Only time I recall knowing the winner and still not trusting it would happen. A Final 6 of Benoit, Jericho, RVD, Angle, Cena, and Lump might've been the wettest wet dream possible for such an occasion. Sub out Big Show for pretty much anyone else and then it's euphoric.
Hey it's Spike Dudley, or, the guy that saw me almost tear down the entire curtain of an indie show I was at because I tripped on a WCW Hardcore Replica belt!
It was the only Rumble I know of in the past 10 years where it seemed like our guy won it. If the events afterward didn't happen it would have been a more memorable moment.
They mostly just continued his feud with The Undertaker. The roster was decimated in 1997 which makes doing The Rumble in such a large venue a questionable enterprise and they booked a lazy Rumble with a screwjob ending. I always forget Austin won because they did so much to negate his win and hedge their bet on him.
I watched that match last week since my girlfriend expressed an interest in wrestling matches but only if they have blood and weapons (yeah I know) and wanted to see some violent matches. It's like a totally different person. 23-year-old Orton would actually be over as a World Title player. Instead he's a summer champion who can't work a crowd....hasn't anybody got on him about the chinlock by now? It's just a spot allowing the crowd to chant "boring" and "end this match". God, he's just awful.
An excerpt from: http://www.rspwfaq.net/2012/11/meekinonmovies-indie-wrestling-odyssey_27.html
One of the better ways to look like a bumbling fool is to trip over a replica of the WCW Hardcore Championship in front of Spike Dudley and The Full Blooded Italians. While the Fall River PAL is an awesome venue, The gorilla position area backstage is crowded with audio equipment, lighting rigs, TRP personnel, cables, and to the determent of my balance, the aforementioned replica of the WCW Hardcore Championship belt on the floor.
Not that the floor is a bad place for such a...bizarre item. Despite it’s treasured lineage - it’s the only championship in pro wrestling history to be held by Terry Funk, Lance Storm, and Eric Bischoff - I somehow doubt there’s a high demand for the illustrious title amongst fans.
So down I went, instinctively grabbing hold of the red velvet curtain that was there to separate the Dorothys and Totos of the audience from machinations of the great and powerful Wizards of Oz backstage. I saw the curtain collapsing from the unexpected ballast in slow-mo. Falling forward, it wafted over the audience like a blanket, confusing the elderly, delighting the kids, stopping the competitors in the ring in their tracks - in an instant I’d become most infamous figure in the history of TRP, including zonked-out Scott Hall. Man, WCW really ruins everything.
Thankfully the catastrophe was my overactive imagination acting up again, and while the curtain wavered under my weight, it stayed up-right. I turned back to see if anyone had noticed the narrowly avoided calamity I caused. Only one person made eye contact. Guest commissioner Spike Dudley - who shot me a glare the likes of which he probably hadn’t used since he taught 3rd grade. I half expected to be kept in from recess.
I watched it last night and I don't remember him doing anything memorable besides the Funk brawl. Even that, that Rumble is pretty unremarkable. Three Faces of Foley is awesome
The second that Randy Orton took that bump onto the thumbtacks, he went from, "Eh, I guess it's more Randy Orton" to "Give me more Randy Orton." That match with Foley and more specifically that bump legitimized him in the fans' minds.
They gave him too much too soon. I think Orton 2004 is part of why they are so reluctant to pull the trigger on guys. His big Summerslam title win and face turn was so totally and completely rejected. I think they misinterpreted fans responding to the heel Orton character as them wanting to cheer babyface Orton and he just went into bladness exile. Every time they've tried to bring him back to 2004 levels he just seems like a hollow shell of that character except for the brief run after Wrestlemania 25 in 2009.
He really bled for his art in that match and now I see him as someone who works very scripted, very safe matches. He managed to drain the element of danger out of a tables, ladders and chairs match recently. Now that is something.
I think he really took the fans taking him down a peg personally and decided to not evolve and just to listen to what the writers wanted him to do. Guys like Austin and Foley when they fell from their upper midcard heights in WCW took it as a kick in the ass and decided to get themselves over. He's just being rewarded right now for being around so long.
I agree, his role worked out as best as you could for the story presented. I was just saying in terms of overall love with the IWC, and his (at the time) declining performance due to mounting injuries, replacing him with anyone else considered a smark darling would've been an amazing final 6.
Only time I recall knowing the winner and still not trusting it would happen. A Final 6 of Benoit, Jericho, RVD, Angle, Cena, and Lump might've been the wettest wet dream possible for such an occasion. Sub out Big Show for pretty much anyone else and then it's euphoric.
ReplyDeleteFoley's entrance and Randy's reaction may just be my favourite Rumble moment ever.
ReplyDeleteAfraid to say anything Princess?
ReplyDeleteI love that whole sequence. Foley eliminating himself just to eliminate Orton, the brawl on the outside and up the ramp. Just a great booked spot.
ReplyDeleteHey it's Spike Dudley, or, the guy that saw me almost tear down the entire curtain of an indie show I was at because I tripped on a WCW Hardcore Replica belt!
ReplyDeleteReally, you wrestle part time or were you just a clumsy fan.
ReplyDeleteIf she can't speak more about it, she can't heal.
ReplyDeleteIt was the only Rumble I know of in the past 10 years where it seemed like our guy won it. If the events afterward didn't happen it would have been a more memorable moment.
ReplyDeleteI don't say much on him, I leave that up to you guys. Can't really separate the performer from the incident so I don't try.
ReplyDeleteThat being said this was a well-booked match and in a normal world would be remembered fondly.
But I wasn't done talking about Royal Rumble '91 yet...
ReplyDeleteIt's still there for you.
