1992 Royal Rumble Review

Today im writing a review for the 1992 Royal Rumble. One of the most popular Rumbles ever it was held at the Knickerbocker Arena. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby The Brain Heenan are calling the plays. Heenan is sold on Flair winning. Jack Tunney vacated the title after the Tuesday In Texas match between Hogan and Taker and stated the winner of the rumble gets the title.


Match #1

Tag Team Match

The New Foundation Vs The Orient Express w Mr Fuji


Owen Hart had made his return to the wwf just a month prior and teamed up with Jim Neidhart who had done nothing special since Mania 7. It wouldn't last long as I seem to remember Anvil being gone after January or February, which left Owen to go singles for awhile before teaming with Koko B Ware in High Energy and becoming a perrenial loser until the Hart family feud years later. Orient Express are still hanging around at this point but they are pretty much perenial losers also. Owen dazzles the crowd with his agility, a backflip off the top rope out of a arm wringer then he hits a frankensteiner on Kato. Anvil comes in and overpowers Kato easily so he tags to Tanaka, Anvil shoves him and he hits the mat like a sack of bricks. Owen is in and he takes down Tanaka with an enziguri. Anvil comes in and cleans the Express's clocks then Owen crossbodies off the top rope onto both guys. Owen tries to take off Kato's mask but he scoots outside. Tanaka distracts Owen and while they scuffle Fuji jabs him in the throat with his cane. Kato in and he hits a crescent kick on Hart. Owen getting worked over hard now, Tanaka fires him chest first into the corner and he does a Bret Hart style bump. Tanaka tries a pin but only 2. Owen manages a crucifix pin attempt on Kato but he's out of it. Another martial arts kick from Kato. Never noticed that before, but Monsoon makes a reference that "like the Midnight Express the Orient Express will be tough to derail" He couldn't of been talking about the NWA team....could he??? Owen knocks down Tanaka on a blind charge and tries a tag but Kato comes in to distract the ref negating the tag and while Anvil fights with the ref Fuji hangs his cane in the corner and Owen gets shot shoulder first into it, DAMN!!! Owen manages to get his foot on the ropes and manages a belly to belly suplex toss on Tanaka, but he is getting overwhelmed. Kato tries pinning him but Anvil breaks it up. Heenan calls Anvil "goofy as a bedbug", heh. Express try a double clothesline but Owen answers with a dropkick that takes them down then Anvil hottags and enters the ring with a slingshot on both guys. Anvil going sickhouse on everybody. Anvil irish whips Owen who suicide dives through the ropes onto Kato outside then they polish off Tanaka with the rocket launcer at 16:56. Good opener. Ill go 3 stars.


Sean Mooney interviews The Mountie

Mean Gene interviews Roddy Piper who gives one of his best promos of all time.


Match #2

Intercontinental Title Match

The Mountie w Jimmy Hart Vs Rowdy Roddy Piper

Mountie beat Hart about 2 days ago at a house show for the title when Hart had a 104 degree flu. Piper came in to save and got pearl harbored by The Mounti so he was designated the #1 contender. Piper also has the chance to win two titles in the same night as he will be in the Rumble later. Crowd going nuts for Piper. Piper takes the initiative and starts stomping a mudhole in Mountie who runs away, Piper runs him down outside. Piper spikes him with a bulldog in the ring then gives him the classic Piper eye poke. slugfest insues with Piper missing a dropkick. Mountie uses a half nelson then bounces Pipers face off the top turnbuckle. Mountie tries a pin but only 2. Piper gets knocked outside then tries a sunset flip on the mountie into the ring but only a 2 count. Piper fighting back, BIG BACKDROP. Atomic drop and Mounti falls over the top rope but he skins the cat then Hart distracts Piper and Mountie charges nailing Hart then PIPER SLAPS ON THE SLEEPER!!! HE'S FADING!!! HE'S OUT!!! NEW CHAMPION AT THE 5:19 MARK!!! Piper shocks Mounti with the cattle prod and Fink announces him as the new champ and the crowd goes bonkers. Match was too short but Piper winning the belt was obviously the best thing out of it. It by itself is responsible for my rating being as high as it is. I gave it 2 1/2 stars.


Lord Alfred Hayes intervies Hogan in a CV video exclusive

Mean Gene interviews The Bushwhackers and Jameson.....oye.


