Shining a Spotlight 1.12.12: 1992 Royal Rumble

1992 Royal Rumble. Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, New York. January 19th, 1992

The situation leading up to the Rumble was more than interesting. When Ric Flair entered WWF in late 1991, it was expected to be great. However, the business was different then, no weekly prime-time shows or monthly PPVs. He and Hogan did good business at house shows but not the dream encounter we’d imagined. It built up to the Survivor Series where, with interference from Flair, the Undertaker upset Hogan to win the WWF title. Puppet President Jack Tunney ordered a special “Tuesday in Texas” PPV where Flair interfered again but Hogan managed to throw ashes into the Undertaker’s eyes and roll him up to regain the belt. However, Tunney felt the whole thing was too controversial and announced he was vacating the title with the winner of the Rumble becoming champ. Keep in mind, up until then, the Rumble was just a showcase for who was toughest in the WWF, no real prize so this made it more important. There were concerns from fans over letting some lucky guy sneak in late to win it but WWF would more than undo those concerns.

The show kicked off with the always fantastic team of Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon on commentary. Heenan was boasting of how Flair would win the Rumble and had placed a huge bet on him to boot. The show kicked off with the New Foundation taking on the Orient Express. The Foundation was Jim Neidhart, having teased retirement, coming back to pair with Owen Hart, the team sadly better known for their goofy airbag pants. The Express were a good team to put against faces, skilled and capable of some great moves to boot. Owen and Neidhart may not have gelled as well as Bret and Neidhart had but it was still a compelling mix of technical and strength. It’s been said Owen was actually the superior athlete in the family and he showcased that here with some great ariel moves, including hitting a top-rope bodypress on both guys for two. Mr. Fuji pushed the momentum back for his charges with his trusty cane, allowing the Express to do some wicked double-teaming. That included dropping Owen across the top rope and letting him do a nice bump into the corner. Owen played Ricky Morton for a bit, taking some wicked punishment, managing to hit a tag but the ref didn’t see it so refused to let Neidhart in. That allowed the Express to hang Fuji’s cane in the corner and whip Owen into it, snapping the cane in half for a nice visual. Kato smartly worked on the injured arm and Taanka hit a head-butt splash on it too to enhance the drama. Owen came out with a gorgeous belly to belly suplex but couldn’t make the tag, eating a double clothesline. They did their move of Tanaka launching Kato at Owen but he bounced back with a double dropkick to finally make the tag, slingshotting Neidhart onto the Express. Kato ended up on the floor, Anvil slingshotting Owen to splash him on the outside. They ended with the Rocket Launcher, Anvil hurling Owen off the top rope onto Tanaka to get the pin and finish another great Rumble opening match.

The Intercontinental title match was very interesting to look at today. Bret Hart was champion, his contract coming up and making some noise about possibly going to WCW with the belt. So Vince forced him to drop the belt to the Mountie at a house show two days before the Rumble. In a bout of ego criticized by fellow workers over the years, Bret agreed only if they put out the story he had a severe flu and was wrestling against doctor’s orders. After pinning Bret with a small package, the Mountie attacked him with Roddy Piper coming to defend Bret, setting up this match. The Mountie boasted of his victory in an interview, talking of how he was going to take Piper’s integrity. Piper had his own classic promo (“What we’re dealing with is one of the original Village People here”) and countering the Mountie wonderfully: “It’s like Jacques Cousteau looking for a dry spot in the ocean, I ain’t got no damn integrity! How do you think I got so far?”

Piper had already been entered in the Rumble, making this a big night for him. On his 2006 DVD, it’s stated that WWF never felt they had to give Piper a championship as he was already massively over, he didn’t need a belt. However, McMahon decided to reward him for his years of service (not to mention, pitting Bret vs Piper for the belt at Mania would be a great move) as Piper dominated the battle with a bulldog and eyepoke with his usual brawling. On commentary, Heenan was warming up by trying to bribe Monsoon with a hot dog to let him check on Flair’s number. Mountie tried a comeback but Piper hit an atomic drop to send him over the top rope. Jimmy Hart leapt on the apron, Piper going to him as the Mountie slid back in, charging only to hit Hart. Piper then slapped on the sleeper and after a brief struggle, the Mountie was out. Chasing Hart out, Piper grabbed the Mountie’s “shock stick” and gave the Mountie long-overdue payback by shocking him with it. The match itself wasn’t good but the pop from the crowd when it was announced Piper was the Intercontinental champion was huge. He celebrated with the belt as Heenan pointed out that Piper had never held a title in the WWF before and now had a chance for two in one night.

