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Royal Rumble (1994)

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Royal Rumble 1994
[[File:Ad-rr94.jpg Substitutions|frameless|upright=1]]

</ref> Although the substitution took place shortly before the event, Bigelow and Tatanka also had a heated rivalry. In 1993, Bigelow cut Tatanka's dyed red hair as an insult to his Lumbee heritage.[1] The two faced each other as part of a six-man match at SummerSlam 1993, but the feud continued even after Tatanka's team emerged victorious.[2]

Event

Other On-Screen Talent
Role: Name:
Commentator Vince McMahon
Ted DiBiase
Gorilla Monsoon - Radio WWF
Jim Ross - Radio WWF
Referee Earl Hebner
Danny Davis
Joey Marella
Tim White
Interviewer Todd Pettengill
Raymond Rougeau
Ring announcer Howard Finkel

In a dark match before the broadcast, the Brooklyn Brawler defeated Jim Powers.[3] The Brawler used a swinging neckbreaker to get the victory.[4]

At the beginning of the pay per view broadcast, Vince McMahon announced that Ted DiBiase would be his commentary partner for the evening.[5][6]

The first televised match was between Tatanka and Bam Bam Bigelow. Bigelow tried to attack Tatanka before the bell, but Tatanka moved.[7] The two fought back and forth, and Bigelow gained momentum after Tatanka missed a crossbody from the top turnbuckle.[7] Bigelow used his weight to keep the advantage, sitting on Tatanka and later using a bear hug to wear him down.[7] After the two hit each other with simultaneous crossbodies, Tatanka began a war dance.[7] Bigelow kicked Tatanka in the back of the head to regain the advantage but missed a moonsault attempt from the top rope,[7] allowing Tatanka to perform a crossbody from the corner and get the victory.[8]

This match was followed by the Tag Team Championship match. The match started slowly, but both teams soon began brawling in the ring.[7] The Harts focused on Pierre, but Jacques was eventually able to tag in to rescue him.[7] After Pierre regained the advantage, Owen tagged in and took control of the match.[7] He applied the Sharpshooter to Jacques, but Pierre broke the hold.[7] Bret tagged in but fell out of the ring and kayfabe hurt his knee when the Quebecers' manager pulled on the ropes.[7] The Quebecers focused on Bret's knee until Bret regained the advantage and attempted to apply the Sharpshooter. He was not able to stand, however, so the referee stopped the match and awarded the victory to the Quebecers.[8] After the match, Owen yelled at Bret for not tagging out of the match. He then turned on Bret by kicking his injured leg and leaving him lying in the ring.[9]

Next came the match between Irwin R. Schyster and Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental Championship. The match began with a brawl between the two, and Ramon got the early advantage.[7] Schyster eventually threw Ramon over the top rope and attacked him on the floor.[7] I.R.S. kept control of the match for quite a while, applying a reverse chinlock while using the ring ropes for additional leverage.[7] After Ramon escaped the hold, he was able to perform a fallaway slam on Schyster.[7] He then used an Irish Whip to throw Schyster into the corner, but the match turned around with a ref bump when referee Joey Marella was in the way and was kayfabe knocked unconscious.[10] Shawn Michaels ran to the ring with his fake Intercontinental belt and hit Ramon with it, and Schyster helped revive Marella to count the pinfall.[10] I.R.S. appeared to win the title, but referee Earl Hebner cam to the ringand explained the situation to Marella.[7] When Michaels' belt was discovered in the ring, the match was restarted.[7] Ramon simply grabbed Schyster, who was standing on the second turnbuckle celebrating, and performed the Razor's Edge for the victory.[10]

Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon took over the commentary roles as ring announcer Howard Finkel then announced that the Casket Match would be next. He explained that there would be not countouts or disqualifications, and that the first wrestler to get his opponent in the casket and close the lid would win the match. Yokozuna had great difficulty inflicting any serious damage on The Undertaker, but it was soon revealed that Mr. Fuji had arranged for several wrestlers to get involved on Yokozuna's behalf. Crush, the Great Kabuki, Genichiro Tenryu, and Bam Bam Bigelow interfered,[8] but The Undertaker was able to fight back until Mr. Fuji stole The Undertaker's urn from Paul Bearer.[8] Yokozuna opened the urn, and smoke poured out.[11] Meanwhile, Adam Bomb, Jeff Jarrett, The Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu) and Diesel then came to the ring to help Yokozuna.[8] Eventually, Yokozuna and his allies were able to shut The Undertaker in the casket to end the match. They locked the casket and pushed the it down the aisle until smoke started coming out of the casket.[8] The Undertaker appeared on the video screen at the end of the aisle, vowing to return.[7] The casket was shown exploding on the screen, although the casket in the arena did not explode.[8] After the explosion was shown, a person resembling The Undertaker was seen rising up to the ceiling of the Civic Center. This role is rumored to have been played by Marty Jannetty.[4][8]