Match #3

Tag Team Match

The Bushwhackers w Jameson Vs The Beverly Brothers w The Genius


Pretty much all Beverlies. Bushwackers work in some biting and alot of hestitating and running from the Bev's. I never cared much for the match except for Heenans commentary on Jameson. I was a full blown mark at the time but I never liked that pig. Heenan said what I was thinking. Bushwhackers clear out the Beverlies twice during the match but the Brothers eventually overwhelm them with good tag wrestling maneuvers. Luke gets beat supider by the Beverlies and about halfway through the match The Genius slaps Jameson. Luke getting nailed with rib breakers and two of those maneuvers that The Worlds Greatest Tag Team would use when one guy suspends the opponent on the ropes and the other one lands on the lower back area. Butch finally gets a tag but the match ends with Butch getting tripped and pinned by Blake Beverly at around 12:19 by the CV video version. Bushwhackers sneak attack the celebrating Beverlies then gang up on the Genius so Jameson can kick him in the shin. Meh ill go 2 stars.


Match #4

World Tag Team Title Match

The Legion Of Doom Vs The Natural Disasters w Jimmy Hart


Both teams try punking eachother out to start but neither backs down. Hawk nails Typhoon with a clothesline off the top rope then Earthquake says he wants in. Hawk tries a dropkick that doesn't have any effect. He suckers Quake into trying a dropkick which he sidesteps and drops a fist on him. Animal in and he slugs it out with Quake and they end up clotheslining eachother. Animal up first and he tries a slam but collapses. Disasters hit him with a irish whip avalanche then Typhoon tries another but eats a boot on the charge. Hawk in and the beat him up for a few minutes, especially the lower back. Quake steps on it while he's on the mat. Hawk finally tags and Animal takes on both Disasters. Eventually breaks down and while Typhoon is legal inside the ring LOD and Quake fight on the floor, Animal gets slammed on the floor and Quake picks up Hawk in a bearhug and backs him into the post. Countout victory for the Disasters at 8:42 but no belts. 2 stars.


Sean Mooney interviews Jimmy Hart and the Disasters who are bent out of shape thinking they should be the champs even though they won by countout. Idiots.

Mean Gene interviews the new IC champ Rowdy Roddy Piper who's geared up for another belt.

Shawn Michaels backstage getting ready for his singles debute.

In a Coliseum Video exclusive Lord Alfred Hayes interviews Ric Flair who drew #3. Flair is dead set and confident.

Randy Savage, Sid Justice, The British Bulldog, Jake Roberts, Undertaker, and Hogan all get time to sales pitch themselves. Hogan sounds heelish and like a whiner complaining about people stabbing him in the back. Also Tunney ruled that Hogan and Taker would be allowed to draw from #'s 20 thru 30.


Match #5


1992 Royal Rumble For The Undisputed World Wrestling Federation Championship

Because of the interference from Flair during the world title rematch at Tuesday In Texas between Hogan and Taker Tunney vacated the belt.

President Jack Tunney comes out to say may the best man win.