After a surprisingly quiet Hogan promo, we got the Bushwhackers against the Beverly Brothers. No, I have no idea why these guys were feuding. I don’t know how Jamieson got involved. I also have no idea what genius decided to give them nearly twenty minutes for their goofball antics. Even Heenan’s commentary (“Jamieson’s parents never got divorced because neither wanted custody”) couldn’t do anything to salvage this match. I’ll spare you a recap, just stupid stuff with the Beverlys hitting a double axehandle off the ropes to pin Luke. After the match, the Bushwhackers did their headbutt charge on the Brothers as Jamieson beat on the Genius.

The following match wasn’t much better, sadly. The Legion of Doom defended the tag titles against the Natural Disasters, the question obviously how the LOD could pin two massive guys. The LOD were clearly outmatched, Typhoon barely budging from a couple of Animal shoulderblocks and when he tried to slam Quake, couldn’t hold him up. The LOD tried double-clotheslines to no avail, Typhoon catching Hawk for a couple of backbreakers and tossing him hard into the turnbuckles. Earthquake really sold his jerkiness by walking right on Hawk before slapping on a bearhug. He missed an avalanche attempt to let Hawk get the tag. It all ended with a massive brawl outside, Typhoon rolling back in just in time so the LOD were counted out. It was pretty much a clear sign that the LOD were winding down and their time was nearly over. In fact, WWF wanted to give the belts to the Disasters here but Hawk and Animal refused to job on PPV so WWF had them lose to Ted DiBiase and IRS a few weeks later at a non-televised house show.

We got some interviews, first Jimmy Hart ranting on how the Disasters should be champs. Piper was triumphantly howling with the IC belt on how he was going to get another title later. Then, Sean Mooney talked to Shawn Michaels as we got footage of what remains one of the greatest heel turns ever as, after weeks of tension, the Rockers went on the Barber Shop interview set to have it out. Marty Jannetty and Shawn seemed to shake hands to settle it but then Shawn kicked Marty in the face and then threw him through the glass window. Already in his “boy toy” outfit, Michaels cut an arrogant promo on how he didn’t need Jannetty and actually did him a favor not having him be in the Rumble. From such small beginnings…

That was followed by the traditional montage of stars giving their thoughts on what was to come.

It was time for the Rumble, Tunney out to do a speech on “May the best man win.” (Heenan: “Best President since Noriega.”) Number one was the British Bulldog who’d won the Royal Albert Hall battle royal a few weeks earlier. Number two was Ted DiBiase, still paying the karma for bribing his way to #30 years earlier. He was accompanied by Sensational Sherri who was dressed in what looked like “Cher doing My Fair Lady” outfit and hairdo. DiBiase took the advantage with punches, ramming Smith’s head into the buckle and a clothesline. He got a gutwrench suplex and his patented fist drop. He lightly threw Bulldog over the top, turning his back to celebrate and was thus open to Smith coming in to nail him from behind and send him over the top. The crowd got a big laugh seeing DiBiase done so early as the Bulldog prepared for the next number.

