WWF Royal Rumble Results
January 19, 1992
Albany, New York (Knickerbocker Arena)
Commentary: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
Video: Vince McMahon narrates a video that showcases the participants in tonight’s Royal Rumble match. For the first time ever, the winner of the Royal Rumble will become the Undisputed WWF Champion.
We go live into the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York, and the crowd is LOUD. Gorilla Monsoon is with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Heenan sticks a finger in his ear because of the noise. Heenan says he is banking on Ric Flair coming out as the World Wrestling Federation Champion. Monsoon mentions that The Mountie will defend the WWF Intercontinental Championship against “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. We’ll also have a WWF Tag Team Championship Match with The Natural Disasters taking on The Legion of Doom.
Tag Team Match
The Orient Express (Kato and Tanaka) w/ Mr. Fuji vs. The New Foundation (“The Rocket” Owen Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart)
The bell rings, and Owen Hart will start against Kato. Hart gets the crowd clapping, and Kato is not happy. They lock up, and Hart wrenches the arm. Kato fights back with a twist, but Hart pops up and reverses the pressure. Hart applies a hammerlock, but Kato fights out. Hart flips over him and goes for a roll-up, but Kato holds the ropes. Hart challenges him and takes him down with an arm drag. Hart bends the arm and drops a knee on the elbow. They get into a test of strength, but Kato kicks him down. Hart gets his shoulders off the mat before being pinned. Hart powers up, jumps to the top rope, drops down, and hits an arm drag. Hart follows up with a hurricanrana for a two-count. Hart quickly takes him back down with an arm drag. Hart chops the chest and tags Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart in. Neidhart chops the chest and applies an armbar. Neidhart powers him to the corner and launches him across the ring. Neidhart sends him to the opposite corner, but Kato blocks a hip toss. Neidhart still manages to take him down.
Tanaka tags in and locks up with Neidhart. Tanaka goes for a slam, but he can’t lift him. Neidhart shoves him down. Tanaka gets up and charges, but Neidhart shoulder blocks him down. Tanaka tries again for the same result. Hart tags in. Neidhart hits a snap spinebuster, and Hart follows up with an elbow drop off the second rope for a two-count. Hart connects with a backbreaker for another two-count. Hart punches him to the corner, but Tanaka turns him around. Tanaka sends him to the opposite corner, but Hart backflips off the top turnbuckle and hits him with a back body drop. Hart follows up with an enzuigiri. Neidhart tags in. Hart whips Neidhart into Tanaka for a shoulder thrust. Kato has seen enough and attacks Neidhart. The Orient Express double-teams Neidhart, but he runs them over with a double clothesline, followed by a noggin’ knocker. Hart tags in and hits a diving cross-body block on the Orient Express. Hart picks up a two-count. Hart chops Kato and sends him into the ropes for a rolling wheel kick to pick up another two-count. Hart executes a vertical suplex to pick up yet another two-count. Hart begins to rip at Kato’s mask, but Kato quickly rolls out of the ring.
Hart waits for Kato to get back in the ring and applies a side headlock. Kato whips him off, and Tanaka gets a cheap shot in on Hart. Tanaka runs in, and Hart fights him out of the ring. Neidhart angrily gets in the ring, but the referee stops him. Mr. Fuji drives his cane into Hart’s throat. Kato chokes Hart before Tanaka comes in and chokes him. Tanaka hits a few chops to the throat before tagging Kato in. Kato connects with a crescent kick for a two-count. Kato sends Hart into the ropes for a back elbow to pick up another two-count. The referee goes over to Neidhart, who is not happy on the apron. The Orient Express continues to choke Hart. Tanaka punches Hart to the corner and whips him sternum-first into the opposite corner for a near fall. Tanaka pulls him up and punches him. Hart reverses a whip to the corner, but Tanaka takes him down with a crescent kick for a two-count. Kato tags in and hits a snapmare, followed by a rear chin lock. Hart fights up, ducks two clotheslines, and hits a crucifix pin for a near fall. Tanaka tags in and clubs Hart in the kidneys. Tanaka connects with another crescent kick before dropping a head-butt on the abdomen. Tanaka goes back to the rear chin lock. Hart fights up and takes Tanaka down. Hart hits the ropes, but Tanaka hits a diving chop for a near fall. Tanaka bounces him off the top turnbuckle before whipping him to the opposite corner. Hart then hits a face-buster. Kato runs in as Neidhart tags in. The referee was dealing with Kato and didn’t see it. The Orient Express uses the distraction to double-team Hart. They whip Hart to the corner, and Mr. Fuji breaks his cane over Hart’s head! Kato covers, but Hart’s leg is over the bottom rope.
Kato connects with a hammerlock scoop slam. Tanaka tags in and drops a head-butt on the arm. Tanaka applies an armbar, but Hart fights up. Hart whips him off, but Tanaka hits a shoulder block. Tanaka hits the ropes, but Hart leapfrogs him and hits a belly-to-belly suplex. 1… 2… Kato breaks it up. Kato tags in and strikes Neidhart on the apron. The Orient Express hits Hart with a double-team clothesline. Kato covers, but the referee was still dealing with Neidhart. The referee soon counts a two-count. Kato punches Hart in the corner and tags Tanaka in. Tanaka punches Hart and hits another crescent kick. Tanaka hits a head-butt. Neidhart tries to get in again, but the referee holds him back. The Orient Express hangs Hart on the top rope, and Tanaka jumps on him. Hart soon hits them with a double clothesline.
Neidhart finally tags in. Neidhart hits a slingshot shoulder tackle on the Orient Express. Neidhart slams both men before hitting Tanaka with a back body drop. Neidhart punches Tanaka down. Hart whips Neidhart into Kato to knock him out of the ring. Neidhart then whips Hart, and Hart hits Kato with a WILD suicide dive. Neidhart slams Tanaka down. Hart is on the top rope, and they hit the Rocket Launcher for the win!
Winners by Pinfall: The New Foundation
Mike’s Thoughts: For the second straight year, the Royal Rumble kicked off with a strong tag match featuring the Orient Express. This time, they faced the New Foundation – Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart – decked out in blindingly loud early-1990s neon attire. It was absolutely horrific to look at, but hey, that was the style back then. (My mom still has pictures of me as a kid in similarly ridiculous neon outfits. Just… why do that to a child?)
