine slides out of the ring to get some advice from Hart.
Valentine gets back in the ring, and they exchange some jabs. Garvin has Valentine against the ropes and picks the leg for a takedown, but Valentine jabs him in the jaw to knock him down. Valentine drops an elbow. Valentine goes for a second elbow drop, but Garvin moves. Garvin attacks, but Valentine takes him down. Valentine delivers a head-butt to the midsection before pinning him down… but there are no pins in this match. Valentine puts Garvin in the corner and strikes away at him. Garvin fights back and unloads on Valentine before hitting a running head-butt. Both men go down from the impact. Garvin gets up and sets up for a piledriver, but Valentine fights it. Garvin goes for a sunset flip, but Valentine sits on him… looking for a pin in a submission match. Garvin counters and pins Valentine… what is going on? They soon reset and lock up. Valentine gets Garvin in the corner and chops away at him. Garvin shoves him into the ropes, and they collide with each other. Both men are down.
Valentine is the first up and adjusts his leg brace. Valentine grabs the leg for a Figure Four, but Garvin kicks him off and rolls him up. My god… Valentine chops Garvin down and drops a pair of forearms. Valentine looks for a pin. How are they not getting this? Valentine gives up on the pin and applies a Figure Four Leglock. Garvin winces in pain before starting to smile. His leg brace is acting as a “Hammer Jammer,” protecting him from the effects of the Figure Four Leglock. Garvin mocks Valentine with a ridiculous face, so Valentine releases the hold. Valentine kicks him in the midsection, and Garvin catches him with an inside cradle. THERE ARE NO PINS! Valentine pops up and applies a backbreaker rack before dropping him to the canvas. Valentine goes for another Figure Four Leglock, but Garvin kicks him away. Valentine angrily gets up and starts to choke Garvin. Garvin rakes the eyes and pulls the hair before rocking him with a pair of stiff chops. Garvin chops and punches him in the corner before hitting a trio of head-butts. Garvin hits a drop-toe-hold and applies an Indian Deathlock. Valentine gets to the bottom rope to break the hold.
Valentine pulls Garvin out of the ring and attacks the leg. They get into a chop battle at ringside. Garvin sets up for a piledriver on the floor, but Valentine counters into a back body drop. Valentine gets in the ring to recover. Garvin quickly gets up and gets in the ring. Valentine gets Garvin in the corner and lights him up with some stiff shots before driving his shoulder into the midsection. Garvin reverses a whip to the opposite corner and charges for a dropkick, but Valentine moves. Garvin gets tied in the tree of woe. Valentine attacks the leg and pulls at the Hammer Jammer. Garvin eventually falls to the mat. Valentine clubs the neck and forearms him in the face. Garvin whips him off and drops down before they both collide.
Once again, both men are down. Jimmy Hart reaches in and removes the Hammer Jammer from Garvin’s leg. Valentine gets up and hits a backbreaker. Valentine then applies his signature Figure Four Leglock, and Garvin feels the full effect of the hold without the Hammer Jammer. Garvin struggles with the pain, but he eventually gets a burst of energy and turns Valentine over, reversing the effects of the hold onto the practitioner. Valentine gets out of it and angrily attacks the leg, stretching it out. Valentine drives his knee into Garvin’s weakened knee. Garvin counters with an inside cradle. I mean… come on. We’re deep into this match, and Garvin is still going for pins. What is wrong with him? Anyway, Valentine heads to the top rope, but Garvin gets up and hobbles to the corner to slam Valentine down. Garvin takes Valentine’s leg brace off. Valentine rolls him up FOR ANOTHER NON-PIN.
They get to their feet and strike away at each other. Garvin punches Valentine back and ties him up in the ropes. Garvin hobbles and grabs the Heartbreaker (Valentine’s knee brace). Hart gets on the apron, and Garvin brings him into the ring the hard way. Valentine goes to protect his manager, but Garvin hits him with the Heartbreaker. Garvin puts Valentine in the submission that will eventually be the Sharpshooter. The commentators call it a reverse Figure Four. The referee shouts that Valentine has submitted.
Winner by Submission: “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin
Mike’s Thoughts: This was a mostly strong, hard-hitting match that showed off just how tough Ronnie Garvin and Greg Valentine are. But man, it was really hurt by both guys seemingly forgetting the rules. Howard Finkel loudly announced at the start that the only way to win was by submission. Now, I get it—submission matches weren’t super common at the time, so maybe they weren’t used to it. But one or two pin attempts is one thing. Upwards of ten? Come on. It felt less like a mistake and more like something just wasn’t clicking for either guy.
