Video: There’s a montage of pre-recorded comments from more Royal Rumble participants featuring Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake, Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine, The Powers Of Pain & Mr. Fuji, ‘Big’ John Studd, Mr. Perfect and more.

Backstage: ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund is joined by ‘The Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase & Virgil. MDM speaks about how being as wealthy as him allows for luck. Gene interrupts and asks about his meeting with Slick, DiBiase wondering why Okerlund is prying into his business. On the other side is Sean Mooney with Andre The Giant, Bobby’ The Brain’ Heenan & The Brainbusters. Heenan states he doesn’t know how the other managers prepare his men, but you can be sure that his guys are ready. Tully says it’s an honor to be in the Rumble, Arn saying in order to win you have to go for the jugular. Andre doesn’t know when he’s coming into the ring, but he knows when he’s going out and that’s last. Gene is now with Hulk Hogan, Hogan telling him that the Rumble will be the resurrection of Hulkamania. If Boss Man gets in his way, he’ll give him a lifelong sentence. Okerlund wonders aloud if it could come down to Hogan & Savage, Hulk saying they’re friends, but Macho will find out why he has the largest arms in the world.

Match #4 is the Royal Rumble Match

• Entry #1 is Ax. Entry #2 is Smash. Demolition goes right after each other at the bell. They take turns hitting the ropes and colliding shoulder, neither getting the advantage. Smash with big rights to Ax in the corner, charges in and runs into a boot. Ax fires out with a clothesline, then pummels his tag partner to the mat. Smash to his feet, goes to the midsection and then slams Ax, following with a clothesline. He now pummels Ax into the canvas, then grabs a chinlock. Ax goes to the eyes to break it, tosses Smash over the top and he hangs onto the ropes to stay in. Smash clobbers Ax from behind, more right hands in the corner as the clock counts down…
• Entry #3 is Andre The Giant. The 8th Wonder Of The World gets some words from Heenan, enters the ring and Demolition now teams up on The Giant, taking him down with a double clothesline. They pummel Andre on the canvas, choking him with their boots and unloading more heavy shots. The Giant fights to his feet, Demolition goes for the legs and Andre again fights them off. Demolition beating up Andre in the corner, double noggin knocker from The Giant as the clock strikes zero…
• Entry #4 is Mr. Perfect. Perfect hits the ring and fires right hands at everyone. The Giant grabs Smash by the hair and tosses him over with one hand. Smash has been eliminated. Ax & Perfect now team up on Andre, recognizing that they have to wear down the big man. Ax turns on Perfect, sending him sternum hard into the turnbuckles, sternum-first. The Giant divides and conquers, nearly eliminating Perfect with a headbutt as the clock winds down…
• Entry #5 is ‘Rugged’ Ronnie Garvin. Garvin joins in, making a 3 on 1 against Andre, The Giant gets tied in up in the ropes and they try to lift him over by the legs. Andre kicks everyone off and we start to get some pairing up. Andre squashes Ax in the corner, sitting right on his chest and taking down Garvin & Perfect. More pairing off as the countdown begins…
• Entry #6 is Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine. Valentine enters the ring and now we get 4 on 1, Andre battling out of it and hip tossing Ronnie Garvin over the top. ‘Rugged’ Ronnie Garvin has been eliminated. Perfect with a slam on Ax as The Hammer pummels Andre in the corner. The Giant turns the tide as Ax does the same, leveling Perfect with a clothesline and going back after Andre. The Giant chokes Ax in the corner as the buzzer sounds…
• Entry #7 is Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts. Roberts doesn’t hesitate to go after his rival Andre, Valentine tries to get involved and the shots to The Giant have little affect. Andre chokes The Snake out in the ropes while Perfect & Valentine double team Ax. Ax gets Perfect across the corner and The Hammer switches his attention to try and eliminate Perfect. More choking to Roberts from The Giant as the clock counts down.
• Entry #8 is ‘Outlaw’ Ron Bass. Andre tosses Jake as The Outlaw slides in the ring. Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts has been eliminated. The Hammer & Perfect with a failed double team to The Giant, Bass & Ax continue to go back and forth. The Giant sandwiches Perfect & Valentine in the corner, utilizing his body weight to squash them both and here’s the clock…