Before the Royal Rumble match began, commentator Vince McMahon announced that WWF President Jack Tunney had shortened the interval between entrances from the traditional 2 minutes to 90 seconds due to time constraints.[10] Kamala was supposed to compete in the match, but he was replaced by Virgil.[8] Ludvig Borga could not compete due to his ankle injury and was replaced by Kwang, a newcomer to the WWF.[12] In addition, the 1-2-3 Kid was replaced by Thurman “Sparky” Plugg (later renamed Bob “Spark Plugg” Holly), who was also making his debut.[8] Bastion Booger was scheduled to be the twenty-fifth participant, but he did not appear for unknown reasons.[8][13]

As the Royal Rumble match began, it was revealed that Scott Steiner was the first participant and his former rival Samu had drawn the number two position.[13] Early in the match, Diesel tied the WWF record for most eliminations, as he threw out seven consecutive wrestlers.[13] He was ultimately eliminated by a group of wrestlers. Shawn Michaels was involved in this elimination, although the inconclusive camera angle led to speculation as to whether he was helping eliminate Diesel or trying to save him.[7] Although Diesel wrestled as a heel at the time, his performance earned him applause from the crowd.[7]

Several ongoing feuds came into play during the match. Crush and his former friend, Randy Savage fought each other until Crush eliminated Savage.[7] Bam Bam Bigelow and Doink the Clown also faced each other during the match. Doink had annoyed Bigelow with a series of pranks in late 1993,[14] and the feud was supposed to be settled at Survivor Series 1993, but the team of “Doinks” that Bigelow fought was just The Bushwhackers and Men on a Mission dressed up as clowns.[15] When they met in the Royal Rumble, Bigelow quickly eliminated Doink.[7] The Royal Rumble match also saw an old feud rekindled. Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty, former tag team partners as The Rockers, traded a series of punches when Jannetty entered the match and Michaels ultimately eliminated Jannetty from the match.[7]

The match ended when Lex Luger and Bret Hart simultaneously eliminated each other.[16] Two referees argued about who had landed first while several inconclusive camera angles were broadcast.[17] Eventually, WWF President Jack Tunney came to the ring and had Finkel announce that both men would be considered winners.[17] The situation regarding the title shot at WrestleMania X, which was to be given to the winner, remained unresolved until the following week on Monday Night Raw.[18]

Aftermath

Ludvig Borga did not return to the WWF after his ankle healed,[4] so there was no closure to his feud with Tatanka. The feud between Tatanka and Bam Bam Bigelow was also soon forgotten. In the summer of 1994, both wrestlers joined Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Corporation.[19] The two eventually formed a tag team and unsuccessfully challenged for the WWF Tag Team Championship.[20]

The feud between Razor Ramon and I.R.S. ended shortly after the Royal Rumble. On the January 31 1994 edition of Monday Night Raw, the 1-2-3 Kid stole Ramon's chains back from I.R.S., bringing the feud to an end.[18] Shawn Michaels’ attack on Razor Ramon increased the hostility between the two. The debate over the true holder of the Intercontinental Championship was settled at WrestleMania X in a ladder match with both belts suspended above the ring.[21] This ended the feud between Michaels and Ramon, although Ramon continued to feud with Michaels’ friend Diesel.[22]

File:Bret9.jpg
Bret Hart in 1994

Owen Hart demanded a match against Bret Hart, which Bret repeatedly refused.[16] This situation was complicated because of Bret co-winning the Royal Rumble. Jack Tunney decided that both Bret Hart and Lex Luger would get title shots at WrestleMania X, but that they would each wrestle two matches at the event.[16] Lex Luger won a coin toss televised on Monday Night Raw and won the chance to face Yokozuna first.[16] If he had lost the toss, he would have wrestled Crush before facing Yokozuna.[18] Under the rules set forth by Tunney, Bret was required to wrestle Owen in the opening match at WrestleMania.[16] Owen won the match, but Bret came out of WrestleMania with the WWF Championship after Yokozuna dropped the title to him.[23][24] This led to an extended feud between the two that saw Jim Neidhart return to the WWF to side with Owen and Davey Boy Smith to make a comeback to take Bret’s side.[25]

Several of the events during the Royal Rumble match led to feuds and pay-per-view matches later in 1994. The uncertainty surrounding Shawn Michaels’ assistance in eliminating Diesel from the Royal Rumble foreshadowed the split between the two at Survivor Series 1994.[7] Diesel’s performance in the Royal Rumble, however, played a large role in helping him become the first wrestler to win the WWF’s Triple Crown in one calendar year.[22] Meanwhile, Crush and Randy Savage faced each other in a Falls Count Anywhere match at WrestleMania X to settle their feud,[23] and Doink and his midget sidekick Dink faced Bigelow and his kayfabe girlfriend Luna Vachon in a mixed tag match.[23]