That said, when they weren’t going for pins that weren’t allowed, the action was solid. Both guys hit hard, and you could feel the intensity of their long-standing feud. But the match dragged in spots, and the pacing didn’t always keep the energy up. As the blow-off to a heated rivalry, it got the job done, but it could’ve been a lot smoother.
This one’s a mixed bag—some really strong moments and some head-scratching ones. Still, it was a solid enough end to their feud, even if I can’t stop thinking about all those pin attempts.
Backstage Segment
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with Mr. Perfect. Okerlund wants to know why Mr. Perfect interfered in the Brutus Beefcake vs. The Genius match. Perfect doesn’t like when Beefcake takes liberties with people’s hair after putting them to sleep. The Genius is a friend, so he came to his rescue. Replays show Perfect hitting Beefcake with a chair. Perfect says he is going to the top of the World Wrestling Federation. Hair grows back, but Beefcake’s ribs may not grow back the right way. Okerlund asks Perfect what number he drew. Perfect says he drew the perfect number: No. 30. Perfect says the Royal Rumble will be absolutely perfect.
The Brother Love Show
Brother Love is in the ring and loudly proclaims, “I love you!” This afternoon, while he was on the way to the Royal Rumble, he had trouble with the definition of “lady.” It means “A woman of class; a woman with finesse; a woman of exquisite beauty.” That brings him to his guests at this time. Next to the definition of “lady” was a picture of his guest: Sister Queen Sensational Sherri.
Queen Sensational Sherri makes her way to the ring. Love proclaims she is a lady and welcomes her to the show. Sherri says it is an honor and a pleasure to stand before a man who radiates boldness and masculinity and knows the true meaning of love. Love states while he was thumbing through the “Book of Love,” he found the word “peasant.” The definition is “a woman of no class.” Sherri says she knows a lot of people like that. The peasant woman has no finesse or beauty. This woman is ugly. Sherri throws in “overweight.” Love says there was a picture next to the word “peasant.” It was a picture of his guest: the manager of “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Sapphire.
Sapphire jogs down to the ring with a smile on her face. Sherri laughs as Sapphire dances. Love says it looks like Sapphire, who is decked out in yellow polka dots like Dusty Rhodes, shops at the same store as Rhodes. Sherri asks where she gets her clothes so she doesn’t make the mistake of looking like her. Love mentions that Dusty Rhodes is a Common Man, so what does that make Sapphire? Love won’t let her speak. Sherri isn’t happy that Sapphire didn’t curtsy to her. What makes Sapphire think she can stand in the same ring as her and Love? Love asks Sapphire what she sees in Dusty Rhodes. Before she can answer, Love takes the microphone away and makes a fat joke about Rhodes. They continue to berate Sapphire with jokes about her size and Rhodes.
Sapphire eventually takes the microphone and says she’s had enough. She then slaps Sherri down! “Macho King” Randy Savage runs down and threatens Sapphire. Dusty Rhodes runs down, but Savage knocks him to the floor. Savage comes off the top rope with a club to the back at ringside. Sapphire jumps on Savage’s back. Brother Love pulls Sapphire off by her hair. WWF officials run down to get Savage and Sherri out. Brother Love enters the ring and says Rhodes took a “royal whipping.” Love says Rhodes is “common trash.” Rhodes grabs Love and hits him with a scoop slam, to the crowd’s delight. Rhodes holds Love up, and Sapphire slaps him in the face. Rhodes sends Love out of the ring. Rhodes and Sapphire celebrate in the ring and gyrate.
Mike’s Thoughts: This set up the Mixed Tag Match at WrestleMania VI. It really feels like Vince McMahon wanted to torpedo Dusty Rhodes’ chances of success with the polka dots and Sapphire, but he was too charismatic not to get over. Sapphire also got over big for the time. There’s something so damn charming about her. It’s really a great story. I thought they were going a little too far, borderline sleazy with the jokes, but she got her revenge at the end of this segment with Dusty’s help. They would get even more revenge at WrestleMania VI.
Backstage Interview
Sean Mooney is backstage with “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan. Mooney asks about facing The Big Boss Man. Duggan says this is the land of the free and the home of the brave. He’ll give Boss Man 110%. He doesn’t care what the Big Boss Man says or thinks. He’s coming after Boss Man, tough guy!