The man who drew #1 is.....The British Bulldog!!! He won the battle royale months ago at Halbert Hall in London so he's got some momentum. #2 is.....Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiasie!!! No stalling. Both guys going at it with Dibiasie taking control, he hits a vertical suplex then tosses Davyboy over and gloats, but Bulldog stays in and knocks him right out of the ring with a clothesline....sigh safe to assume Dibiasie won't be getting into the world title picture ever again. Davyboy waits for #3....it's....RIC FLAIR!!!! DAMMIT!!! To quote Bobby Heenan who is having an episode. Flair tries locking up but gets shoved around and body pressed. #4 is Nasty Boy Saggs. He helps Flair double team Bulldog which doesn't work too well, Davyboy chucks Saggs over the ropes then knocks the idiot off the apron with a dropkick while he taunts the crowd. #5 is Haku who is an alternate for Marty Jannetty or Nasty Boy Knobbs. Haku attacks Bulldog then chops away at Flair and Heenan is irrate that his old business aquaintance is attacking Flair. Flair runs away so Haku piledrives Bulldog then Flair attacks Haku's eyes, he drops the big knee which doesn't do much to Haku. Haku kicks Davyboy in the chops with that crescent kick of his. Davyboy manages to shoulderlift him out just as #6 Shawn Michaels makes his way down and almost gets booed out of the building. Michaels attacks Flair then crescent kicks (not called superkick yet) Flair which looks really fake as he hits Flairs hands clearly. Shawn gets a series of clothesline from Bulldog and almost goes out Bulldog presslams him and he gets crotched in the same fashion as the 95 Rumble. He stays in then kicks Bulldog which looks fake aswell. #7 Tito Santana running in and he goes after Flair. Tito tries dumping Flair and Heenan is going to piss himself. Shawn attacks Tuco, then gets attacked by Davyboy, Bulldog goes after Flair and gets a ball breaker from Flair and the crowd ooohhhss. Flair sends Tito to the ropes and eats a flying forearm and Flair looks dead. #8 The Barbarian coming in, he goes after Bulldog as Flair/Shawn doubleteam Santana. Flair takes a breather as the heels/faces pair off. #9 Texas Tornado on his way in and he goes after Flair, both were rivals back in the NWA days. Tornado discus punches Shawn who oversells like a spinning top. Bulldog knocks down Shawn with an atomic drop and Tornado gets an inverted atomic drop from Flair. Flair chopping Tornado, Barbarian chopping Tito. Heenans commentary is great, he talks about bringing a crescent wrench to ringside, see? He predated the Hardcore Rumble by about 9 years. #10 Repo Man sneaks to ringside, how could anyone hate Barry Darsow? Tito with a high cross body on the Barbarian. #11 Greg The Hammer Valentine in and Monsoon says he lasted 44:20 last year. Everybody attacking everybody except for the faces since they didn't do that back then. Chopfest between Hammer and Flair. #12 is Nikolai Volkoff another alternate and the crowd doesn't give a s***. Hammer slaps on the figure four on Flair and Heenan is having his second heart attack of the night, Repo shoulder lifts Nikolai outta there and the crowd cares even less. #13 is....The Big Bossman!!! He goes bats*** on everybody!! He punches the spit right out of Shawns mouth and Repo dumps out the Hammer. Bossman almost dumps Shawn but Repo stops him then Bossman chucks Repo outta there, and Repo sneaks back to the dressing room. Crap!!! Flair just shoulder lifted Davboy outta there. Tornado goes after Flair and misses a discus punch and gets shoulder lifted out aswell. Tito and Shawn fight on the ropes and spill to the floor there gone, Hercules at #14 and he attacks Flair then Bossman, Flair highfives Barbarian then sucker chops him and gets body press slammed for his trouble. Heart attack #3 for Heenan and Barbarian tries dumping Flair, Hercules comes over and dumps Barbarian but Flair hangs on and Bossman sends Hercules out. Bossman unloading on Flair, then he goes for that stupid charge by the ropes and he jumps into the ropes and falls out. Flair collapses to the mat but here comes #15........IT'S PIPER!!!! Rowdy going bannanas and he kicks the s*** out of Flair he chases him outside and drops him with a clothesline. Back inside Piper goes for a 10 punch in the corner but Flair tries an atomic drop which Piper blocks then fingerpokes Flair in the eyes, airplane spin!!! Flair doesn't know his ass from his elbow at this point. Piper slaps on the sleeper!! He's gonna knock him out. Uh oh #16 is....Jake....The...Snake....Roberts. Jake suckers Piper from behind. Jake offers to help up Flair then gives him a short clothesline, he signals for a dd but Piper stops him giving Flair time to slap on the figure four, Piper starts kicking both heels. Funny how Heenan thanks one guy for making a save then insults him as soon as he attacks Flair. Jake holds Piper for Flair so he can chop him. Flair chops Jake, Piper punches Flair, Jake punches Piper. #17 Hacksaw Jim Duggan works over Flair. #18 (that was a short 2 minutes) IRS. Hacksaw grabs his tie and punches away, then he gives Flair and Jake a noggin knocker. Here comes #18....it's Superfly Jimmy Snuka (he's still hanging around the WWF?) everytime the countdown starts Jake has been looking to the entrance way for Savage. Piper manboob slapping Flair in the corner, now Jake's trying to dump him out. Here comes #20....It's The Undertaker!!! Oh crap....now who's the first victim, I say Snuka he seems to be lowest on the foodchain in there right now, sure enough Taker hits him with a shot to the throat and knocks Snuka out. Flair walks over and gets choked out by Undertaker. Heenan's having heart attack #4. Another quick 2 minutes and #21 is up. It's The Machoman!!! Crowd goes nuts!!! Jake immediatley slides outside and hides, Savage runs in looking for