Fashion crimes aside, this match was fantastic. A young Owen Hart in action was something special. His innovative style was such a breath of fresh air in this era, and he carried most of the match beautifully. Owen worked nearly the entire time, expertly building up the drama with plenty of false tags before the real hot tag while intermittently doing some great offense.
When Neidhart finally got in, he was noticeably out of shape but still managed to clean house and finish things off with minimal effort. Despite that, this was an awesome way to start the show.
Backstage Segment
Lord Alfred Hayes explains that Bret Hart put his WWF Intercontinental Championship against the Mountie two days ago on January 17 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Hart was battling a high fever and went against the doctor’s orders to do the match. Hart would lose the Intercontinental Championship to the Mountie that night. After the match, the Mountie attacked Hart until “Rowdy” Roddy Piper ran in for the save. The Mountie pretended to leave before getting in the ring to sneak attack Piper. Piper got up and punched the Mountie out of the ring.
Backstage Interview
Sean Mooney is with the new WWF Intercontinental Champion, The Mountie, and “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart. Hart laughs that Bret Hart was sick. Bret Hart isn’t sick from the flu. He’s sick from losing! The Mountie demands to know what Piper’s win-loss record is to warrant him getting a title match. The Mountie should have won this match by forfeit, but he’ll do to Piper what he did to Bret Hart. He took Hart’s pride, his integrity, and the belt. Now, he’ll take Piper’s skirt, manhood, and whatever is left because the Mountie always gets his man.
Backstage Interview
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. Piper says the Mountie is one of the original Village People. They keep kissing the title and leaving lipstick on it. He heard the Mountie say he would take Piper’s integrity. That’s like Jacques Cousteau trying to find a dry spot in the ocean. Piper has no integrity. How do you think he got so far? Then, Mountie said he’d take Piper’s manhood. Piper is here to fight and win two titles. He can’t win two titles if he doesn’t win the first one. The Mountie has been dreaming… and they’re all wet, too.
WWF Intercontinental Championship
The Mountie (c) w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
They must be using some old edit of the Royal Rumble on the WWE Network on Peacock because they keep muting the audio when the announcers go to say “WWF.” It’s so annoying.
Before the bell rings, Piper throws his kilt into the Mountie’s face. As Piper is beating him down with the kilt over his head, the referee calls for the bell to start the match. Piper punches away at him until the Mountie bails out of the ring. Piper attacks the Mountie at ringside. The Mountie hides behind Jimmy Hart. Mountie quickly punches Piper and rolls him into the ring. The Mountie chokes him against the ropes before sending him into the ropes. The Mountie leapfrogs him twice and drops down, but Piper puts the brakes on and drops a fist. Piper bounces him off the top turnbuckle twice before hitting a running bulldog. Piper saunters around the ring for a few moments before covering him. 1… 2… Mountie gets a foot on the bottom rope. Piper attacks the leg against the bottom rope. Piper claps Mountie in the head and pulls him up before poking him in the eyes. The Mountie pushes him off, but Piper holds the ropes. The Mountie clubs him in the back. They exchange some strikes before Piper sends him into the ropes. Piper goes for a dropkick, but Mountie sidesteps him. Mountie covers for a two-count. The Mountie applies a half nelson and bounces Piper’s face off the top turnbuckle several times. The Mountie pulls him back to his feet and bites the forehead. The Mountie sends him into the ropes and hits a running back elbow for a two-count. The Mountie throws Piper out of the ring, and Jimmy Hart shouts at the Hot Rod with his trademark megaphone. Piper gets on the apron, shoulders Mountie, and hits a sunset flip for a two-count. Piper fights back, but Mountie pulls him out of the ring. Piper immediately gets back in and attacks him. Piper rocks him with a right hand and sends him back into the ropes for a back body drop. Piper sends him into the ropes again and turns him inside out with a punch to the midsection. Piper hits an atomic drop and knocks him over the top rope, but Mountie skins the cat. Jimmy Hart jumps up to the apron, and Piper sends Mountie into him. Piper then applies his Sleeper Hold! Hart grabs the cattle prod, but the referee checks on the Mountie and calls for the bell! The Mountie is asleep!
Winner by Submission and new WWF Intercontinental Champion: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
The crowd erupts at “Rowdy” Roddy Piper winning his first WWF championship of his career. Hart runs in with the cattle prod, but Piper rips it out of his hand. The crowd senses Piper has some dastardly intentions. Piper chases the referee out of the ring with the cattle prod before sticking it into the Mountie’s side, shocking him.
Mike’s Thoughts: It was so cool to see “Rowdy” Roddy Piper win the one and only singles championship of his WWF career. This match ended The Mountie’s incredibly brief two-day reign as Intercontinental Champion and set Piper on a collision course with Bret Hart at WrestleMania VIII, leading to their classic match.
Interestingly, Bret Hart wasn’t even booked for this event. At the time, rumors were swirling that he was on his way out of WWF, with WCW allegedly negotiating to bring him to their Clash of Champions broadcast—with the Intercontinental Championship in tow—as payback for Ric Flair appearing on WWF television with the WCW World Title. According to an old Wrestling Observer, the decision to take the title off Hart had been made weeks earlier, before any WCW talks began. But that didn’t stop the speculation.
In the end, Hart’s contract still had significant time left, and the rumored jump to WCW never happened. Still, it makes you wonder about whether Vince McMahon held onto this incident in the back of his mind, eventually using it to justify the Montreal Screwjob in 1997. Wrestling history is full of fascinating “what ifs,” and this is definitely one of them!
Backstage Segment
Lord Alfred Hayes is outside of Hulk Hogan’s locker room. This is a Coliseum Video exclusive. Hogan says in a little while, he’s not going to have any friends. He’s going to the Royal Rumble to get the title around his waist. Hogan is throwing all those dudes out and taking the title back.