The Big Boss Man w/ Slick vs. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan
The bell rings, and they immediately lock up. They exchange punches before Boss Man uppercuts him. Duggan reverses a whip and hits a clothesline, but Boss Man doesn’t go down. Duggan hits the ropes and hits a second clothesline that sends Boss Man out of the ring. Slick tries to calm Boss Man down. Boss Man pulls Duggan out of the ring, and they brawl at ringside. Boss Man quickly drives Duggan into the ring post. Boss Man charges, but he hits the ring post when Duggan moves. Boss Man gets in the ring, holding his shoulder. Duggan gets in and wrenches the arm before driving him into the corner. Boss Man reverses a whip to the corner and hits an avalanche. Boss Man sends Duggan into the ropes. Duggan blocks a kick, but Boss Man floors him with an enzuigiri. Boss Man connects with a head-butt, followed by an elbow to the back of the neck. Boss Man drops him with a right hand, but Duggan pops up. Boss Man keeps punching him until he stays down. Boss Man avalanches him against the ropes and taunts the crowd. Boss Man bounces Duggan off the turnbuckle, but Duggan gets fired up. Duggan sends him into the ropes, but Boss Man takes him down for a two-count. Boss Man connects with a throat thrust and digs his boot into Duggan’s throat. The referee backs Boss Man up, and Slick chokes Duggan with his chain. Boss Man jumps onto Duggan’s midsection. Boss Man connects with a snapmare and applies a neck vice. Duggan fights up and hits the ropes, but Boss Man knees him in the midsection to take him down. Boss Man chokes Duggan before the referee admonishes him. Duggan fights back, but Boss Man rakes the eyes and clubs him down. Boss Man goes back to the neck vice before releasing it. Boss Man drives a knee into him for a two-count.
Duggan is getting fired up and responds with a right hand. Boss Man knocks him back and applies a bear hug. Duggan claps the ears a few times, but Boss Man keeps the hold applied. Boss Man takes him down. They start choking each other. Boss Man has Duggan in the corner and continues to attack. Duggan punches back at him and hits the ropes for a clothesline over the top rope. Boss Man gets in the ring and quickly takes Duggan down. Duggan avoids a head-butt and punches back at him. Duggan gets him in the corner and starts the ten punches. Duggan shoves the referee as he admonishes him. Duggan sends him to the corner and charges, but Boss Man moves and clotheslines him down. Boss Man heads to the top rope and dives, but Duggan moves. Duggan hits the ropes and takes him down before collapsing from exhaustion.
They pull themselves to their feet. Slick gets on the apron, and Boss Man accidentally hits him when Duggan moves. Boss Man grabs his nightstick and hits Duggan with it as the referee is distracted by Slick. The referee turns and sees Boss Man hit Duggan with the nightstick for a second time. The referee calls for the bell.
Winner by Disqualification: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan
Duggan grabs his 2×4 and smashes Boss Man from behind, knocking him over the top rope. Duggan then attacks Slick with the 2×4. Boss Man is irate and throws some chairs in the ring before walking off.
Mike’s Thoughts: This was just a match. There wasn’t anything great about it. I might even be positive and say it’s better than I thought it would be. The Big Boss Man, one of those guys who was taken from us too soon, was quite agile for a big man of his size. While the match didn’t do much to stand out, it was serviceable for what it was.
WrestleMania VI is coming to the SkyDome in Toronto on Sunday, April 1.
Pre-Taped Interview Segments
“The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart is with The Canadian Earthquake and Dino Bravo. They’re pumped up. Bravo says he has the Ultimate Warrior’s number. Earthquake says no one is safe from him. Everyone is going out.
Demolition is shown, and they talk about being No. 1 and No. 2 last year. This year will be different. If it comes down to the two of them, they’ll beat each other up.
Bad News Brown says 29 spineless cockroaches are going down.
“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes says “Macho King” Randy Savage proved himself today. Rhodes will prove himself in the Royal Rumble. Sapphire comes in and says they’ll get Savage.
The Rockers are excited. Shawn Michaels says they won’t be facing each other, but 28 other guys need to worry. Marty Jannetty says the Powers of Pain better worry.
Hercules says the time is at hand. The legacy and destiny will be fulfilled. The mighty Hercules is ready to rumble. Friend or foe, he doesn’t care. He will win the Royal Rumble because he has the strength and power. He’s ready for anything.
“The Model” Rick Martel says nobody is going to touch his beautiful face in the Royal Rumble. Not only does he look good, he’s the best wrestler of them all.
