WWF Royal Rumble 1995

[Enigma 0]

Yeah, I 100% remember a promo where IRS is walking around cemetery, pointing out people who died before they paid their taxes.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Then he repossessed their headstones!

[garfieldsnose 0]

Well, hating a guy who keeps beating wrestlers that are a part of your group isn't a "nonsense BS" reason for a feud, Jericholic.

[Darth Pipes 0]

Yeah, I 100% remember a promo where IRS is walking around cemetery, pointing out people who died before they paid their taxes.

 

He could do that with cemetaries filled with dead wrestlers I'm afraid.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

It's always funny with heels that you're never quite sure how kayfabe their gimmicked job is supposed to be. Big Bossman, Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly, Duke The Dumpster... these were men that, in universe, you were supposed to accept had two jobs (which though it was something of a running joke in the 90s, the new Shawn Michaels angle has shown wrestlers do need second jobs). But with heels, are they REALLY working a second job, or are they just demented assholes? It was pretty clear The Mountie was just insane and not really with the RCMP, but was it ever explained if Irwin was just a heel who accused people of being tax cheats to be an ass, or did he "really" have a second job as a tax man? Anyhow, I like how by 1994/1995 his gimmick had been merged with Repo Man - he not only called people tax cheats, he stole their stuff too.

[Enigma 0]

I remember seeing some IRS promos where he was working in an office, so I assume he was supposed to be a tax man.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I do recall him doing a Coliseum Video promo out of an office ("Tax Tips with Irwin R. Schyster").

[cabbageboy 0]

I always thought that these guys used to be these various professions but gave it up in order to focus on pro wrestling. Thus IRS was at one time a tax man but now was wrestling instead, but kept this as his act.

[bob_barron 0]

Jeff Jarrett was trying to use professional wrestling to springboard his country music career.

[Jericholic82 0]

Well, hating a guy who keeps beating wrestlers that are a part of your group isn't a "nonsense BS" reason for a feud, Jericholic.

Ok, maybe it's not, but I was pointing out that they had to come up with silly reasons for the feud to continue. I understand one guy stealing the urn, but you immediately do it again in the blowoff match? That's kind of a stretch. I suppose the kayfabe reason is Dibiase figured it would weaken Taker, but then he beat Bundy without posssesion of the urn, so you figured Dibiase would call it a night and leave Taker alone.

[King Cucaracha 0]

They gave absolutely no time to develop anything in the Rumble match and guys were flying in every 35-45 seconds by my watch, so it just ends up being a blur of mid-card guys that nobody bought as a shot to win. They might as well have had an HBK/Bulldog #1 contender's match.

 

The undercard was strong for a Royal Rumble. It was damn good for a 1995 WWF show.

 

I still contend they decided they wanted to do the "#1 and #2 in at the end" angle from early on and the rest of the Rumble became an afterthought from that point on. They put so little effort into it besides that, it just seemed like a case of getting it all out of the way.

 

Either they cut the Rumble time because the two starters were going coast to coast, so they needed to fill the rest of the PPV with longer matches, which helped to write most of the other credible wrestlers out of the Rumble. Or the matches on the undercard were there already, they got longer and they figured "eh, what's the point of dragging it out, take time out of the Rumble". Either way, outside of Bret attacking Owen and Backlund and a brief Mabel/Bundy showdown, Bulldog/Michaels was the only part of the Rumble with any point to it. Worst Rumble ever, on effort alone.

 

Funny thing is, it still produced the one moment replayed more than any other.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Based on how it was obviously booked for the #1 / #2 storyline, I doubt this is the case, but I do have to wonder if the one minute intervals were booked based on the 1994 Rumble. That was the first 90 second interval Rumble and it wasn't advertised as such - they said it was cut down for "time constraints" and Vince felt this would make it the MOST EXCITING RUMBLE EVER! Hence, his logic would be one minute would make it even MORE exciting. Just a theory.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Russo must have loved that since they did a royal rumble w/ 30 second intervals on Thunder during the 2000 Australian tour.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I remember renting this show and watching with a friend, and he kept asking "When are the actual good guys going to come into the Rumble?"

 

Yeah, that was a pretty jobberiffic year for WWF.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

For this year's viewing of the show (which is only the 2nd annual viewing of the show, probably only the second time since 1996 or so), I really tried to pay attention to everything that is wrong with the Rumble match itself. As I think I said above, it was last year's viewing that it hit me the Rumble match isn't good at all - I used to think it was fine when I was younger, but it is quite clearly not.