ReplyDeleteBig Show CARRIED that final sequence though. Without him, it's not nearly as good.
ReplyDeleteHow about that Saba Simba, huh?
ReplyDeleteCheck out the subtle story telling... Benoit dumps all the big lugs single handedly.
ReplyDeleteThe Foley feud may have been the last time we actually saw expressions from Randy Orton that showed he might actually be a human being.
ReplyDeleteThat was a decade ago.
Also, Mick Foley has produced amazingly memorable Rumble spots in every one he's been in.
ReplyDeleteWhat did he do in 97?
ReplyDeleteWhere is my disclaimer?!?!?!?
ReplyDeleteOnce he found Terry Funk, it was on. It was them brawling all over the place that allowed Austin's elimination to go unnoticed.
ReplyDeletePlus I love that Mandible Claw elimination of babyface Rocky Maivia.
They mostly just continued his feud with The Undertaker. The roster was decimated in 1997 which makes doing The Rumble in such a large venue a questionable enterprise and they booked a lazy Rumble with a screwjob ending. I always forget Austin won because they did so much to negate his win and hedge their bet on him.
ReplyDeleteI watched that match last week since my girlfriend expressed an interest in wrestling matches but only if they have blood and weapons (yeah I know) and wanted to see some violent matches. It's like a totally different person. 23-year-old Orton would actually be over as a World Title player. Instead he's a summer champion who can't work a crowd....hasn't anybody got on him about the chinlock by now? It's just a spot allowing the crowd to chant "boring" and "end this match". God, he's just awful.
ReplyDeleteAn excerpt from: http://www.rspwfaq.net/2012/11/meekinonmovies-indie-wrestling-odyssey_27.html
ReplyDeleteOne
of the better ways to look like a bumbling fool is to trip over a
replica of the WCW Hardcore Championship in front of Spike Dudley and
The Full Blooded Italians. While the Fall River PAL is an awesome venue,
The gorilla position area backstage is crowded with audio equipment,
lighting rigs, TRP personnel, cables, and to the determent of my
balance, the aforementioned replica of the WCW Hardcore Championship
belt on the floor.
Not
that the floor is a bad place for such a...bizarre item. Despite it’s
treasured lineage - it’s the only championship in pro wrestling history
to be held by Terry Funk, Lance Storm, and Eric Bischoff - I somehow
doubt there’s a high demand for the illustrious title amongst fans.
So
down I went, instinctively grabbing hold of the red velvet curtain that
was there to separate the Dorothys and Totos of the audience from
machinations of the great and powerful Wizards of Oz backstage. I saw
the curtain collapsing from the unexpected ballast in slow-mo. Falling
forward, it wafted over the audience like a blanket, confusing the
elderly, delighting the kids, stopping the competitors in the ring in
their tracks - in an instant I’d become most infamous figure in the
history of TRP, including zonked-out Scott Hall. Man, WCW really ruins everything.
Thankfully
the catastrophe was my overactive imagination acting up again, and
while the curtain wavered under my weight, it stayed up-right. I turned
back to see if anyone had noticed the narrowly avoided calamity I
caused. Only one person made eye contact. Guest commissioner Spike
Dudley - who shot me a glare the likes of which he probably hadn’t used
since he taught 3rd grade. I half expected to be kept in from recess.
I watched it last night and I don't remember him doing anything memorable besides the Funk brawl. Even that, that Rumble is pretty unremarkable. Three Faces of Foley is awesome
ReplyDeleteThe second that Randy Orton took that bump onto the thumbtacks, he went from, "Eh, I guess it's more Randy Orton" to "Give me more Randy Orton." That match with Foley and more specifically that bump legitimized him in the fans' minds.
ReplyDeleteThey gave him too much too soon. I think Orton 2004 is part of why they are so reluctant to pull the trigger on guys. His big Summerslam title win and face turn was so totally and completely rejected. I think they misinterpreted fans responding to the heel Orton character as them wanting to cheer babyface Orton and he just went into bladness exile. Every time they've tried to bring him back to 2004 levels he just seems like a hollow shell of that character except for the brief run after Wrestlemania 25 in 2009.
ReplyDeleteHe really bled for his art in that match and now I see him as someone who works very scripted, very safe matches. He managed to drain the element of danger out of a tables, ladders and chairs match recently. Now that is something.
I think he really took the fans taking him down a peg personally and decided to not evolve and just to listen to what the writers wanted him to do. Guys like Austin and Foley when they fell from their upper midcard heights in WCW took it as a kick in the ass and decided to get themselves over. He's just being rewarded right now for being around so long.
ReplyDeleteI agree, his role worked out as best as you could for the story presented. I was just saying in terms of overall love with the IWC, and his (at the time) declining performance due to mounting injuries, replacing him with anyone else considered a smark darling would've been an amazing final 6.
ReplyDeleteLove JBL's little flurry of violence. The crowd was eating it all up too, and you can sense their disappointment when Benoit dumps him out.
ReplyDelete2nd best rumble ever!
ReplyDeleteSeeing Mark Jindrak in this thing reminded of how I felt about the chances of Jumpin' Joey Maggs in the first World War 3 battle royal.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the name of the guy who was super buff and still did the Swanton Bomb? Not Jindrak, right?
ReplyDeleteHe's not in the 2004 Royal Rumble. He's in the 2005 Royal Rumble
ReplyDeleteSean O'Haire
ReplyDeleteIs he alive?
ReplyDeleteWell he's breathing but not quite livin'.
ReplyDeleteOrton, HHH, The Rock, and Edge were all legitimized by having crazy matches with Mick Foley
ReplyDelete1992 and 2004 are definitely the best Rumbles of all time
ReplyDelete