Backstage Interview
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is with the Bushwhackers and Jamison. Bushwhacker Luke says they have a surprise for the Genius. Bushwhacker Butch says they’re going to feed Genius to Jamison. The nerdy Jamison says he just needs a minute alone with the Genius.
Tag Team Match
The Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake Beverly) w/ The Genius vs. The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke) w/ Jamison
Before the match begins, The Genius wanted to read a poem. The Genius reads, “Rejoice in all the splendor of the Brothers Beverly as they fulfill my genius masterplan. And I, the Genius, must defile that waste of human tissue, that Jamison who calls himself a man.”
The bell rings, and the Bushwhackers spend a lot of time posing for the crowd. They take some time to rub their heads, and Jamison eats a roll he pulled out of his pocket. The Bushwhackers lick their heads… and maybe now we’re ready to start this match. One of the Beverly Brothers swats Butch’s head, so the Bushwhackers chase them out of the ring. Luke is quickly attacked and beaten down. Luke is choked on the ropes before fighting back and biting the rear end of Beau. Blake runs in, and the Bushwhackers run the Beverly Brothers into each other. They then hit stereo clotheslines to clear the ring. The Bushwhackers march around the ring and pose.
The Genius approaches Jamison at ringside. Jamison continues to nervously eat a roll. Luke chases Beau to the corner, and Blake tags in. Blake soon kneels down for a handshake, and Luke starts running around. At ringside, Jamison blows his nose into a sock and looks into it to see the boogers. Yup. Blake attacks Luke, but Luke knees him in the midsection and hits a bulldog. Beau runs in, but Butch cuts him off. The Bushwhackers whip them into each other and then get on all fours to have them trip over them. They hit them with double clotheslines to clear the ring again. The Bushwhackers dance around again. One of the Beverly Brothers goes under the ring. He tries to sneak up on them, but they catch him, and he runs away. This happens a few times before they finally bite his rear end. Butch is soon taken down, and the Beverly Brothers double-team him. Beau covers Butch for a one-count. The Beverly Brothers double-team Butch as the referee stops Luke from getting in the ring. Jamison shouts at them to stop cheating.
I hate to say this, but this match is so awful that it’s not worth memorializing with a full recap. The Beverly Brothers continue to dominate Butch and use distractions to double-team him. Blake (I think) hits a clothesline, and Butch falls sideways. Butch soon rolls him up for a two-count. Butch is dumped out of the ring, and Luke gets stopped by the referee before he can check on him. The Genius then slaps Jamison in the face. Jamison shouts, “He hitted me hard!” Luke soon tags in and runs wild on the Beverly Brothers. Luke hits a Battering Ram and a running head-butt, but the pin is broken up. Luke is sent into the ropes, but he’s tripped. The Beverly Brothers hit a double-ax handle for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: The Beverly Brothers
After the match, the Bushwhackers clear the ring with two Battering Rams. The Genius is brought into the ring the hard way, and Jamison gets in. Jamison winds up as the Genius is held up. Jamison continues to wind up before kicking the Genius in the shin. The Bushwhackers and Jamison celebrate in the ring.
Mike’s Thoughts: This match may have ended with the Bushwhackers and Jamison celebrating in the ring, but there was absolutely nothing to celebrate here. This was the absolute pits—a miserable, awful spectacle from start to finish. The Bushwhackers’ shtick grew tiresome within minutes and the Jamison involvement? Just… wow. Pure putrid filth.
To make matters worse, the Beverly Brothers and the Bushwhackers had zero chemistry, making the match feel disjointed and awkward. And it dragged on for nearly fifteen excruciatingly slow minutes. Truly one of the low points of the show… and that’s putting it kindly.
Backstage Interview
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is with the WWF Tag Team Champions, the Legion of Doom. Animal says the Legion of Doom will never be closet champions. They’ll face all challengers. They’ve got the biggest team in the World Wrestling Federation. They’re the champs and won’t start losing. Hawk says, “WELL!” Typhoon and Earthquake make them sick. They want to throw their weight around. LOD wants to throw their weights around as well. When they’re done with the Natural Disasters, their tongues will be hanging out like dead deer.
WWF Tag Team Championship
The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart vs. The Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk) (c’s)
The bell rings, and referee Earl Hebner tries to keep both teams calm. Hawk starts against Typhoon. They lock up, but they quickly release with neither man budging. Hawk hooks a side headlock, but Typhoon whips him off. Hawk tries for a shoulder block, but Typhoon doesn’t move. Hawk tries again for the same result. Hawk rocks him with a running forearm and heads to the top rope to take him down with a diving clothesline. Hawk covers, but Earthquake breaks it up at two. Animal runs in, but Earthquake backs off. Earthquake tags in, and Hawk steps up to him. Earthquake shoves him, but Hawk responds with a dropkick. Earthquake absorbs it. Earthquake goes for a dropkick, but Hawk avoids it. Hawk drops a fist, and Earthquake retreats to the ropes.
Animal tags in, and he steps up to Earthquake. Earthquake shoves him, and they start to exchange punches. Animal backs up, and they circle the ring. Earthquake kicks him and sends him into the ropes. Animal ducks two clotheslines and hits the ropes hard, but they take each other out with a double clothesline. Animal lifts Earthquake, but he falls under his weight to give Earthquake a near fall. Earthquake puts Animal in the corner, and Typhoon tags in. Typhoon hits an avalanche. Typhoon sends him to the opposite corner and charges, but Animal boots him back and hits a clothesline. Animal wrenches the arm, and Hawk tags in. Hawk comes off the top rope with a club to the arm. Typhoon soon rakes the eyes and hits a clothesline, but Hawk doesn’t go down. Typhoon soon grabs him and hits a few rib-breakers before whipping him into the corner hard. Earthquake tags in and clubs Hawk’s back. Earthquake connects with a snapmare and drops an elbow for a two-count. Typhoon tags back in and chokes Hawk against the ropes. Typhoon hits the ropes and splashes him against the ropes. Typhoon then applies a bear hug to Hawk. Hawk fights out and goes to the second rope. Hawk leaps, but Typhoon catches him and drives him into the corner. Earthquake tags in and punches Hawk down. Hawk fights back, but Earthquake avalanches him. Earthquake hits a jumping stomp before stepping on him twice. Earthquake applies a bear hug to Hawk. Earthquake soon drives him into the corner and whips him to the opposite corner. Earthquake goes for an avalanche, but Hawk moves. Hawk goes to the second rope and hits a diving elbow to the head. Earthquake is stunned and falls back onto the mat with a thud.