Tito Santana says he has a lot of friends in the WWF, but once he hits the ring, friendships are over. Arriba!
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka is fired up.
Akeem is with Slick. Slick says Akeem is the biggest and baddest in the Royal Rumble.
WWF Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior says his power has spread like a virus in the WWF. Warrior screams about being a powerful force in WWF. 28 of those normal men, stacked one on top of another, cannot come close to the destinations (destiny?) of Parts Unknown. As for the 29th man, Hulk Hogan, he walks with a different forcefield around him. It’s every man fighting for what he feels is in himself. Warrior will fulfill another destiny.
The commentators talk about the Royal Rumble match.
“Macho King” Randy Savage is excited for the Royal Rumble. He realizes that Dusty Rhodes would like to get even, but it’s not possible. Savage is the best superstar and will prove it in the Royal Rumble. Everyone needs to be on notice. Only one man is royalty.
The Powers of Pain are with Mr. Fuji. Fuji says anything goes in the Royal Rumble. They all grunt and laugh.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts says it amazes him what the human mind can come up with. Roberts hopes to be one of the hungry men out there. The winner won’t be the best wrestler or athlete. It’s the man who will do anything and take that extra step, sacrificing a little more than everyone else. That sounds like Roberts.
The Hart Foundation is pumped up. Jim Neidhart says bodies will be flying everywhere. Bret Hart tells Neidhart to mellow out. It’s survival of the fittest, but the Pink and Black Attack is back. They’re ready to go the distance.
The Honky Tonk Man is with Jimmy Hart. HTM says he’ll play all of his hits, 29 of them. Every two minutes, he’ll play a new tune. HTM will be the winner.
WWF Champion Hulk Hogan is ready for the Royal Rumble. Hogan has seen his opponents. They all seem confident and prepared, but you have to expect the unexpected. With Hulkamania running wild and at its peak, you can’t compensate for the Power of the Pythons with his Hulkamaniacs behind him. The strongest force in WWF will be displayed. Hogan will throw them all out with his reserve energy. Hogan will show the WWF that nobody is more powerful than Hulkamania when it’s at its peak.
Mike’s Thoughts: That was an awesome, dizzying display of classic wrestling promos. Lots of screaming, lots of grunting, lots of laughing, and lots of wild stares. Great stuff.
Howard Finkel explains the rules of the Royal Rumble.
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
No. 1: “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil
No. 2: Koko B. Ware
DiBiase immediately attacks Ware and kicks away at him. DiBiase sends him into the ropes and connects with a back elbow. DiBiase stomps the face and clubs the midsection. DiBiase chops Ware and whips him hard into the opposite corner. DiBiase bounces him off the top turnbuckle, but Ware shakes it off. Ware pokes him in the eyes and connects with a dropkick. Ware punches away at him before flapping the wings. Ware drops him with a right hand. Ware hits a head-butt against the ropes and charges, but DiBiase hits him with a back body drop over the top rope.
Koko B. Ware has been eliminated.
The clock begins to tick down. DiBiase is alone in the ring.
No. 3: Marty Jannetty
DiBiase attacks one-half of The Rockers and clubs away at him. Jannetty slides through the legs and hits a pair of dropkicks. Jannetty punches away at him and sends him to the corner, but DiBiase boots him back. DiBiase turns him inside out with a clothesline. DiBiase heads to the middle rope and jumps, but Jannetty punches him out of mid-air. Jannetty lays in some right hands before sending him into the ropes for a spinning back elbow. DiBiase quickly fights back, but Jannetty reverses a whip. Jannetty goes for a running cross-body block, but he flies over the top rope when DiBiase ducks.
Marty Jannetty has been eliminated.
No. 4: Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Roberts comes out to a HUGE ovation. DiBiase attacks Roberts before he gets in the ring. DiBiase exited under the top rope, so he was not eliminated. DiBiase hits a scoop slam on the floor and applies a Million Dollar Dream, but Roberts quickly drives him into the ring post. Roberts gets DiBiase in the ring and hits a back body drop, followed by a short-arm clothesline. Roberts has the crowd on their feet chanting, “DDT.” Roberts hooks the head, but DiBiase flips him over. DiBiase gets him in the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. The clock is counting down. Roberts knees DiBiase in the face.