The buzzer rang and #3 was Ric Flair. And thus began what may well be the single greatest work of commentary in wrestling history as Heenan immediately went nuts. “NO! Dammit! We’ve been jobbed, Monsoon!” Gorilla was in a fine mood, laughing “oh, you can kiss it goodbye, Brain!” Up until then, no one had drawn the first five numbers and been there until the end, let alone won, certainly not someone who’d been in the business as long as Flair. “I don’t think I can be objective here,” Heenan said with Monsoon retorting “When have you ever been objective?!” Flair took his time, looking quite confident as he removed his robe and handed it to Mr. Perfect, who then had to go back to the locker room. He went into the ring to hit an eyepoke only to get press-slammed by Bulldog. Flair whipped Smith into the corner but ate a running clothesline, hitting another eyepoke to stop the momentum but Bulldog shrugged it off so we got the first case of Flair begging an opponent off. Bulldog went to throw him out but Jerry Saggs from the Nasty Boys entered to take some heat off him, attacking Smith as he did the 10-count punches on Flair in the corner. Heenan urged Flair to just sit in the corner and let Saggs do the work but, setting the tone for the night, Flair insisted on fighting everyone in this.

They whipped Smith into the corner only to have him deck them both with clotheslines. Saggs was thrown over the top but hung on, coming back in only to get dropkicked out by Smith. Heenan began a running comment of “This isn’t fair to Flair” as Bulldog pounded on him. Haku came in next, attacking Bulldog so Flair could chop him. Haku stomped on Smith, then turned around to hit Flair, causing Heenan to scream out “what are you doing?!” Flair hit a series of chops but Haku just no-sold them to nail him with headbutts. Flair took to the outside under the ropes so Haku concentrated on Smith. He hit a piledriver, which gave Flair the chance to attack him from behind, hitting his famous knee-drop. Flair then went at Smith only to get sent to the buckle, Haku kicking Smith and going for a charge. Smith ducked to dump him out just as Shawn Michaels entered at #6, calmly walking to the ring. Shawn hit some nice fast punches, throwing Flair into the corner for a big backdrop before attacking Bulldog only to get press-slammed. Smith clotheslined him over the top but Michaels managed to hang on to get back in. I might as well mention Shawn trying a couple of superkicks on each man which had none of the polish he’d show later but to their credit, Flair and Bulldog sold them anyway. As Flair and Shawn fought by the ropes, Heenan moaned the room was spinning and yelled to someone to get him some water. Michaels was launched into the turnbuckle, landing with legs across the ropes so Smith yanked it up and down to loud “ooooohs” from the crowd. Flair took advantage to hit Smith from behind and tossed Michaels over but Shawn held on again.

Tito Santana (in his El Matador persona) ran out at #7, soon trying to pull Flair over the rope as Heenan screamed out for Perfect to get out here. Smith and Tito soon ganged up on Michaels by the ropes, Flair hitting a back suplex on Santana to stop it. Flair then hit a wicked low blow on Bulldog that had the entire arena gasping. Heenan just shrugged it off with “I’d do that to my grandmother if I had to.” God, this was brilliant. Michaels was sent back into the turnbuckle as Flair tried to dump Bulldog, Santana kneeing him in the back to stop it. He then flew off the ropes for what Bobby termed “the flying Jalapeño” to send Flair down. #8 was the Barbarian, Monsoon mocking Heenan with “The Barbarian doesn’t like Flair.” “When I managed him, he barely liked me!” Heenan retorted. He went after Smith as Flair and Michaels teamed on Santana, Flair soon moving to help Barbarian. He then went after Michaels with a knee to the back and chopped Santana as Heenan yelled at Flair to just wait in a corner. Michaels went up the turnbuckle, waving at Santana who smartly stayed away. Soon, Tito was trying to throw Michaels over, Flair coming to grab Tito so Shawn snuck in under the rope.