Animal tags in and kicks Earthquake. Earthquake reverses a whip, but Animal takes him down with a diving shoulder tackle. Typhoon runs in. The Natural Disasters go for a double-team move, but Animal flips through and takes them down with a double clothesline. Hawk dives off the apron and clotheslines Typhoon at ringside. Earthquake hits Animal with a scoop slam. Earthquake then drives Hawk into the ring post. Typhoon is in the ring as the referee counts LOD out.
Winners by Count-Out: The Natural Disasters
The Legion of Doom retain the WWF Tag Team Championship
The Natural Disasters grab the WWF Tag Team Titles, but the Legion of Doom runs them off with a steel chair. Earthquake is whipped into a steel chair to the head. LOD holds up their Tag Titles.
Mike’s Thoughts: The match was fine for what it was – a clash between two big, powerful teams. It didn’t feature much in the way of exciting offense or memorable spots, as both teams seemed to cancel each other out more than anything. The finish stunk and didn’t do much to elevate the match.
As a big fan of the Legion of Doom, I have to admit this wasn’t one of their better matches. While it wasn’t outright bad, it felt underwhelming for a Tag Title match on a major show like the Royal Rumble. Just a forgettable affair overall.
Locker Room Interview
Sean Mooney is in the locker room. Jimmy Hart comes in exasperated. He says they should be the WWF Tag Team Champions. He is going to call a lawyer. They are fed up. Earthquake and Typhoon storm in and demand to know what happened. They don’t know that the title cannot change hands via count-out. Earthquake shouts that they are the champions. They won fair and square. Typhoon warns WWF President Jack Tunney that they’re getting an attorney.
Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan discuss the Tag Team Championship match.
Backstage Interview
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with the new WWF Intercontinental Champion “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. Piper is thrilled to be the champion. Piper says that only in America can a skinny fifteen-year-old follow his dream and become a champion before going to the World Championship. Piper says he’ll be knocking the people down like President George H.W. Bush. Luckily, Bush got up, but they won’t. Piper has a dream and has his eye on the prize. Piper dedicates this match to his son, Colt.
Locker Room Interview
Sean Mooney is in the locker room. Mooney is bumped by a wrestler. Mooney walks up to Shawn Michaels and says he is an underdog.
Video: Last week on the Barber Shop, Shawn Michaels gave Marty Jannetty a superkick before throwing him headfirst through the barber shop glass.
Mooney says that is one of the most heinous acts he’s ever seen. Michaels says he saved Jannetty from 29 other beatings. Is there any doubt that he’ll be walking home with the World Wrestling Federation Championship? None. Michaels is the hottest thing anyone has laid eyes on.
Coliseum Video Exclusive
Lord Alfred Hayes is with “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Flair says he drew the number three. Flair says he has to beat 29 other men. He’ll be in the ring for close to an hour. When he walks out, he’ll be the World Wrestling Federation Champion against all odds.
Backstage Interview
“Mean” Gene Okerlund says the winner of this Royal Rumble will be the WWF Champion and defend the title at WrestleMania VIII.
Pre-Taped Backstage Interviews
“Macho Man” Randy Savage says the Royal Rumble is the single greatest wrestling match and event ever. It’s a competition with 29 of the greatest wrestlers in the world. Only one man can win the WWF Championship. Savage has been to the top of the mountain before and will do it again. At some point, he wants to get his hands on the Snake Man. Savage will also become the champion. OHH YEAH! DIG IT?
Sid Justice calmly and intensely says he is superior to all. He is the next World Wrestling Federation Champion.
The Repo Man says one of the biggest thrills of his life is when he gets to take something. Now, he has the opportunity to take the biggest prize from 29 of the best wrestlers in the WWF. “What’s mine is mine. What’s yours is mine, too!”
The British Bulldog says the last time he was in a match like this was at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. He threw out 19 other wrestlers to win. Now, he’s going to win the WWF Title in this match.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts says today will be a disappointment for 29 other men. As for Savage, he’ll be waiting for him. Roberts will have just enough to walk out as the champion.
Mr. Perfect is with “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Flair says we will find out who is the fairest of them all. For four months, he’s called himself the Real World Champion. There is no backdoor. Flair has lived one way and that’s with the belief that To Be the Man, You Have to Beat The Man. Today, he is the Man! WOO!
The Undertaker is with Paul Bearer. Bearer says 29 hearses have already been prepared. 29 bodies and 29 caskets. The Undertaker says he will be standing on top of the mass carnage as the new World Champion.
Hulk Hogan says in one afternoon, they’ll prove to the world the power of Hulkamania. They’ll beat 29 other superstars to get the WWF Title back. They’ll be coming from all different directions. Friend and foe are the same in the match. They’ll prove Hulkamania will reign supreme. The people in Titan Towers in the WWF offices don’t have to worry about The Undertaker or Jake “The Snake” stealing the title. They have a plan for the Royal Rumble. Hogan poses.
Back in the Knickerbocker Arena, Howard Finkel explains the rules of the match. The winner will be crowned the undisputed World Wrestling Federation Champion.
WWF President Jack Tunney gets into the ring. He is holding the WWF Championship. The crowd boos him. Tunney wants to take the opportunity to welcome everyone to the show. The winner of this event will not only have the prestige of beating 29 other men, he will be declared the undisputed World Wrestling Federation Championship. Tunney says, “May the best man win.”
WWF Championship
30-Man Royal Rumble
No. 1: The British Bulldog
No. 2: “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase w/ Sensational Sherri
As soon as DiBiase gets in the ring, he attacks Bulldog. Bulldog quickly sends him to the corner and charges, but DiBiase elbows him away. DiBiase chops the chest and sends him into the ropes for a clothesline. DiBiase stomps the face and connects with a textbook vertical suplex. DiBiase connects with a gutwrench suplex before dropping a fist. DiBiase hits another vertical suplex and taunts the crowd. DiBiase sends Bulldog over the top rope, but Bulldog lands on the apron. DiBiase thinks he eliminated the Bulldog and poses. DiBiase turns around, and Bulldog clotheslines him over the top rope to eliminate him!