No. 5: “Macho King” Randy Savage w/ Queen Sensational Sherri
Savage goes after Roberts, but Roberts hits him with a clothesline. Roberts charges DiBiase in the corner, but DiBiase moves. Savage chokes Roberts and hits a diving knee off the middle rope. Savage holds Roberts up, and DiBiase punches away at him. DiBiase comes off the middle rope with an elbow to the head. Savage goes to the top rope as DiBiase holds Roberts up. Savage connects with a double ax handle before choking Roberts. Savage ties Roberts up in the ropes and slaps him in the face. The clock counts down as DiBiase and Savage take turns attacking Roberts.
No. 6: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
Piper comes in to an unreal ovation. Piper attacks Savage and DiBiase, hitting them with a double clothesline. Piper gets Roberts out of the ropes. Roberts tees off on DiBiase as Piper concentrates on Savage. Roberts and Piper turn and nearly come to blows. Piper bites Savage. Roberts hits DiBiase with an inverted atomic drop. Roberts and Piper try to eliminate Savage, but he holds on. Savage stays in the ring and nearly eliminates Piper. The clock counts down again.
No. 7: The Warlord w/ Mr. Fuji
The Warlord, who set a record for the shortest time in the Royal Rumble match last year, gets in the ring and attacks Roberts. Great, he’s made it past two seconds. Warlord turns his attention to Piper and tries to eliminate him. Piper fights back. Savage and DiBiase team up to try to eliminate Roberts, but he manages to hang on. DiBiase holds Roberts up, and Savage hits a flying attack. Piper comes over and starts to unload with right hands.
No. 8: Bret “Hitman” Hart
Hart runs in and punches DiBiase down. Savage grabs Hart and holds him, but Hart gets away as DiBiase punches Savage. Hart attacks the Warlord. Hart boots Warlord in the face and goes over to Piper. Hart and Piper take Warlord down with a double clothesline. Piper tries to eliminate Warlord, but Warlord saves himself with a rake of the eyes. Hart tries to eliminate Savage, but he holds on. Piper attacks DiBiase and bounces him off the top turnbuckle. Roberts scoops DiBiase up and tries to eliminate him, but he holds on.
No. 9: Bad News Brown
Brown immediately attacks Hart and applies a chin lock. Roberts hits DiBiase with a short-arm clothesline before attempting a DDT, but Savage clotheslines Roberts over the top rope!
Jake “The Snake” Roberts has been eliminated.
Brown continues to work on Hart. DiBiase chops Piper. Piper reverses a whip and punches DiBiase, nearly eliminating him. Savage saves DiBiase and punches Piper back. Hart tries to eliminate Warlord, but he can’t get him over the top rope.
No. 10: “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes w/ Sapphire
Rhodes hits the ring to a HUGE ovation. We’re one-third of the way through the Royal Rumble. Rhodes wildly attacks Savage and hits a back elbow. Brown attacks Rhodes, but Rhodes fights him off. Savage charges, but Rhodes gives him a back body drop over the top rope!
“Macho King” Randy Savage has been eliminated.
Piper goes to work on the Warlord. Rhodes joins in to try to eliminate him. Warlord rakes their eyes to save himself. Brown continues to take it to Hart.
No. 11: WWF Tag Team Champion André the Giant w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
André gets in the ring, and the Warlord attacks him. André quickly gains the advantage, giving Warlord a hip toss over the top rope.
The Warlord has been eliminated.
A furious Mr. Fuji jumps onto the apron, so Bobby Heenan pulls him down. Heenan shoves him, and Fuji threatens to swing his cane. Heenan quickly retreats. In the ring, André clunks the heads of Rhodes and Piper together before sandwiching them in the corner with shoulder thrusts. Rhodes and Piper turn him around and double-team the Giant. André clunks their heads again and applies a nerve hold to Piper. The clock ticks down.
No. 12: The Red Rooster
Rhodes immediately grabs Rooster and punches him. Brown sends Piper over the top rope, but he holds on. Piper then gives Bad News Brown a back body drop over the top rope to eliminate him. Brown furiously jumps onto the apron and pulls Piper over the top rope.
Bad News Brown has been eliminated.
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper has been eliminated.
Piper pulls Brown down and attacks him at ringside. They brawl up the aisleway and to the back. In the ring, Rhodes nearly eliminated DiBiase, but Virgil saves him.
No. 13: Demolition Ax
As Ax heads to the ring, André eliminates the Red Rooster.
The Red Rooster has been eliminated.
