"I’m winning!?!" – WWE veteran did not believe he was going to win the Royal Rumble after management told him
Winning the Royal Rumble match is an honor only a few select stars have achieved, and the first-ever winner of the marquee battle royal ''Hacksaw" Jim Duggan has spoken about how it felt to win the match itself.
The first edition of the match took place in 1988, which saw Duggan eliminate One Man Gang to become the first-ever winner. Although it was not marketed with the same fanfare as the event is today, the match is certainly seen as a high point in Duggan's career.
During a recent appearance on the Busted Open podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer recapped how he found out that he was going to win the match in 1988.
"Nobody was more surprised in that whole building than me that I won that thing, I tell ya. I was looking at the board and going down the board I’m like ‘I’m winning!?!’. That’s obviously the biggest feather in my cap, but I don’t think anybody realized how big the Royal Rumble would become." From 0:09 to 0:27
"I didn't have a clue until that day..." 🤯
On the anniversary of the first ever #RoyalRumble, @davidlagreca1 & @bullyray5150 are joined by the winner of that iconic event, @RealHacksawJim 👊
Full interview available on today's @BustedOpenRadio podcast:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw… https://t.co/iNaE26GL3S
This weekend will see the 36th edition of the iconic event taking place as 30 men and 30 women compete for an opportunity to face the Champions of their choosing at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles this April. The inaugural women’s match took place in 2018.
Check out 36 fascinating facts about the Royal Rumble:
Will The Rock return at the Royal Rumble?
A major point of speculation heading into the premium live event this Saturday is whether or not Dwayne Johnson will make his return to the ring to compete in the match.
Whilst giving no clear hint, The Rock recently spoke to CNBC, indicating that he has very little free time these days and therefore a possible return may not be likely.
"I used to have this mentality for a lot of years David, that well, my plate is full, however I'm gonna make room for it. And I would find a way to do that. And there is that great quote, and book, about power vs. force, so in many ways I was forcing a lot of things, throughout the years that caused somewhat of an imbalance. We all look for that balance. My days are very full." H/T Sportskeeda
Check out the full clip below:
The Rock is no stranger to the Royal Rumble as he won the match in 2000, eliminating The Big Show to win, which then propelled him to the main event of WrestleMania.
Do you think The Rock will return at the Royal Rumble this weekend? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you use the quotes above, please credit Busted Open and add a H/T to Sportskeeda for the transcription.