#9 was Kerry Von Erich and while WWF wouldn’t acknowledge it at the time, it was a great treat for the fans who knew Flair’s history to see him facing some old adversaries. Flair naturally stood ready, knowing who Kerry would be going after but was unprepared for a series of punches that sent him into the corner, followed by a discus punch, Flair marching out to flop on his face. Santana and Barbarian fought in a corner as Michaels headed to attack Kerry. He ate a discus punch for a gorgeous 360 spin, grabbed by the Bulldog who catapulted him into the corner and then ate a running clothesline. Even then, Shawn was showing the skills that would make him a huge singles star. Kerry was trying to punch Flair in the corner but Flair walked him out with a reverse atomic drop. More fighting occurred before the Repo Man entered at #10. Barry Darsow managed to make the goofy “evil repo agent” work by going so totally over the top with it, you couldn’t help but watch. He showed that here, scurrying about the ring for a bit before finally sneaking in to attack Michaels. Flair threw Santana through the ropes before helping the Barbarian chop on Von Erich. #11 was another old Flair face, Greg Valentine, the two former partners/rivals tearing into each other with chops. Flair ate an elbow for another flop, then got a taste of his own medicine as Bulldog held him so Valentine could chop away at him. Flair bounced back for a pair of eye pokes as Heenan told him to just rest. “Brain, why don’t you forget about it,” Monsoon started, pointing out again how nobody had drawn numbers 1 through 5 and won. “Will you shut up!” Heenan yelled. “I stand to make a fortune here!”

It was that period in the Rumble of a lot of guys in the ring, slowing the action down a bit. Flair hit a low blow on Repo Man as Nikolai Volkoff entered at #12. Flair and Valentine went at it again with wicked chops and a fun bit as Bulldog casually walked to Flair, slapped him on the head and when Flair turned in annoyance, Bulldog hit him with a forearm. Flair got Valentine down with a suplex but when he tried for the knee drop, Valentine grabbed the leg to put on the figure four, causing another Heenan meltdown. Meanwhile, we finally got another elimination as Repo dumped out Volkoff. Big Bossman was #13, punching everyone in sight to wake up the crowd. Repo continued his surprising run by managing to throw Valentine out. Michaels sold a great uppercut over the top rope but holding on still. Bossman then blasted Repo over the top to the floor as Heenan yelled at the director to keep the camera on Flair. “I need to know where he is at all times.” Bulldog head-butted Flair only to have Flair backdrop him over and then do the same to Von Erich. He smartly sat out in the corner as the other four fought it out, Heenan urging him to stay calm. Hercules was #14 as Flair held the Bossman for Barbarian to hit a charging kick. Hercules went right after Flair with punches in the corner before Barbarian broke it up. Flair high-fived Barbarian, then chopped him but Barbarian no-sold it. This was beautiful, Flair unable to not be the conniving bastard even when a guy was helping. Barbarian hoisted him up as Heenan screamed but Hercules raced over to shove Barbarian out, letting Flair slide back into the ring. Bossman charged Hercules, both going over the top, Bossman managing to hang on. Flair tried to beg him off, hitting an eye poke but got nailed with a clothesline. Bossman went for another splash but Flair ducked so Bossman went out, nearly snapping his neck on the bottom rope. The crowd roared as Heenan declared Flair the winner and Monsoon snapped there were plenty of guys left. Flair took a few steps before doing a spectacular flop in the ring to celebrate.

As Flair took deep breaths to get his strength back, the buzzer counted down and the crowd roared as Piper ran out at high speed. “Of all the people in the world…” Heenan moaned as Piper ran in to unload with punches and a big backdrop. Flair rolled under the ropes with Piper following, ramming Flair’s head into the steel rail. Flair was thrown back into the ring, trying to drag Piper’s throat across the rope but Piper pushed him back, entered and got an eye poke. Piper pushed him into the corner for a 10-count punch, Flair trying a reverse atomic drop but Piper no-sold it for another eye poke, followed by an old-fashioned airplane spin and then the sleeper and by this point, Heenan was literally frothing at the mouth howling for help, saying Piper didn’t even care about winning as he was already IC champ, he just wanted to make sure Flair didn’t win (Monsoon rightly pointing out Piper wanted the big belt as much as anyone). As Flair slumped, #16, Jake Roberts came out, running down, sliding into the ring…then just slouching in the corner, letting Piper work on Flair. Man, Roberts was so bad-ass at this point. He eventually decided to get involved to nail Piper, Heenan giving thanks. Jake shook Flair’ hand, then did the short-arm clothesline. “Never trust a snake, Monsoon!” Jake went for the DDT only to get clotheslined by Piper. “I never thought I’d say this but thank you, Roddy,” Heenan moaned. “It’s a kilt, not a skirt. It’s a kilt!” Flair slapped the figure-four on Jake but Piper kicked at Flair. “Why, you no good creep! You skirt-wearing freak!” This may very well by the most brilliantly laid-out Rumble ever, the way it was booked just flowing perfectly.

