Continuing to knockout these Royal Rumbles as we have to get them all done. If you missed one or two and want to look them up. So far we have done.
1988
1990
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
2002
2003
2008
2011
Today we'll jump back to 80s and hit the 1989 Rumble which has many notable things, including an awesome beginning, another great performance from Andre, Mr. Perfect not wearing a singlet and much more of the "every man for himself" booking (in the first half of the Rumble at least). Enjoy the match and Gorilla and Jesse on commentary (pretty sure this was their only Rumble Take it away Fink!
1988
1990
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
2002
2003
2008
2011
Today we'll jump back to 80s and hit the 1989 Rumble which has many notable things, including an awesome beginning, another great performance from Andre, Mr. Perfect not wearing a singlet and much more of the "every man for himself" booking (in the first half of the Rumble at least). Enjoy the match and Gorilla and Jesse on commentary (pretty sure this was their only Rumble Take it away Fink!
This is one of the best Rumbles ever up until the Megapowers get tossed. Then it just goes into a nosedive.
ReplyDeleteDibiase buying #30 is still one of the greatest bits of booking ever.
ReplyDeleteFirst rumble I ever saw. Fucking awesome stuff
ReplyDeleteThe first half is incredible, they booked it like a Saturday Night Main Event card.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it's interesting that Demolition fighting each other is still so entertaining even today. These days, they're so quick to split a tag team that very few of them have any kind of lasting presence. Worse, most of them are just 'Guy #1 and Guy #2 team up' without a ring name or matching appearance.
ReplyDeleteBack then, tag teams were TEAMS with matching uniforms and such. They were a single unit in many ways. So seeing a tag team, especially one that likes to fight like Demolition, was a really fun way to show off the Rumble.
This thing sure died once Hogan got tossed out. Pretty good Rumble up until that point. I know it was still in the years where it wasn't that big of a deal, but John Studd winning? Come on, give it to Beefcake or someone the crowd actually liked. Studd flopped on every single level during that babyface comeback.
ReplyDeleteI loved the different kind of eliminations too...Like how hard Arn and Tully worked to eliminate Jannetty and how hard he fought it off until he couldn't any more.
ReplyDeleteGreat booking to start the match, too. They fight to show it's every man for himself, then turn their attention on the one man they have to double-up on (Andre) regardless if they wanted to keep fighting each other, and then everyone else joins forces in trying to get him out, like random pairings of Ax, Hennig, Garvin, and Valentine.
ReplyDeleteAndre is the master of the battle royal. Even as a virtual cripple he made it good.
ReplyDeleteJesus Christ the Bushwhackers were over. It still amazes to this day.
ReplyDeleteIn a lot of ways, they were today's Santino: perfectly capable wrestlers (who were also known to be damn tough in real life) who also enjoyed being a comedy act.
ReplyDeleteI'll take Santino's career over a lot of WWE careers. I've sold my kiddie merchandise and am showered and on the road by the Intercontinental title match? Sign me up.
ReplyDeleteHogan's AXE BOOOOOOMAAAAH to knock out Barbarian (Or warlord whichever one that was). Then the nice bit of booking of Savage getting pissed that Hogan tossed him out. Great stuff
ReplyDeleteI wonder how different the booking would've been if they'd implemented the "winner gets a title shot at WM" rule by this point.
ReplyDeleteActually the whole Hogan/Savage bit was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteHogan really was a bad sport in those days. It's funny how Jesse was always right about Hogan in commentary.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to bring up how much different it would be had Savage tossed Hogan, but the whole Mega Powers explode angle was so well done, I'd hate to fantasy book something that doesn't need it. It does show Hogan's lack of long-term memory, as he cried like a bitch when Sid did the exact same thing to him in 1992.
ReplyDeleteWell I guess they had big plans for Studd at the time. It does make sense, he's about to feud with Andre, who is the king of battle royales, so Studd winning this gave him huge credibility. Too bad he was gone soon after.
ReplyDeleteThe look of mild annoyance on Andre's face when someone hits him is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWhat year did that truly become a thing? 93?
ReplyDelete*checks* Yep, that was the year Yokozuna won and went on to face Bret at *shiver* WrestleMania 9.
ReplyDeleteAndre sort of played more of a babyface role here, constantly fighting off the numbers as heels and faces teamed up to eliminate him. When Valentine came in and it was 4-on-1, it was clear that Andre was starting to gain a little sympathy heat. That all changed when Jake entered the ring.
ReplyDeleteI always loved the 92 Rumble the most but I watched this recently up until Bill Eadie (Ax) was eliminated and I feel I need to go back and finish it. I too love the opening of my favorite tag team battling as it was every man for himself and then having to unite again to take on the Giant! I heard Bill say the only reason he went to work for Vince was as a favor to Andre and realizing how often they worked together it must be pretty true. As for Big John Studd winning, that's awesome since Hogan would take the next two years. It definitely gave Studd credibility and it was my introduction to him as this was the first Rumble I ever watched. It is a shame more wasn't done with him but he's legendary in my eyes. I find any PPV with Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura tolerable simply because of their chemistry. I love the contrast. J.R. and The King are second to them in my book.
ReplyDeleteExcept for the winner, this was such a tremendous rumble for star power and booking. The first year had none of that so the creativity involved in this one deserves much praise.
ReplyDelete