The Undertaker did not appear in the WWF for several months after his loss to Yokozuna. In reality, he was given time off to allow a back injury to heal.[12] During his absence, the WWF promoted his return by showing video clips of people who claimed to have seen The Undertaker.[26] Ted DiBiase claimed to have brought The Undertaker back to the WWF, but Paul Bearer informed him that DiBiase’s Undertaker was an impostor.[19] Paul Bearer claimed to have located the true Undertaker,[19] which led to a match at SummerSlam 1994 between DiBiase’s Undertaker (portrayed by Brian Lee) and Paul Bearer’s original Undertaker.[27] After defeating the fake Undertaker, Bearer's Undertaker got revenge against Yokozuna by winning a Casket match at Survivor Series 1994. To help prevent outside interference, Chuck Norris was brought in as a guest referee.[28]

Results

Royal Rumble entrances and eliminations

A new entrant came out approximately every 90 seconds.

Entrant Eliminated by Time
1 Scott Steiner 4 Diesel 9:00
2 Samu 1 Scott Steiner 3:13
3 Rick Steiner 2 Owen Hart 3:57
4 Kwang 6 Diesel 5:57
5 Owen Hart 5 Diesel 4:10
6 Bart Gunn 3 Diesel 2:30
7 Diesel 13 Bigelow, Mabel, Plugg & Crush 17:41
8 Bob Backlund 7 Diesel 0:41
9 Billy Gunn 8 Diesel 0:14
10 Virgil 9 Diesel 0:32
11 Randy Savage 11 Crush 4:38
12 Jeff Jarrett 10 Savage 1:19
13 Crush 16 Luger, Plugg & Bret Hart 25:03
14 Doink the Clown 12 Bigelow 1:48
15 Bam Bam Bigelow 23 Luger 30:12
16 Mabel 14 Valentine, Tatanka, Kabuki, Crush, Bigelow, Plugg & Michaels 9:57
17 Sparky Plugg 17 Bret Hart & Michaels 21:33
18 Shawn Michaels 27 Luger 29:17
19 Mo 21 Fatu 22:46
20 Greg Valentine 18 Martel 20:39
21 Tatanka 22 Bigelow 20:07
22 The Great Kabuki 15 Luger 2:46
23 Lex Luger - CO-WINNER 21:58
24 Genichiro Tenryu 25 Bret Hart & Luger 17:21
25 Bastion Booger - Unable to compete 0:00
26 Rick Martel 19 Tatanka 11:22
27 Bret Hart - CO-WINNER 15:08
28 Fatu 26 Bret Hart 13:04
29 Marty Jannetty 24 Michaels 8:18
30 Adam Bomb 20 Luger 4:55

Notes

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference nativeson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "SummerSlam 1993". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Royal Rumble 1994". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  4. ^ a b c d "1994 WWF Ring Results". WWF Champs. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference owwdibiase was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ DiBiase, Ted (1997). Every Man Has His Price: The True Story of Wrestling's Million-Dollar Man. Multnomah Publishers. p. 165. ISBN 1576731758.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Cite error: The named reference revue was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "WWF Royal Rumble 1994". p.w.w. Everything Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  9. ^ a b Scaia, Rick. "Four Years Later: Owen Hart Remembered". Online Onslaught. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
  10. ^ a b c d e "WWF Royal Rumble: January 22, 1994". Hoffco, Inc. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
  11. ^ Baer, Randy (2003). Wrestlecrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling. ECW Press. p. 167. ISBN 1550225847. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference subs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ a b c "1994 Rumble Match". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
  14. ^ "WWF Raw: October 04, 1993". The Other Arena. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  15. ^ "All Time Survivor Series Results". WWE. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  16. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference rugged was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ a b "1994". Softwolves. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  18. ^ a b c "Monday Night Raw: January 31, 1994". The Other Arena. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  19. ^ a b c "Faction Profiles: Million Dollar Corporation". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  20. ^ "WWF Tag Team Title Tournament 1995". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  21. ^ Mazer, Sharon (1998). Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 99. ISBN 1578060214.
  22. ^ a b "Wrestler Profiles: Kevin Nash". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  23. ^ a b c "WrestleMania X". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  24. ^ Meltzer, Dave (2004). Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Professional Wrestlers. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 10. ISBN 1582618178.
  25. ^ Greenberg, Keith Elliot (2000). Pro Wrestling: From Carnivals to Cable TV. Lerner Publications. p. 122. ISBN 0822533324.
  26. ^ Baer, Randy (2003). Wrestlecrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling. ECW Press. p. 168. ISBN 1550225847. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ "Wrestler Profiles: Brian Lee". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  28. ^ "Survivor Series 1994". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2007-10-24.

References

  • "2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts". Wrestling’s historical cards. Kappa Publishing. 2007. p. 92.

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