Ax attacks André in the corner and clubs away at him, bringing the Giant to his knees! Ax grand André by the throat, but André shoves him off. A “Weasel” chant picks up for Heenan. On the other side of the ring, Hart and Rhodes attempt to eliminate DiBiase, but he holds on. Rhodes goes over to André and starts to unload on him. André gets tied up in the ropes, and Ax and Rhodes punch away at him. André soon gets out and knocks Ax away.
No. 14: WWF Tag Team Champion Haku
Haku goes after Ax and clotheslines him down. DiBiase hits Hart with an atomic drop. André sits on Ax before standing on him. Rhodes unloads on Haku in the middle of the ring with stinging jabs to the face. Haku soon gets up and attacks Hart. André holds Ax up, and Haku strikes away at him. Hart grabs Haku and head-butts him, but that hurts Hart instead of Haku.
No. 15: Demolition Smash
Demolition immediately unites in the ring and beats André down. Haku tries to help, but they pound him down as well. Demolition sends Haku into the ropes for a double-team back elbow. Demolition attacks André in the corner again until André clunks their heads together a few times. Haku quickly saves DiBiase from being eliminated. Demolition begins to concentrate on DiBiase. Hart attacks André in the corner and chokes him, but André swats him away.
No. 16: Akeem w/ Slick
Akeem attacks André as he gets in the ring. Demolition then takes André down (not a back bump) with a double clothesline. In the background, Bret Hart gets clotheslined over the top rope by Dusty Rhodes. The commentators don’t notice the elimination.
Bret “Hitman” Hart has been eliminated.
Demolition sends Haku into the ropes for a double clothesline. They then hit André with a double clothesline over the top rope! The crowd goes wild!
André the Giant has been eliminated.
Demolition tries to eliminate Haku, but André punches Smash in the face to save him. DiBiase attacks Smash and clotheslines him down. DiBiase catches him with an inverted atomic drop. Ax attacks DiBiase and tries to eliminate him.
No. 17: Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka
Snuka gets in the ring, and Akeem immediately attacks him. Demolition is still teeing off on Haku. Snuka backs up and charges, hitting Akeem with a forearm that sends him over the top rope.
Akeem has been eliminated.
Demolition and Rhodes begin triple-teaming Dibiase. Demolition then begins double-teaming Snuka before Haku saves him. Haku and Snuka hit Smash with a double head-butt. Snuka then attacks Haku. Dibiase hits Rhodes with a double-ax handle.
No. 18: Dino Bravo w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart
Bravo gets in the ring and starts swinging at everyone. Bravo tries to eliminate Haku, but Snuka inexplicably saves him. Demolition is beating DiBiase down. DiBiase has been in this match for a long time. Demolition hits him with a double-team back elbow. Bravo attacks Rhodes in the corner, but Ax breaks it up. Demolition tries to eliminate DiBiase, but Bravo breaks it up. Rhodes attacks Bravo and tries to eliminate him, but he holds on.
No. 19: The Canadian Earthquake
The Canadian Earthquake gets in the ring and starts stomping around. Earthquake attacks Rhodes and rakes the eyes before clubbing him in the back and sending him over the top rope.
“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes has been eliminated.
Ax grabs Earthquake, but Earthquake powers him up and over the top rope.
Demolition Ax has been eliminated.
Earthquake attacks Haku and drives some knees into him. Bravo tries to eliminate Smash, who is all alone now without Ax. Haku fights Earthquake off.
No. 20: Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart
We’re two-thirds of the way through the Royal Rumble! Neidhart hits the ring and makes a beeline for Earthquake. Everyone in the ring puts aside their differences and teams up to eliminate Earthquake.
The Canadian Earthquake has been eliminated.
Earthquake is furious at ringside. Neidhart goes after Haku. Neidhart and Smash then team up to give DiBiase a double-team atomic drop.
No. 21: WWF Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior
Warrior gets in the ring and attacks Bravo. Bravo kicks Warrior in the face and gives him an inverted atomic drop. Warrior backs against the ropes. Bravo charges, but they’re out of sync. Warrior eventually powers him up and over the top rope.
Dino Bravo has been eliminated.
Warrior chops away at Snuka in the corner and bounces him off the top turnbuckle. Haku attacks Warrior and holds him up as Snuka and Smash tee off. Warrior fights back and punches away at Smash. Smash fights back and tries to eliminate Warrior, but he saves himself. Neidhart and Warrior then double-team DiBiase, but they quickly turn on each other.