“The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase has been eliminated.
DiBiase is in disbelief. The British Bulldog takes a few moments to catch his breath as the clock begins to count down.
No. 3: “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair w/ Mr. Perfect
Bobby “The Brain” Heenan is devastated that Flair drew an early number. Gorilla Monsoon exclaims, “Aw, you can kiss it goodbye, Brain!” Flair takes a few moments and gets in the ring. Flair lets out a “WOO” and taunts Bulldog. They lock up, and Bulldog shoves him down. They go for a test of strength, but Flair immediately pokes the eyes. Flair hits the ropes, but Bulldog presses him above his head and slams him down. Flair retreats to the corner and kicks him. Flair sends him to the opposite corner, but Bulldog pops out with a clothesline. Flair immediately pokes him in the eyes and sends him into the ropes. Bulldog ducks an elbow and clotheslines Flair down. Flair begs Bulldog off as the clock begins to count down. Bulldog grabs Flair and dumps him over the top rope, but Flair lands on the apron.
No. 4: Jerry Sags w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart
Bulldog gets Flair in the corner and punches away at him. Sags attacks Bulldog and holds him up for Flair to chop. Flair chops Bulldog again and punches him in the jaw. Flair shouts, “WOO!” Flair and Sags whip Bulldog to the corner, but he pops out and hits a double clothesline. Bulldog throws Sags over the top rope, but Sags manages to hang on. Sags stands on the apron and shouts at the crowd, so Bulldog dropkicks him to eliminate him.
Jerry Sags has been eliminated.
Bulldog turns to Flair, who is begging him off in the corner. Bulldog grabs him, but Flair turns him around and chops the chest. Bulldog reverses a whip to the opposite corner and hits a powerslam.
No. 5: Haku
Bulldog head-butts Flair down before Haku attacks him. Haku stomps away at Bulldog before holding him up for Flair to chop and punch. Haku then attacks Flair. Flair spins him around and punches away at him. Haku absorbs the blows, so Flair begs him off. Flair gets out of the ring under the bottom rope, so he is not eliminated. Haku stomps Bulldog before Flair gets back in the ring. Heenan is shouting about how this isn’t fair to Flair. Haku hits Bulldog with a piledriver. Flair rakes Haku’s eyes and drops a knee. Flair goes after Bulldog. Bulldog bounces him off the top turnbuckle. Haku then rocks Bulldog with a crescent kick. Haku chops and head-butts Flair in the corner. Flair drops to the mat. Bulldog gets to his feet and dukes it out with Haku. Bulldog dumps him over the top rope as the clock counts down.
Haku has been eliminated.
No. 6: Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels comes out to loud boos after what he did to his former tag team partner, Marty Jannetty, last week. Michaels gets in the ring, and he starts to fight with Flair. Flair chops him, but Michaels lights him up with some jabs and a back body drop. Michaels connects with a superkick. Bulldog grabs Michaels and hits a military press slam. Bulldog hits a pair of clotheslines on Michaels. Bulldog clotheslines Michaels over the top rope, but he holds on! Michaels immediately gets in the ring and hits Bulldog with a superkick. Flair blindsides Michaels and tries to throw him over the top rope. Michaels holds on and pokes Flair in the eyes. Michaels punches away at Flair in the corner. Michaels turns and attacks Bulldog. Bulldog reverses a whip to the corner, and Michaels hits hard. Bulldog kicks him and crotches him on the top rope. Bulldog shakes the ropes, and Michaels falls into the ring. Flair attacks Bulldog from behind and throws Michaels over the top rope. Michaels hangs on.
No. 7: “El Matador” Tito Santana
Santana punches away at Flair and tries to eliminate him. Michaels attacks Santana from behind and tries to eliminate him, but Santana hangs on. Bulldog attacks Michaels and goes to eliminate him, but he’s unsuccessful. Flair hits Santana with a back suplex. Flair attacks Bulldog, but Bulldog grabs him by the throat. Flair hits Bulldog with a low blow. Santana punches away at Michaels and bounces him off the top turnbuckle. Flair dumps Bulldog over the top rope, but he holds on. Santana attacks Flair. Flair sends Santana into the ropes, but Santana ducks a clothesline and hits a flying forearm. The clock counts down again.
No. 8: The Barbarian
Santana punches away at Flair in the corner. Michaels pulls Santana down and punches him. Flair chops Santana. The Barbarian grabs Bulldog and tries to eliminate him. Flair joins in to help, but Bulldog stays in the match. Santana attacks the Barbarian, and Bulldog punches Barbarian. Michaels attacks Santana, but Santana nearly sends him to the floor.
No. 9: The Texas Tornado
“The Texas Tornado” Kerry Von Erich gets in the ring and squares off against his old foe, Ric Flair. Von Erich takes it to Flair in the corner. Flair does his famous Flair Flop. Von Erich kicks and punches Michaels before sending him spinning with a right hand. Bulldog takes Michaels down and catapults him into the turnbuckles before hitting a clothesline. Flair hits Von Erich with an inverted atomic drop. Flair kicks away at Von Erich. Bulldog tries to eliminate Michaels, but Michaels pokes the eyes. The Barbarian tries to eliminate Santana, but Santana stays in. Santana takes Flair down and stomps away at him.
No. 10: The Repo Man
The Barbarian hits Santana with an atomic drop. The Repo Man cautiously gets in the ring and attacks Michaels. Flair tries to eliminate Bulldog, but he holds on. Santana takes the Barbarian out with a running cross-body block. Von Erich rocks Michaels with a right hand. All seven men go back and forth with attacks on one another. Flair chokes Von Erich on the middle rope. Santana punches the Repo Man down.