• Entry #9 is Shawn Michaels. The Rocker quickly hits the ring and fires away at The Outlaw, Perfect & Ax battle on the ropes, Perfect back body dropping Ax outside. Ax has been eliminated. Perfect grabs Michaels and throws him over, celebrating and turning his back as Michaels hangs onto the ropes and pulls himself back in. Michaels flattens Perfect with a clothesline, taking a dropkick that nearly eliminates him. Andre has bludgeoned Valentine & Bass, Michaels & Perfect duking it out in the corner. The Hammer finally gets to his feet, helping Perfect gain control of Michaels, then turning his focus back to Andre as the clock hits zero…
• Entry #10 is Bushwhacker Butch. Butch hits the ring and Jake ‘The Snake’ is right behind, bag over his shoulder. Roberts lets Damien loose in the ring, Andre running for his life and he eliminates himself trying to get out of the ring. Andre The Giant has been eliminated. Everyone in the ring pauses with Jake & Damien in the ring, order being restored as Roberts makes his exit. The Hammer works over Butch in the corner and Perfect & Bass team up on Michaels. Michaels reversing a whip and Perfect clotheslines Bass as the 10 count start…
• Entry #11 is The Honky Tonk Man. HTM slides in and now we get three pairs, in seperate corners. Bass saves Honky from an elimination, Perfect & Michaels being whipped into one another from opposite corners. Michaels staves off elimination, Perfect pressing HTM for an elimination and here’s the countdown…
• Entry #12 is Tito Santana. Santana enters and goes right for Mr. Perfect, sending him into the ropes and hitting a back body drop until The Outlaw stops his momentum. Bass with a big back body drop to Michaels, double suplex with Perfect’s help as Butch bites Honky Tonk in the corner. Santana saves Micahels from going over the top as the clock winds down…
• Entry #13 is Bad News Brown. Bad News goes after the first guy he sees which is Bass, Butch & Tito team up to toss HTM out to the floor. The Honky Tonk Man has been eliminated. Tito drops Valentine, but is unsuccessful at eliminating him, Perfect leveling Butch with a clothesline. Michaels heads up top, connecting with a double fist to Brock & Bass, Valentine nearly eliminating him with an atomic drop as the clock strikes zero…
• Entry #14 is Marty Jannetty. Michaels’ partner wastes no time to get in, running right into The Outlaw upon arrival. Michaels comes to the rescue as The Rockers team up for a double back elbow, then a double dropkick that sends Bass flying over the top rope. ‘Outlaw’ Ron Bass has been eliminated. Santana ducks a right off the ropes from The Hammer, connects with the flying forearm and Butch comes in to lend a hand in trying to toss Valentine as the next entrant is ready to come out…
• Entry #15 is ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. The WWF Champion hits the ring like a house of fire, going right after Bad News and viciously beating him down until The Hammer grabs him from behind. The action is fast and furious now, with multiple double teams, Savage avoiding a charging Brown in the corner as the clock ticks down…
• Entry #16 is Arn Anderson. Macho flips Valentine out as Anderson slides into the ring, going right for Shawn Michaels. Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine has been eliminated. Michaels connects with a superkick to Arn, Savage attacks Michaels, teaming with Anderson for a double back elbow that sends Michaels out backwards. Shawn Michaels has been eliminated. Jannetty seeks revenge on Double A while Macho goes back to Bad News. Anderson heads up top, Jannetty catches him with a right and Arn gets crotched on the turnbuckle as we get another entrant…
• Entry #17 is Tully Blanchard. Blanchard enters and goes right for The Brainbusters’ rival Jannetty. Marty avoids an inverted atomic drop, leveling Blanchard with a clothesline before Double A is over to help out. Anderson plants Jannetty with a spinebuster, The Brainbusters struggle to eliminate him, but finally do. Marty Jannetty has been eliminated. The buzzer sounds for our next man out…
• Entry #18 is Hulk Hogan. The Hulkster sprints to the ring and comes in cleaning house, tossing Perfect over the corner to the outside and a double noggin knocker for The Brainbusters. Mr. Perfect has been eliminated. The Brainbusters dump Tito as the camera is focused on Hogan and Bad News in the corner. Tito Santana has been eliminated. The Brainbusters and Brown have Hulk planked across the top in the corner, trying to get him over the top as the countdown begins…
• Entry #19 is Bushwhacker Luke. Bad News tosses Butch just as his partner Luke is getting into the action, The Mega Powers put Brown in a tough spot right after. Bushwhacker Butch has been eliminated. Everyone pairs off now with The Brainbusters switching off to help each other out. Hogan presses Blanchard, dropping him across the top rope throat-first. Hogan connects with a big boot to Arn as the clock hits zero…