No. 22: “The Model” Rick Martel
Martel goes after Smash and punches him in the throat before putting him in the corner. Martel tries to eliminate Smash, and Warrior joins in. Smash hangs on. Haku attacks Smash and drops him onto the apron. Haku sees him standing on the apron and hits a thrust kick to eliminate him.
Demolition Smash has been eliminated.
Warrior and DiBiase go after each other. Neidhart drops Martel over the top rope, but Martel holds onto the ropes and slides under the bottom rope, saving himself from elimination. Warrior hits DiBiase with a face-buster.
No. 23: Tito Santana
Santana immediately goes after Martel and clubs away at him. Santana tries to rearrange the facial features of The Model by smashing him off the turnbuckle several times. Santana tries to eliminate him, but Martel hangs on. Warrior sends Haku into the ropes and hits a clothesline. Martel turns the tables on Santana and tries to eliminate him. Virgil gives DiBiase a hand from ringside to save him.
No. 24: The Honky Tonk Man w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart
HTM gets in the ring, and Warrior greets him with some punches. DiBiase grabs Warrior from behind, but Warrior quickly gets away. We’ve got a scuffle against the ropes, and Jim Neidhart is sent over the top rope by Warrior, Martel, and DiBiase.
Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart has been eliminated.
Warrior and DiBiase go at it. Warrior reverses a whip into the ropes and clotheslines DiBiase over the top rope! DiBiase lasted nearly 45 minutes, the longest in the Royal Rumble’s history up to this point.
“The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase has been eliminated.
No. 25: WWF Champion Hulk Hogan
Snuka immediately attacks Hogan, but Hogan reverses a whip into the ropes and clotheslines him over the top rope.
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka has been eliminated.
Hogan punches and chops away at Haku in the corner before sending him to the opposite corner for an attack. Hogan sends Haku into the ropes and big boots him over the top rope.
Haku has been eliminated.
Hogan goes after HTM and quickly takes him down. Hogan rips off his shirt, and the crowd is going wild for the WWF Champion. Santana tries to scoop slam Martel over the top rope, but Martel hangs onto him. Warrior comes from behind and helps send Santana over the top rope. Santana slaps the ringside mats in frustration.
Tito Santana has been eliminated.
Hogan gets HTM in the corner and punches him. Warrior and Martel go at it in the opposite corner. HTM grabs Hogan’s ripped t-shirt and chokes him with it. HTM clubs Hogan’s back and continues to choke him.
No. 26: Shawn Michaels
Michaels gets in the ring and punches away at Martel. Hogan fights back at HTM and whips him into Martel. Hogan then sends HTM over the top rope. The Warrior then attacks Michaels and sends him over the top rope before quickly throwing Martel out. Shawn Michaels, who will eventually go on to become one of the greatest Royal Rumble competitors of all time with two wins, 39 eliminations, and 12 overall appearances, lasts 12 seconds here.
The Honky Tonk Man has been eliminated.
Shawn Michaels has been eliminated.
“The Model” Rick Martel has been eliminated.
It’s down to Hogan and Warrior in the ring, and the crowd is electric. The WWF Champion and the WWF Intercontinental Champion stare at each other. They circle the ring and go face-to-face. Warrior shoves Hogan, and Hogan responds with a shoulder tackle that doesn’t take Warrior down. Hogan shoves Warrior into the ropes, and they absorb another shoulder tackle. They crisscross the ropes and soon take each other out with a double clothesline. Both men are down, and the clock begins to count down.
No. 27: The Barbarian
The Barbarian gets in the ring and drops an elbow on Hogan. Barbarian then drops an elbow on Warrior. Barbarian attacks Hogan and sends him into the ropes for a big boot. Barbarian clubs Warrior and chops him down.
No. 28: “Ravishing” Rick Rude
Rick Rude charges into the ring despite not being close to two minutes since Barbarian came in, and there was no clock counting down. The “:10” graphic appears on the screen before quickly disappearing. Barbarian attacks Hogan in the corner, and Rude concentrates on Warrior. Rude dropkicks Warrior down and teams with Barbarian to nearly eliminate Hogan. Warrior pulls Rude back and punches him. This saves Hogan. Rude and Barbarian double-team Warrior. Hogan hulks up and attacks Barbarian and Rude, inadvertently eliminating Warrior.
The Ultimate Warrior has been eliminated.
Warrior furiously gets in the ring and attacks Barbarian and Rude before running to the back.