No. 11: Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
Valentine goes after the Repo Man. Flair grabs Valentine and chops him. Valentine turns him around and chops Flair. Flair does another Flair Flop. Bulldog and Valentine go to work on Flair. Bulldog holds Flair up, and Valentine chops away at him. Bulldog rakes Michaels’ eyes. Von Erich punches Michaels and nearly eliminates him. Flair and Valentine are going back and forth. Flair pokes Valentine’s eyes and low blows Repo Man. Von Erich and Bulldog have Michaels hanging by a thread, but he impressively manages to hang on.
No. 12: Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff is back in the WWF. Volkoff goes after the Repo Man. Volkoff turns his attention to the Barbarian. Repo Man attacks Barbarian. Santana slams Michaels’ face off the mat. Flair misses a knee drop on Valentine, and Valentine applies a Figure Four Leglock! Repo Man eliminates Volkoff with a back body drop over the top rope.
Nikolai Volkoff has been eliminated.
Valentine continues to brutalize Flair with strikes. Repo Man attacks Valentine from behind and holds him up for Flair.
No. 13: The Big Boss Man
Boss Man hits the ring and attacks Valentine before going after Flair. Boss Man throws punches at everyone. Repo Man then eliminates Valentine. The Repo Man has two eliminations! What?
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine has been eliminated.
Boss Man goes wild on everyone. Michaels is targeted, but he manages to stay in the ring. Boss Man then sends Repo Man over the top rope.
The Repo Man has been eliminated.
Bulldog punches away at Flair in the corner. Flair soon hooks Bulldog’s leg and dumps him over the top rope! Von Erich immediately charges Flair, but Flair hits a throat thrust and a back body drop over the top rope! Two quick eliminations for Flair.
The British Bulldog has been eliminated.
The Texas Tornado has been eliminated.
Boss Man sends the Barbarian to the corner and avalanches him. Meanwhile, Michaels and Santana collide, and both go over the top rope!
“El Matador” Tito Santana has been eliminated.
Shawn Michaels has been eliminated.
No. 14: Hercules
The Barbarian hits Boss Man with a big boot. Hercules goes after Flair with some strikes. Flair and Barbarian high-five each other before Flair turns on him. Hercules sends Boss Man to the corner and clubs away at him. Barbarian presses Flair up and slams him down. Hercules bounces Boss Man’s face off the top turnbuckle several times. Barbarian tries to eliminate Flair, but Hercules sneaks up and eliminates the Barbarian! Boss Man then wildly clotheslines Hercules over the top rope and nearly eliminates himself with the momentum!
The Barbarian has been eliminated.
Hercules has been eliminated.
The Big Boss Man wags a finger at Flair. Flair begs him off. Flair pokes the eyes and sends him into the ropes. Boss Man ducks a clothesline and hits him with a clothesline. Boss Man kicks him in the face and levels him with a strike. Boss Man hits the ropes and dives, but Flair ducks. Boss Man hits the top rope hard and falls over. Boss Man’s chin gets hooked under the bottom rope before getting eliminated. That looked painful. That elimination will be credited to Flair.
The Big Boss Man has been eliminated.
Ric Flair has been in this match for nearly a half-hour and is now alone in the ring. Flair takes these precious few seconds to catch his breath before time expires.
No. 15: WWF Intercontinental Champion “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
Piper runs down, and Flair begs his old nemesis off. Piper attacks Flair and punches away at him in the corner. Piper sends him to the corner and hits a back body drop. Piper knees him in the face, and Flair rolls under the bottom rope. Piper follows him out of the ring (not over the top rope) and clotheslines Flair on the floor. Piper bounces him off the barricade and gets him in the ring. Flair attacks him as he gets in the ring, but Piper takes him down. Piper gets Flair in the corner and starts punching. Flair goes for an inverted atomic drop, but Piper lands on his feet. Piper pokes the eyes and takes Flair down. Piper lifts Flair and hits him with an airplane spin. Heenan is beside himself on commentary. Piper applies a Sleeper Hold to Flair, the same move he beat the Mountie with to win the Intercontinental Championship earlier tonight. Flair is fading.
No. 16: Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Roberts jogs down to loud boos. Roberts gets in the ring and sits in the corner. Piper is still applying the Sleeper Hold to Flair. Roberts eventually gets up and breaks it up. Roberts punches away at Piper and knocks him to the corner. Roberts chokes Piper with his boot. Roberts helps Flair up before hitting a short-arm clothesline. Roberts sets up for a DDT on Flair, but Piper clotheslines Roberts down. Roberts has yet to hit a DDT after teasing it in the Royal Rumble for years. Flair applies a Figure Four Leglock to Roberts, but Piper breaks it up with stomps on both men. Roberts pulls Piper’s hair and pulls him up. Flair attacks Piper, but Piper fights back. Roberts knocks Piper and tries to eliminate him, but the Hot Rod stays in.
No. 17: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan
The winner of the 1988 Royal Rumble heads to the ring. Duggan punches away at Flair in the corner. Duggan sends him to the opposite corner and clotheslines him down. Duggan gets the crowd going with a “USA” chant. Duggan bounces Flair off the top rope. Duggan goes after Roberts. Piper attacks Duggan, and the men in blue tights go at it. Flair grabs Piper and hits a back suplex. Roberts floors Duggan with an inverted atomic drop. Piper gets up and gets into a strike exchange with Flair. Duggan joins in and attacks Flair.
No. 18: Irwin R. Schyster
IRS slowly heads to the ring. Flair goes after Duggan and tries to eliminate him. IRS gets in the ring and attacks Flair. Duggan grabs IRS and punches away at him. IRS bounces Duggan off the top turnbuckle. Flair tries to eliminate Piper, but Piper holds on. Roberts joins in, but they’re unsuccessful. Duggan grabs Flair and Roberts for a noggin’ knocker. Flair does another Flair Flop. Duggan hits some shoulder thrusts on Roberts in the corner. Flair and IRS double-team Piper. Duggan grabs IRS and attacks him in the corner. Piper attacks Flair and tries to eliminate him, but Flair hangs in there.
No. 19: “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka
Snuka attacks Duggan and head-butts Flair down. Snuka sends Flair into the ropes for a chop to the chest. Duggan punches away at Flair. Duggan holds Roberts up and tries to eliminate him. Piper chops away at Flair in the corner before twisting the nose. Piper sends Flair over the top rope, but Flair holds on. Roberts tries to eliminate Flair, but Flair again holds on.