• Entry #20 is Koko B. Ware. Koko hits the ring and delivers a couple of dropkicks, then rescues Macho Man from Bad News. Double A climbs upstairs, Hogan sees it and slams Anderson to the canvas. Hulk goes to the eyes of Luke and Koko as they double team him, he back drops The Birdman to the outside, then does the same for Luke. Koko B. Ware has been eliminated. Bushwhacker Luke has been eliminated. The Brainbusters with a double team to Hogan, as Bad News pummels Savage and here’s the clock…
• Entry #21 is The Warlord. As Warlord makes his way to the ring, Hulk gets ahold of Tully & Arn, sending them both flying backwards over the top rope and to the floor. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard have been eliminated. Warlord poses on the apron, steps in and is immediately clothesline by The Hulkster back out. The Warlord has been eliminated. Bad News has Savage in trouble on the ropes, Hogan’s feeling it now and he grabs them both and dumps them over the top. Bad News Brown & ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage have been eliminated. Macho hops right back in the ring and gets in Hulk’s face, hot that he threw him over the top. Hogan tries to explain, but Macho isn’t hearing it and there’s some shoving. Elizabeth makes her way out to the ring, stepping between The Mega Powers, pleading with both of them and getting them to shake hands as our next entrant is…
• Entry #22 is Big Boss Man. Savage wishes Hogan luck before he leaves, Boss Man entering the ring and Hogan levels him with a clothesline. Hulkster dropping elbows, slams Boss Man, then tries to whip him into the corner. Boss Man reverses, following in with a splash, then spiking Hogan with a piledriver and basking in the crowds ‘boos’. Boss Man plants Hulk with a slam, then misses a splash as the buzzer goes off…
• Entry #23 is Akeem. The Twin Towers are joined now, but Hogan rams them into one another, slams The African Dream and then the numbers game finally catches up to him. Hulk almost gets tossed out, slides out and then gives them a double noggin knocker. He back suplexes Boss Man, but Akeem has recovered and ambushes him from behind. The Twin Towers with a double splash to the Hulkster, then they both toss him to the outside. Hulk Hogan has been eliminated. Hulk pulls Boss Man to the outside, sending him into the timekeeper’s table. Akeem is out after the Hulkster as the next entrant comes out…
• Entry #24 is Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake. Brutus heads right over to Hogan’s aid, the legal men finally get in the ring and the referees regain order. The Twin Towers double team Brutus, Boss Man hits the ropes and Hogan pulls the top rope, causing Boss Man to spill out to the floor. Big Boss Man has been eliminated. Hogan and Boss Man brawl their way up the aisle and back to the locker room area, Akeem totally dominating The Barber in the ring, planking him across the top in the corner as the buzzer sounds…
• Entry #25 is The Red Rooster. Rooster goes right after Akeem and that was a bad idea, The African Dream planting him with a slam, then turning into a 2nd rope double axe from Beefcake. Akeem gets sent into the corner, Rooster & Brutus working together and whipping each other into The African Dream in the corner. Akeem’s size saves him from being tossed out, fighting off the double team briefly. The African Dream gets tied up in the ropes as the clock counts down…
• Entry #26 is The Barbarian. Barbarian evens up the heel and face odds, helping Akeem out, then getting attacked by The African Dream. The 4 pair off in opposite corners, Rooster reigning down rights to Akeem from the 2nd rope. Akeem battles off an elimination attempt, dropping The Rooster and squashing him with a 747 as the next entrant makes their way to the ring…
• Entry #27 is ‘Big’ John Studd. Studd steps over the top, shoving The Rooster out of the way to go after Akeem. The two big men exchange shots in the corner as Barbarian levels Rooster. Brutus is over to help out, choking Barbarian with the top rope as the clock strikes zero…
• Entry #28 is Hercules. Herc enters the ring, lending a hand to The Barber on Barbarian. Hercules tries to help Studd out with Akeem, Studd pushes him off and flattens him with a clothesline as the next entrant hits the ring…
• Entry #29 is Rick Martel. Martel goes right for The African Dream, Big John again pushing away any kind of help, wanting Akeem to himself. Martel dropkicks Rooster, gets him to his shoulders and attempts to dump him out unsuccessfully. The battle rages on as our final entrant makes his way out.

