3 Worst Royal Rumble Wins
The Royal Rumble is one of the most exciting events in WWE. The Royal Rumble match is a thrilling spectacle as we get set for Wrestlemania. Each year we wait and see who is going to punch their ticket to the biggest event in sports entertainment.
Most of the time it sets up an incredible main event that fans will talk about leading up to Wrestlemania. However, other times it leaves a bad taste with fans that either makes them question the booking or causes WWE to call an audible on their decision.
I, like many fans, anticipate this event every year. We want to see either a superstar getting their due or a new challenger for the title that we think is going to deliver a classic main event.
Like life itself, it can never be perfect. There have been instances where after the Rumble has closed we are either puzzled at what we just saw or fill the arena with boos over not being satisfied.
Here are three such results in the WWE Royal Rumble match that were not very convincing:
3. 1994 Royal Rumble (Bret Hart/Lex Luger)
The Royal Rumble match came into existence in 1988, but it was only since 1993 that the winner of the match would receive a title match at the following Wrestlemania. Yokozuna won the 93 Rumble and had won his title match at Wrestlemania IX, defeating Bret Hart only to lose it minutes later to Hulk Hogan.
This new concept was so intriguing to fans as Yokozuna was built as an unstoppable monster and got his title shot by winning the Royal Rumble. We now thought that the winner of the Rumble will be the next WWE Champion. Of course WWE would do the same thing the following year, right? Think again.
The 1994 Rumble came down to Bret Hart and Lex Luger. Both men were trying to defeat each other in order to become number one contender to the strap. While Bret had Lex on the ropes, he tried one last power move to get Lex over and while he succeeded in the that, he threw himself over as well, with both men tumbling over the ropes onto the floor.
Two refs were posted up at ringside. One claimed he saw Bret's feet hit first while the other claimed Lex's feet at touched first. There was a lot of arguing back and forth as to who had really won the match. The WWE President at the time Jack Tunney made his way into the Providence Civic Center to discuss what had just happened.
After further discussion, ring announcer (and WWE Hall of Famer) Howard Finkel announced the crowd that a decision was made. He proclaimed both men's feet touched at the same time, therefore both Bret Hart and Lex Luger were named co-winners of the Royal Rumble.
The crowd was left confused over what had just been announced. A grueling battle ending in a tie? Besides a match ending in a draw, wrestling fans loathe not having a clear cut winner.
Let's just say in 2005 when this scenario popped up again, they did what they should have done in 94 and had both men go to sudden death where there must be a winner.
The situation got even murikier when Jack Tunney used a coin toss system to decide who would face the champion at WrestleMania. After a series of confusing events, Bret Hart defeated Yokozuna to walk out of WrestleMania as the world heavyweight champion.