No. 20: The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer
Undertaker slowly gets in the ring and immediately sends Snuka over the top rope.
“Superfly” Jimmy Snuka has been eliminated.
Undertaker immediately grabs Flair by the throat and backs him to the corner. Undertaker lays in a choke, and Flair is fading away. Duggan attacks Undertaker from behind and pulls the hair. Undertaker low blows Duggan and hits a few uppercuts. Roberts grabs Piper by the hair, but Piper pokes him in the eyes. Undertaker has IRS on the second rope, but Flair starts chopping him. Undertaker doesn’t sell it and grabs Flair and Duggan by the throat.
No. 21: “Macho Man” Randy Savage
Savage makes a beeline for the ring and looks around for Roberts. Undertaker attacks Savage from behind and grabs him by the throat. Roberts escaped under the bottom rope. Roberts gets in the ring and attacks Savage. Roberts goes for a short-arm clothesline on Savage, but Savage ducks. Savage knocks Roberts back and hits a double ax handle before kneeing him in the back for the elimination.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts has been eliminated.
Savage slingshots himself over the top rope and attacks Roberts. Undertaker goes through the middle rope and attacks Savage. The commentators think Savage has been eliminated, but Undertaker gets Savage in the ring. Savage gets out of the ring and brawls up the ramp with Roberts. Undertaker takes Savage down and gets him back in the ring. The commentators quickly explain that you need to be propelled by someone over the top rope. A few years back, André the Giant eliminated himself after being scared by Jake “The Snake” Roberts’ snake, Damien. That was ok. Anyway, Duggan tries to eliminate Undertaker, but Undertaker fights out. Piper applies a Boston Crab to IRS.
No. 22: The Berzerker
The Berzerker attacks Undertaker from behind before attacking Piper and Duggan. Flair is working over Savage. Flair elbows Savage in the back of the head. Undertaker chokes Piper in the corner. Flair is on the apron and tries to suplex Savage over the top rope. Savage suplexes Flair back into the ring. Undertaker attacks Flair and chokes him. Piper joins in the choke. Undertaker then chokes both Piper and Flair.
No. 23: Virgil
Virgil goes after IRS and punches him to the corner. Berzerker holds Virgil, and IRS attacks him. Undertaker attacks Virgil and chokes him in the corner. Flair tries to eliminate Duggan to no avail. Flair attacks Undertaker, but Undertaker grabs him by the throat and backs him to the corner. Undertaker tries to eliminate Flair, but Flair holds on.
No. 24: Col. Mustafa w/ General Adnan
Col. Mustafa (The Iron Sheik) chokes Duggan on the top rope. Savage fights at the Undertaker. Flair nearly eliminates Piper. Duggan punches Flair. Piper starts the ten punches on Flair in the corner. Undertaker then uppercuts Piper down. Undertaker stomps Piper. Savage tries to eliminate Flair, but he hangs on despite coming in at No. 3.
No. 25: “The Model” Rick Martel
Martel, the holder of the longest time spent in the Royal Rumble, set in 1991, hits the ring. Martel goes after the man who is threatening his record, Ric Flair. Martel tries to eliminate Flair, but Flair stays in there. IRS joins in, but Flair still hangs on. Savage eliminates Mustafa.
Col. Mustafa has been eliminated.
Martel has Flair down on the apron and tries to choke him out. Flair fights him off. Berzerker chops Piper in the corner. A “USA” chant fires up. Duggan gives a thumbs-up to the crowd. Undertaker lifts Savage by the throat and drops him.
No. 26: Hulk Hogan
The winner of the 1990 and 1991 Royal Rumble hits the ring to a HUGE ovation. Hogan gets in the ring and hits Undertaker and Flair with a noggin’ knocker. Hogan attacks Flair and then Undertaker. Hogan hits Undertaker and IRS with a noggin’ knocker. Berzerker grabs Hogan, as does IRS and Undertaker. They triple-team Hogan. Virgil clotheslines Martel out of the ring, but it’s through the middle rope. Hogan fights out of the triple team and clotheslines Undertaker over the top rope. Undertaker lands on his feet and rolls his eyes back. Berzerker charges, but Hogan hits him with a back body drop. Hogan triumphantly rips his shirt off!
The Undertaker has been eliminated.
The Berzerker has been eliminated.
Hogan grabs Martel and throws him across the ring. Virgil and Duggan are trying to eliminate each other, and both fall over the top rope.
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan has been eliminated.
Virgil has been eliminated.
No. 27: Skinner
Hogan takes Flair down with a shoulder tackle. Skinner attacks Piper. Hogan tries to dump Flair over the top rope, but IRS cuts him off. Hogan attacks IRS and throws him across the ring. Hogan grabs Skinner and attacks him. Flair attacks Hogan, and Piper chops Flair’s chest. Flair goes to send Piper over the top rope, but he holds on. Martel joins in, but Piper still holds on. Flair and Piper exchange strikes. Piper bites Flair’s forehead. Flair sends Hogan to the corner, but Hogan pops out with a clothesline.
No. 28: Sgt. Slaughter
Flair tries to eliminate Hogan. Skinner tries to eliminate Piper, but Martel sneaks up from behind and eliminates him. Flair is the official holder of the longest time in the Royal Rumble, surpassing Martel’s record from last year.
Skinner has been eliminated.
Hogan and Piper go at it. Slaughter tries to eliminate Flair. Savage hits IRS with a snapmare. Savage chokes IRS with Hogan’s ripped shirt. Hogan tries to eliminate Martel, but he holds on. Slaughter goes after Martel and chokes him in the corner.
No. 29: Sid Justice
Sid gets in the ring and uppercuts IRS. Sid kicks away at him and puts him over the top rope, but IRS holds on. Sid grabs Martel and punches him down. Piper attacks Sid. IRS holds Hogan up, and Flair punches away at the midsection. Sid punches Piper over the top rope, but Piper lands on the apron. Sid grabs Flair and chokes him in the corner. Sid tries to lift Flair, but Flair fights him off. Slaughter elbows Hogan in the head. Flair takes Sid down, but Sid kips up and takes him down. Flair pops up and rakes the eyes.