Entry #30 is ‘The Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase. DiBiase goes right after his rival Hercules, turns his attention to The Rooster and eats a flying forearm out of the ropes. Rooster with rights in the corner, DiBiase turns the tables, whips him across and Rooster is turned upside down, falling over the top and outside. The Red Rooster is eliminated. Herc still wants a piece of MDM, flattening him with clotheslines and then beating him down with heavy shots in the corner. The Barber grabs a sleeper on Hercules, Herc stumbles to the ropes and DiBiase along with Barbarian come from behind to dump them out. Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake & Hercules have been eliminated.

Barbarian with a big shoulder tackle to Martel, powerslams him to the canvas and then connects with a diving headbutt off the top. Barbarian hits the ropes, missing a clothesline, Martel with a dropkick to the back and Barbarian is sent over the top. The Barbarian has been eliminated. We’re down to 4, pairing off and Martel avoids a corner splash from Akeem, hitting multiple dropkicks. He goes for a crossbody, The African Dream catches him and hurls him to the floor. Rick Martel has been eliminated. DiBiase & Akeem double team Big John, wearing him out in the corner as MDM directs traffic.

Akeem with a corner splash, DiBiase tells him to do it again and Studd pulls DiBiase in front of him. Akeem tries to help MDM to his feet, Studd grabbing him from behind and tossing him over. Akeem has been eliminated. DiBiase gets to his feet, turns around and realizes he’s left alone against Big John. MDM tries to buy him off, but it doesn’t work and Studd grabs him by the throat off the 2nd rope. He drops DiBiase in the corner, catches MDM’s foot and connects with a big right, slamming him to the mat. Studd with a double underhook suplex, then a gutwrench and an irish whip for a clothesline. Big John grabs ahold of DiBiase, sending him flying to the outside.
Winner: ‘Big’ John Studd

• After The Bell: Virgil ambushes Studd from behind to no affect, Big John leveling him with a shoulder out of the ropes and then a body slam. He sends Virgil in for a clothesline, then tosses him outside for an ‘unofficial elimination’.
• EA’s Take: Interesting choice of a winner here, as it would lead you to believe that the WWF had big plans for Big John following coming out of retirement in late 1988. This would become Studd’s signature win of his career however, as the Royal Rumble match’s importance was not on par with where it is today. The match was booked better than last year’s 20 man version, but still needs tweaking as the final few guys in the ring didn’t make much sense. The friction continuing to rise between The Mega Powers is the bigger story here.

EA’s Finisher: Although the Rumble match itself still needs adjustments in terms of booking, it was far more entertaining than the inaugural one last year. The undercard still needs a lot of work, as it seems WWF isn’t keen on the idea of having Rumble participants work twice. It was odd that last year’s winner ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan would be completely left out because of competing in the opening 6 man contest. The booking of Harley Race/Haku was shotty at best, Bobby Heenan being the only entertaining part of it with his constant flip-flopping during the match to whoever had the upper-hand. Interest in women’s wrestling was completely dwindled at this point, making the WWF Women’s Title match completely meaningless. Things would pick-up however, heading to the next event WrestleMania V.

Top Three To Watch
1 – Hart Foundation & Jim Duggan vs. The Rougeaus & Dino Bravo
2 – Royal Rumble Match
3 – Harley Race vs. King Haku

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