 

1. The roster. As a devoted fan in 1995, I didn't REALLY notice how bad the situation was, but HBK and Bulldog at #1 and #2 are two of the biggest names in the entire thing. Lex Luger comes is the 3rd biggest name in there, sadly (I believe after several jobs to the Million Dollar Corporation while Bulldog had been well proctected since his summer 94 return, he was a bit higher up the card, though they were practically equals). Sadly, I determined that Adam Bomb was the 4th highest legitimate "chance to win" star in there, but maybe that's because I was an Adam Bomb mark. Vince was pushing Crush as a likely winner but the very existence of Evil Japanese Crush in 1995 seems like an anachronism to me. It's funny watching the beginning of the show to see the roster lined up to hit on Pam - the FRONTLINE ROSTER is The Bushwacker, Well Dunn (WELL FRIGGIN DUNN), and Heavenly Bodies.

 

2. Nothing Happens - Part 1: The 60 second intervals are a total match killer. I can see WHY they would think the concept of making it the "fasted paced Royal Rumble in history" could be a good idea, but all it means is people come in at a rapid pace, nothing happens, and there are no well booked "Rumble moment" spots. Lots of people just entering and being tossed for no reason. The highlight - and think about this one - is Lex Luger coming in after Shawn and Bulldog cleaned house and eliminated a bunch of jobbers that piled up due to someone new entering every 60 seconds. He gets a good pop too. And what a waste this was of Rick Martel (who I also consider existing in 1995 WWF an anachronism - wikipedia says it was some last minute one shot to replace Neidhart). Also, Bulldog acts like his typical "Battle Royal Idiot" self by lifting up Shawn several times and purposely throwing him back to the mat. Someone else does this too but I forget who.

 

3. Nothing Happens - Part 2: Because it only takes 28 minutes (possibly less) for all 30 guys to enter the match, the match continues for another 10 minutes or so (it's listed as being 38 minutes long). Fine, great - the 2007 Rumble is largely great for the final 10 minutes between Taker and Michaels. This is a REALLY dull 10 minutes with Mantaur and Henry Godwin - who makes it to the final four, though they even screw that spot up by making it a "Final Five" spot - and such battling it out until they all get eliminated in unspectacular fashion.

 

I still like the undercard, but yeesh, what a bad Rumble match.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Sadly, I determined that Adam Bomb was the 4th highest legitimate "chance to win" star in there, but maybe that's because I was an Adam Bomb mark. Vince was pushing Crush as a likely winner but the very existence of Evil Japanese Crush in 1995 seems like an anachronism to me.

 

Well, Backlund was the former World Champion, so at a stretch I'd put him at number four. It's a big stretch, what with him losing the title in under a minute and lasting even less time in the Rumble and feuding with Bret... but still, the prospective winners list really IS that bad.

 

It's funny watching the beginning of the show to see the roster lined up to hit on Pam - the FRONTLINE ROSTER is The Bushwacker, Well Dunn (WELL FRIGGIN DUNN), and Heavenly Bodies.

 

Oh my god, one of my favourite segments ever! I remember Doink jumping around someone near the front and I'm sure Droese was in there somewhere. Maybe Mabel as well. Unintentional humour at it's finest. I'm sure Pam Anderson's been hit on by a LOT of people, but goodness knows what she thought of it all. Almost makes me wish Backlund had won.

[Darth Pipes 0]

It's always funny with heels that you're never quite sure how kayfabe their gimmicked job is supposed to be. Big Bossman, Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly, Duke The Dumpster... these were men that, in universe, you were supposed to accept had two jobs (which though it was something of a running joke in the 90s, the new Shawn Michaels angle has shown wrestlers do need second jobs). But with heels, are they REALLY working a second job, or are they just demented assholes? It was pretty clear The Mountie was just insane and not really with the RCMP, but was it ever explained if Irwin was just a heel who accused people of being tax cheats to be an ass, or did he "really" have a second job as a tax man? Anyhow, I like how by 1994/1995 his gimmick had been merged with Repo Man - he not only called people tax cheats, he stole their stuff too.

 

Not to mention Dusty Rhodes's "common man" gimmick of working multiple jobs and Doink being a clown. I remember IRS doing Bobby Heenan's taxes and declaring that Bobby only had to pay $200. Which Heenan noted at the Royal Rumble in a rant about Jameson.