“Hacksaw” Jim Dugan was #17 for a big pop, immediately going after Flair as the crowd went into a “USA” chant. Dugan and Piper pounded at each other, Piper managing to sneak an eye poke on Flair during it all. Piper then bit at Flair’s head but Flair turned it into a back suplex, Roberts getting a reverse atomic drop on Dugan to send all four men down. Monsoon was giving Flair props for staying in this long while Heenan yelled that Hogan had to be behind Flair’s low number. Flair and Piper were at it again as IRS entered at #18, going after Flair. Dugan showed the stupidity of IRS’ outfit by holding his tie to pound on him. Dugan then held him to grab Flair and slam him and IRS together, causing another Flair Flop. Jimmy Snuka was #19, saving Flair from being eliminated, then headbutting him. A chop caused a rare Reverse Flair Flop as Snuka went after Dugan. Piper and Flair went at it again in the corner with Piper grabbing Flair by the nose to drag him out of the ring as Heenan moaned at Flair’s continual beating.

#20 was the Undertaker making a slow walk to the ring but once inside, he immediately got Snuka out. Flair went right after Taker with Heenan screaming “what is wrong with you, Ric?!” Taker began choking Flair in the corner as Heenan started groaning “it’s over, everything down the toilet” and Monsoon adding “why don’t you show some mercy, go down there and throw the towel in.” Dugan attacked Taker but got a surprising low blow as Flair rested. Taker yanked IRS by the throat on the second rope before Flair ran over to chop at him, Heenan yelling for Flair to just stay back and let guys get rid of each other. Taker grabbed both Flair and Dugan by the throat as the countdown began. Jake Roberts was by the corner and in a great visual, as Randy Savage ran out, Roberts immediately slid under the bottom rope as Savage was out for blood on the man who’d been attacking him and Elizabeth for the last several months. Savage looked about for Roberts, leaving himself open for the Undertaker as Heenan yelled at Flair to just take a break already. Seeing Savage attacked, Roberts entered the ring to pound on the Macho Man, trying the short-arm but Savage ducked, went off the ropes and nailed Roberts into the corner. He tossed Roberts across the ring, then hit a charging knee to the back to send Jake over the top rope. Savage then took to the top rope to fly down and attack Roberts on the outside. The Undertaker threw Savage back in, Heenan and Monsoon both confused as to whether or not he was eliminated, eventually figuring no, since he’d thrown himself out. Be a while before they made that ruling clear.

The goofball Berserker was #21, punching everyone in turn as Flair and IRS double-teamed Savage. Heenan was screaming for Flair to take a rest, going so far as to proclaim “I never thought I’d say this but weasel your way out if you have to!” On the apron, Flair tried to suplex Savage over the top rope but Savage reversed it to pull Flair back in. Virgil came out next and showing “every man for himself,” he and mentor Piper went at it hard and Taker choked Flair in the corner again (Heenan: “They’re gonna have to kill him to get him out of the ring!”) It was clear they were just killing time for Hogan, Colonel Mustafa (the Iron Sheik) out at #24 to attack Duggan as Flair got another 10-punch in the corner from Piper. Rick Martel was #25, looking quite happy as, having set the record for longevity the previous year, he was confident of his chances here. In a nice touch, he and Flair squared off as Monsoon noted Flair was about to break that record in a couple of minutes. Savage dumped out Mustafa as Martel tried to bounce Flair off his shoulders over the ropes.