No. 29: Hercules
Hercules gets in the ring and punches away at Rude. Hercules then punches away at Barbarian before whipping him into Hogan’s boot. Hercules then whips Rude into Hogan’s boot. Hogan chokes Barbarian in the corner before hitting a scoop slam and dropping a pair of elbows. Hogan powers Barbarian up and tries to put him over the top rope, but Barbarian holds on. Barbarian rakes the eyes to save himself. Hercules tries to eliminate Rude, but he holds on. Hogan sends Barbarian into the ropes for a clothesline. Hogan scratches Rude’s back and punches away at him in the corner.
No. 30: Mr. Perfect
Mr. Perfect has drawn the perfect number. Perfect punches away at Hogan and beats him down. Rude holds Hercules up. Barbarian accidentally hits Rude with a big boot when Hercules ducks. Hercules then gives Barbarian a back body drop over the top rope.
The Barbarian has been eliminated.
We’re down to the Final Four: Hulk Hogan, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, and Hercules. Perfect dropkicks Hercules, and Rude finishes him off with a clothesline over the top rope.
Hercules has been eliminated.
Rude and Perfect begin double-teaming Hogan. Rude hits a throat thrust on the WWF Champion and stomps his hand. Perfect holds Hogan up. Rude charges, but Hogan ducks. Rude accidentally knocks Perfect through the middle rope and onto the apron. Hogan punches away at Rude and sends him into the ropes. As Perfect tries to get back in the ring, he accidentally pulls down the top rope and inadvertently sends Rude over to the floor.
“Ravishing” Rick Rude has been eliminated.
Hogan brings Perfect back into the ring the hard way. Hogan punches away at Mr. Perfect and sends him into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Perfect connects with a clothesline and yells at the crowd. Perfect strikes away at Hogan and hits a Perfect-Plex. Hogan immediately pops up to his knees and is hulking up. Perfect is stunned. Hogan hits a catapult into the corner, knocking Perfect into the ring post. Hogan hits a pair of clotheslines before sending him over the top rope!
Mr. Perfect has been eliminated.
Winner: WWF Champion Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan pulls a big banner from some fans at ringside. Hogan holds it up in the ring. The banner says, “Hulkamania will live forever.” Hogan parades it around the ring, wipes some sweat onto it, folds it up, and gives it back to the fans. I’d love to know what happened to that banner. Hogan poses in the ring and celebrates big time.
Mike’s Thoughts: It’s really, really hard to miss with the Royal Rumble match. Even the worst ones usually have some redeeming quality. From a historical perspective, this Rumble doesn’t stand out much, but as only the second 30-Man Royal Rumble on pay-per-view, it was still a fresh and fun concept. Hulk Hogan winning was kind of blah, considering he was already the WWF Champion and didn’t really benefit from the win. But let’s be real—Hogan wasn’t laying down for anyone during this era. He barely agreed to do it a few months later.
They definitely used it to set up some matches for WrestleMania VI. Notably, they did a great job testing the waters for Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior here. The crowd went NUTS for that interaction. Hogan and Warrior must’ve liked that random crisscross into the ropes before hitting a double clothesline so much that they replicated it exactly in their WrestleMania VI confrontation.
Other matches set up for WrestleMania would be the Dusty Rhodes/Randy Savage confrontation, which was red hot early on in this match. They would add Queen Sherri and Sapphire to make it a Mixed Tag Match for the event. Also, the ill-fated “Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. Bad News Brown match was started here.
Ted DiBiase had a standout performance, setting a new record for longevity at 44:47 (since obliterated many times over). On the flip side, Shawn Michaels, still a fresh-faced Rocker, lasted just 12 seconds. The Canadian Earthquake (soon to be just “Earthquake”) made a strong impression—hard to believe he was only 26 years old here. People really did age differently back then. Demolition’s elimination of André the Giant, the undisputed King of the Battle Royal, was another memorable moment.
The Royal Rumble match was clearly the main attraction (as it should be) and saved what was otherwise a pretty rough show. The undercard ranged from decent to downright putrid. While this Rumble was a lot of fun, it’s clear that the match concept was starting to need a purpose. Why fight so hard to win if there’s nothing on the line?
Still, I’m loving these Retro Recaps and looking forward to the next one!
Quick Match Results
— The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke) def. The Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond Rougeau) in a Tag Team Match
— The Genius vs. Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake went to a DDQ
— “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin def. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine in a Submission Match
— “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan def. The Big Boss Man via DQ
— WWF Champion Hulk Hogan won the 30-Man Royal Rumble
Email – mike@wrestleview.com
X – @MikeTedescoWV
Thanks for reading!