No. 30: The Warlord w/ Harvey Whippleman
Flair heads to the top rope, but Hogan slams him off. Flair and Hogan battle to the floor (not over the top rope), and Hogan hits a suplex on the floor. Slaughter attacks Sid in the corner. Sid viciously whips Slaughter into the opposite corner, sending Slaughter flying headfirst into the ring post and falling to the floor!
Sgt. Slaughter has been eliminated.
Sid attacks IRS and kicks away at him in the corner. Hogan gets Flair in the ring and sends him into the ropes for a big boot. Piper grabs Sid and punches away at him. IRS nearly eliminates Piper, but Piper holds on by IRS’s tie. Piper eventually pulls him over to eliminate him.
Irwin R. Schyster has been eliminated.
Martel grabs Piper and punches away at the Intercontinental Champion. Hogan and Sid team up to eliminate the Warlord.
The Warlord has been eliminated.
Piper rakes Sid’s eyes. Piper goes after Martel and presses him against the ropes. Sid comes from behind and eliminates them both!
“The Model” Rick Martel has been eliminated.
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper has been eliminated.
The Final Four of the 1992 Royal Rumble are Hulk Hogan, Sid Justice, Randy Savage, and Ric Flair. One of these men will be the WWF Champion. Sid has Savage pressed against the top rope. Flair comes from behind and knees Sid in the back, knocking him into Savage to eliminate him. The elimination will be credited to Sid and Flair.
“Macho Man” Randy Savage has been eliminated.
Flair chops away at Hogan, but Hogan absorbs the pain. Hogan chops Flair and sends him to the opposite corner. Flair goes to roll up the turnbuckles, but he gets stuck. Hogan punches Flair over the top rope, but Flair lands on the apron. Hogan stomps away at Flair, and Sid sneaks up and eliminates Hogan!
Hulk Hogan has been eliminated.
Hogan is stunned that he has been eliminated. Sid shouts at Hogan. Hogan reaches over the top rope and grabs Sid’s arm for some reason. Flair sneaks up and dumps Sid over the top rope to win the match! Flair lasted 1:00:02, a new record!
Winner and new WWF Champion: “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair
Hogan gets in the ring, and Flair leaves with Mr. Perfect. Bobby Heenan gets off commentary to celebrate with him.
In the ring, Hogan and Sid get into a shoving match. WWF referees and officials run down to separate them. Hogan and Sid gesticulate toward each other and are fired up. Cooler heads eventually prevail, and Sid walks off, still taunting Hogan.
WWF Championship Presentation
“Mean” Gene Okerlund is with WWF President Jack Tunney, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, Mr. Perfect, and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Tunney awards the WWF Championship to Ric Flair. Flair accepts the belt.
Flair proclaims, “I’m gonna tell you all with a tear in my eye: this is the greatest moment in my life.” When you walk around the world and tell people you’re number one, this is the only title in the wrestling world that makes you number one. When you are the team of the WWF, you rule the world. Flair lets out a “WOO.” Flair, Perfect, and Heenan shout, “WOO!”
Heenan says he’s never been more impressed. Perfect says they told you so. Okerlund shouts at someone to put a cigarette out. Flair says this is the greatest moment of his life. He wants to jump and party. Everyone better pay homage to the Man! Flair shouts that he loves it!
Video: Still photos of some of the Royal Rumble highlights
Mike’s Thoughts: Without question, this is absolutely one of the finest Royal Rumble matches in the history of the event. Yes, the unprecedented nature of having the match be for the WWF Championship automatically makes this more meaningful, but the performance by Ric Flair, a career performance by a guy who has had dozens of career performances, sets this apart from the rest. Flair came in at No. 3 and went for an hour. The Sixty Minute Man didn’t just loaf around catching his breath the entire time. Flair was in the action almost the entire time with very little reprieve other than those few moments after he eliminated the Big Boss Man and was alone in the ring. What a performance.
There were other great performances in this. This was the first year they really got creative with the near eliminations. Shawn Michaels seemed to really pioneer this as he twisted his body over the top rope and back into the ring numerous times. That spot with the British Bulldog clotheslining him over the top rope only for Michaels to slink back in was awesome and hadn’t been done in this match up to that point. This is Shawn Michaels, a week after his heel turn on Marty Jannetty and getting ready to become the Heartbreak Kid who would ultimately become a legend in professional wrestling.
The lineup for this Rumble was basically a WWE Hall of Fame roll call (with a few exceptions like the Repo Man and the Berzerker). Roddy Piper, Jake Roberts, Randy Savage, and Sid Justice all delivered standout performances. The Undertaker, fresh off losing the WWF Championship to Hulk Hogan after some political maneuvering, looked strong but only managed one elimination, which felt underwhelming. Of course, Hogan had to get involved, eliminating Taker and inserting himself into the finish. The ending, with Hogan pulling Sid Justice’s arm to help Flair win, felt a bit random. While it did set up Hogan vs. Sid at WrestleMania (a match best forgotten), it should have been Hogan vs. Flair.
There was a ton of fantastic action in this. It was easily the best Royal Rumble up to this point in the presentation of the event, and it still holds up today as the gold standard. It still may be number one, but, of course, everything in wrestling is subjective. If you’ve never seen it, this is required viewing to be a full wrestling fan. I loved recapping this. What a thrill.
See you for the next one… for the next Royal Rumble, it’ll be a bit downhill from this one.
Quick Match Results
— The New Foundation (“The Rocket” Owen Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart) def. The Orient Express (Tanaka and Kato) in a Tag Team Match
— “Rowdy” Roddy Piper def. The Mountie (c) via Submission to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship
— The Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake Beverly) def. The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke) in a Tag Team Match
— The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon) def. The Legion of Doom (c’s) via CO in a WWF Tag Team Championship match; The Legion of Doom retains the titles
— “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair won the 30-Man Royal Rumble to win the WWF Championship
Email – mike@wrestleview.com
X – @MikeTedescoWV
Thanks for reading!