Hulk Hogan was next, causing a monster pop as folks knew the bodies were about to fly and Heenan screaming “Oh my God, no!” Hogan hit double noggin-knockers to Flair and Taker, followed by Taker and IRS. He pounded on Flair before Berserker and Taker double-teamed him in the corner. Hogan fought back to clothesline Taker over the top rope, Taker landing on his feet to glare at the ring and Heenan was pleading with God to let Flair win.. Berserker charged and Hogan dropped him out too before tearing off his shirt and using it to choke Martel. Virgil went for a flying bodypress on Dugan that sent both men out to the floor, clearing the field more. Hogan and Flair fought as IRS used Hogan’s shirt to choke Piper. #27 was Skinner as Hogan came close to throwing Flair over the top and Heenan was literally crying before IRS saved Flair. Heenan claimed to be soaking wet from sweat, yelling once more for someone to get him a drink. Martel and Flair double-teamed Piper to try and toss him out but Piper leg-scissored Martel to break it up. Sgt Slaughter was #28 to a mild pop as Martel managed to eliminate Skinner. Piper and Hogan went at it with each other for the first time in years as Monsoon announced Flair had officially broken the record for the longest time. “Give him the title, that’s good enough for me,” Heenan declared. Flair tried to throw out Savage only to get his back raked by Hogan.

Sid Justice was #29 to a big pop and Heenan groaning “I forgot about him!” (easy mistake). Sid pounded on IRS, getting him close to being out as Flair and Hogan went at it again, Monsoon stating that win or lose, Flair had proven himself a champion here. We got more brawling before the final entry came out, Warlord (with Heenan bragging about knowing it was him with Monsoon snapping “there’s no one else left!”) As he entered, Flair made the mistake of going to the top rope only to get slammed off by Hogan. Flair went under the bottom rope, grabbing Hogan’s leg to drag him out so they brawled outside, Hogan suplexing Flair on the floor. In a great visual, Sid flung Slaughter from one side of the ring to the other, sending him flying over the turnbuckles and post and to the floor. That was damn awesome. Hogan whipped Flair off the ropes for the big boot, Flair managing to get another eye poke to push him back. IRS dumped Piper over the top but Piper hung on the apron and, in a move I was dying to see, grabbed IRS by his tie to yank him out and to the floor. Hogan and Sid then teamed up to dump out the Warlord. Hogan put Flair into the corner for yet another 10-count punch while Sid took advantage of Martel and Piper fighting by the ropes to dump them both out.

That left us with four. Sid hung Savage by the corner, getting him close to being out. Flair ran over to knee Sid in the back which was the final push to send Savage to the floor. Hogan went at Flair, chopping away as Sid just watched. Hogan got Flair by the ropes, close to pushing him over but Sid came over to grab Hogan by the legs and toss him over the top. Hogan and the crowd were shocked, yelling at each other, Sid just saying “no friends.” Hogan grabbed Sid by the arm, holding him back, giving Flair the chance to come up behind Sid and dump him over. Heenan went totally crazy cheering out “YES YES YES YES YESSS! YESSSS!” as Flair collapsed in the ring. Perfect ran out to help the exhausted Flair leave as Hogan and Sid got into the ring, soon yelling at each other as a flood of officials ran in to separate them. It’s interesting that WWF altered the audience reaction for broadcasts to make it sound like the majority of fans were booing Sid. But recent DVDs have the original sound with the crowd cheering, a major sign Hogan was growing stale with WWF fans.

The show ended with Flair triumphantly backstage with a jubilant Heenan and Perfect, accepting the title from Tunney and doing a great promo. Sure, his record would be broken by guys who drew number one but it’s hard to top this Rumble in terms of sheer entertainment. This was the high point of Flair’s WWF run, silencing the critics who had dismissed him as over the hill and proving himself worthy of holding the belt. But the real reason this Rumble shines is Heenan’s fantastic commentary as he goes from confident to worried to pessimistic to outright suicidal as the match goes on and Flair takes a pounding. Monsoon was also good, needling Heenan for a while but forced to acknowledge Flair’s magnificent effort. Plus, the way it was so wonderfully booked, the match flowing well, great showdowns like Savage/Roberts and Flair facing old foes, all coming into one great package. For my money, the best Rumble of them all that still stands out today.