Jake and gets clobbered by Taker. Jake wants back in and goes for a short clothesline but Savage ducks (only time ive ever seen someone do that) and goes nuts on Jake, Savage up top, double axe handle!! Savage with the high knee and Jake is outta there!! Now comes the part that people have debated for years, Savage jumps over the top rope to the floor to get Jake and alot of people think it was accidental and Heenan does a good job of covering it up. Doesn't really matter they have changed that damn rule on and off for 20 years. Here comes #22 it's The Berzerker, he don't give a s*** he just kicks and punches anybody. Taker choking out Flair and Piper helps then gets choked for his efforts by Taker. #23 is Virgil, and he cleans house........not really he gets his ass kicked by IRS and Berzerker. Now Taker is using his Jason Vorhees chokehold on him, then goes back to choking Flair now he's got Flair hanging upside down in the corner and Heenan is almost comatose. Punchfest between the longtime friends Piper and Virgil and Piper wins it. #24 it's Colonel Mustafa.....pft why's he still kicking around? Didn't his usefullness runout after Summerslam 91? He doesn't do much anyway. Goof by Monsoon as he calls Flair Martel, he must think he's at the 91 rumble. Piper 10 count punching Flair and gets knocked off by Taker. #25 is....Rick Martel who recently made his return to the WWF after some time off. Right on Virgil. Now he's kicking Flair's ass. Martel and IRS have Flair in trouble and hardly noticeable because of the camera angle but Savage dumps out Mustafa and I think only 2 people in the crowd noticed. Here comes #26....HULK HOGAN!!!! Crowd goes nuts and Heenana s***s his pants. Heenan begging for Flair to win it as Hogan goes wild then gets triple teamed by Taker, IRS and Berzerker. He's out of the corner and clotheslines out Taker!!! Undertaker eliminated! seemed kinda anticlimactic for Taker to go so soon. Hogan gets jumped by Berzerker who then tries a dumass charge and gets backdropped out, he's gone. #27 is Skinner. Flair in trouble again and Heenan is breaking down crying. Please let him stay ill never do anything bad again please let him win it!! Ah Heenan kills me. Flair and Martel trying to dump Piper but he stays in. Flair sends Hogan to the corner and gives a whoo then eats a clothesline from Hogan who knocks down Skinner while he's at it. #28 is Sgt Slaughter. Oops Martel suckered Skinner and dumped him from behind. Hogan and Piper in an eye gouging contest and Slaughter trying to throw out Flair again. Monsoon announces Flair as the all time record holder. Everybody bunching up on the side of the ring trying to eliminate eachother but nothing happening. #29 is Sid Justice Heenan is ready for the morgue at this point. Sid laying into IRS. Sid made his return tonight after that bicep injury that put him out back in October. While they were at it they tweaked his personality from intense babyface to intense psycho babyface who acts like he's turning. #30 is....The Warlord. Nobody really cares. Hogan slams Flair off the top rope. Flair and Hogan fight outside and Hogan suplexes him on the floor. Sgt whailing on Sid then Sid fires him into the corner and it sounds like he legitimatley crushed his sternom hitting the turnbuckle as he went out! Piper and IRS fighting on the apron and irony comes back to haunt him as Piper uses IRS's tie to pull him out. Piper's gotta be hurting as much as Flair, he had a 5 minute match earlier in the night. Hogan and Sid doubleteam and dump Warlord easy, no suprise there. Sid walks over and shoves out Piper and Martel who were teetering on the ropes. Flair fights off Hogan then gives Sid a high knee as he's trying to hoist out Savage and the force sends Savage spilling to the floor. Were down to three!! Hogan sends Flair into a Ric Flair flip in the corner and tries kicking him out so Sid walks up and tosses Hogan out!!! Hogan and Sid argue and Hogan grabs Sids hand and tries pulling him out and Flair makes one last desperate attack and helps dump Sid at !!! HE DID IT!!! HE DID IT HE DID IT!!! YES YES YES YES YES I TOLD YOU HE'D DO IT!!!. By my clock the match went 1:02:00 exactly. Those were Heenans words in what most consider his finest bit of commentating in his career. Perfect comes out to congradulate Flair and Heenan bails out of the booth to go celebrate. Hogan is left in the ring with Sid and the two doushebags argue. Sid gets the crowd support and points to some smark in the crowd with a Hulk who sign (maybe it was Scott Keith I don't know).


Backstage Tunney gives Flair the title and proclaims him the undisputed champ. Flair talks about this as the greatest moment of his life. Oh what happened to the big gold belt? Storywise he should of thrown the WWF title on the ground and stated he would only wear the NWA belt.


Overall Opinion: The winner for best color commentary in wrestling goes to.....Bobby The Brain Heenan!!! (crowd roaring sound) The undercard was forgettable except of course for Piper winning the IC title. The Rumble made this event of course as it should. This Rumble was as good as last year. Dibiasie going out just like that was kinda sucky but helped give Bulldog a rub who was gearing up for the IC title. The only real fault was Flair needing help from Hogan grandstanding to eliminate Sid. I would of done it differently. Have Sid attack Hogan from behind then both guys fighting on the ropes with Flair playing possum or revitalizing in time to run up and dump both guys at once then if they wanted to turn Sid heel have him blame Hogan for causing him to get eliminated, the way they did it made no sense. Im going 4 1/2 stars.



On a scale of 0.1 to 10.0 I give this ppv the overall rating of a 5.1 The Rumble and IC title match are responsible for more than two thirds of that rating. The rest was passable.