 

What's interesting is that prior jobs helped create future gimmicks. Ray Traylor was a former prison guard. Paul Bearer worked a summer as an actual pallbearer.

 

Another thing that hurt the Royal Rumble in 95 is that two of the biggest wrestlers at that time, Owen Hart and Bob Backlund, were both eliminated by Bret Hart to further his feud with them.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

A notable thing about the 95 Rumble: It began the character trait of "Jerry Lawler: Wrestling Historian" where he spouts facts and figures (noting Razor won the IC title at SummerSlam thanks to Walter Payton, various Rumble stats) which lasted all the way to WrestleMania 11. I think it ended after that PPV.

[Enigma 0]

I like how in a Rumble with so many jobbers, Rick Martel, Owen Hart, and Bob Backlund were all eliminated within 30 seconds of arriving.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I do get a kick out of Mo's 2 seconds.

[King Kamala 0]

Mo getting eliminated in record time is besides the finish, the sole highlight of the Rumble. It didn't hurt that Mo was perhaps inexplicably the first babyface I didn't really like. Even as a six year old, I could tell he brought nothing to the table for Men on a Mission.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

A notable thing about the 95 Rumble: It began the character trait of "Jerry Lawler: Wrestling Historian" where he spouts facts and figures (noting Razor won the IC title at SummerSlam thanks to Walter Payton, various Rumble stats) which lasted all the way to WrestleMania 11. I think it ended after that PPV.

 

I loved how Vince seemed disgusted at Lawler's knowledge of the previous Royal Rumble quick trig record of Bushwhacker Luke (or maybe it was Butch).

 

See Mickey's hand?

Mickey's hand?!?

[Darth Pipes 0]

I've heard McMahon dropped a shoot comment when Lawler said the RR the previous year ended in a tie and Vince said that wouldn't happen again.

 

About the IC Championship...Razor Ramon would regain the IC title from Jeff Jarrett later that year. It was historic because after more than 15 years of the IC title, Ramon became the first three-time IC Champion. That should have been treated as a big deal, the problem was it happened at an untelevised house show. Jarrett would regain the title three days later, becoming the second three-time IC Champion. The info was mentioned on Superstars and Raw but it was a little-known title swap. HBK would become the three three-time champion later that year and Ramon would then win it for a fourth time.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I was always confused w/ the JJ/Holly & Savio/Goldust title switches. It was the same deal as faces won the titles w/ screwy finishes, Tunney/Monsoon holds it up and the heel wins the rematch.

 

I particularly marked out for the JJ/Holly debacle since it happened on the nothing happening Action Zone. Seeing angles on the B & C shows always meant more to me growing up than seeing Raw/1980s SuperStars gobble up all the good stuff. Of course, I missed the rematch as I had a family outing to go to that day or something. Yech.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Millennium: Hey, Action Zone had the first Barry Horowitz win.

 

As for the 95 Rumble...as this is the first Royal Rumble I ever saw, I didn't know better and enjoyed it. Looking in retrospect...yeah, not as good as a good majority of them.

 

Though I always get a laugh at how Luger eliminates Mabel.

 

And Lawler's line about Cornette being high on Mantaur...cause I always think "No, he just must be high for WANTING to manage Mantaur"

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

If you haven't seen Cornette's shoot (or maybe it was a Q&A session, I forget) where he talks about how he thought the company was either trying to rib him or make him quit by pairing him with Mantaur, then you must.

[King Kamala 0]

Weren't Mantaur and PN News related? Brothers I think. Anyways, if my memory serves me correct, that has to be the worst pair of siblings in wrestling.

[Guest Smues]

You dare insult PN News? YO BABY YO BABY YO!

[red29 0]

Vince's enthusiasm when Mantaur came out had me laughing. The costume killed me.

 

Poor Bam Bam - they lose the tag team match when Tatanka hits the rops and knocks Bam Bam off the top and to borrow from Scott Keith j- KILLS HIM DEAD! Takes 1-2-3 Kid 5 seconds to even start the cover and it still gets the pin.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I like how in a Rumble with so many jobbers, Rick Martel, Owen Hart, and Bob Backlund were all eliminated within 30 seconds of arriving.

 

This booking decision is what ultimately kills the match, IMO. A final five of HBK, Bulldog, Luger, Owen & Backlund would have been far more interesting than what we got.