Backstage: Gene Okerlund brings in Mr. Perfect to talk about his interference in The Genius’ match. Perfect says he’s sick of Beefcake cutting people’s hair, specifically a friend of his. Brutus is just another reason why The Perfect One is heading to the top of the WWF. Perfect reveals he chose number 30 for the Royal Rumble.

In The Ring: He claims to love us all and that man’s name is Brother Love. He speaks about a woman of class, a woman of exquisite beauty, introducing his guest Queen Sherri. Brother Love talks about a woman with no class, no finesse and a woman that’s ugly, introducing his next guest, Sapphire. Sherri wonders who dresses Sapphire so she doesn’t look like her, referring to her as a peasant. The Queen doesn’t think Sapphire is good enough to be in the same ring as them, Brother Love agrees. He asks Sapphire another question and again doesn’t allow her to answer. Sherri and Brother Love continue to belittle her, Sapphire finally has had enough of it and she slaps the Queen down. ‘Macho King’ Randy Savage hits the ring, which in turn prompts out Dusty Rhodes. Savage drops a double axe handle off the top to the outside, Sapphire hops on Macho’s back and a gang of referees head out to break things up. Brother Love continues to shoot his mouth off, Dusty heads into the ring and slams him, then holds him up for Sapphire to lay in a slap before tossing him to the outside.

Backstage: Sean Mooney welcomes ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan in, Hacksaw reminds Big Boss Man that this is the land of the free. It was only a matter of time before they crossed paths and no matter what Boss Man thinks, he’ll bring the fight.

Match #4: Big Boss Man w/Slick vs. ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan
They lock-up in the center of the ring and immediately slug it out, Boss Man gets the early edge, Duggan reverses a whip into the ropes and scores with a clothesline. Boss Man stays on his feet, Hacksaw with another clothesline and Boss Man falls to the outside. He drags Duggan out to the floor, Hacksaw fires away with lefts and rights, Boss Man goes to the eyes and drives Duggan into the ring post. He charges Hacksaw, misses and meets the post himself, Duggan throwing him back inside for more heavy shots. Boss Man counters a whip out of the corner, sends Duggan in and squashes him with an avalanche.

He shoots Duggan into the ropes, Boss Man attempts a kick, Hacksaw catches the foot and Boss Man comes back around with an enzuigiri. Boss Man keeping the pressure on with headbutts and clubbing shots, dropping Duggan with stiff right hands and choking him on the 2nd rope with a seated senton. He drives Hacksaw into the top turnbuckle, Duggan with a rush of adrenaline fires back, sends Boss Man into the ropes and ducks his head. Boss Man has it scouted, dropping a double axe to the back for a 2 count, then punishing Duggan more with a choke. Slick gets in a cheap shot while Boss Man has the ref distracted, Boss Man then utilizing a chinlock, wrenching Hacksaw’s neck.

Duggan fights to his feet, breaking the hold and hitting the ropes, but running into a knee lift. He chokes Hacksaw on the mat, Duggan battles to his feet again and Boss Man goes to the eyes, then back into the neck wrench, breaking it with a choke. Boss Man drops a knee for a count of 2, locks in a bearhug, the ref checks the arm and Hacksaw fights back. Boss Man takes him down, Hacksaw gets the bottom rope to force the break, Boss Man pummeling Duggan in the corner. Hacksaw mounts a comeback with heavy right hands, clotheslining Boss Man over the top, he slides right back in the ring for an elbow drop and misses.

Duggan buries right hands to the breadbasket, climbs to the 2nd rope to reign down a flurry more, shoots Boss Man across, charges in and Boss Man side-steps it. He levels Hacksaw with a clothesline, climbs to the top turnbuckle and Duggan rolls out of the way of a splash. Duggan charges Boss Man, they collide heads and both men go down. They struggle to a vertical base, Slick hops on the apron and grabs Duggan, Boss Man charges in and Hacksaw side-steps it, Slick getting dropped to the floor. Boss Man sneaks the night stick in, Slick back to the apron to hold the ref’s attention, but he turns around just in time to see Duggan get drilled with the night stick.
Winner: ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan (Disqualification)

• After The Bell: Duggan goes to his trusty 2×4, slides in the ring behind Slick & Boss Man, laying Boss Man out with it. Slick takes a 2×4 shot for his troubles and Hacksaw holds the ring.
• EA’s Take: Another total brawl here with mountains of punches. This would be the final time for a long time that the Big Boss Man would be used as a heel, turning on his manager Slick shortly following the Royal Rumble after refusing to do dirty work for Ted DiBiase. Naturally, this would set Boss Man up to meet his former partner at WrestleMania, while Hacksaw would meet a former rival in a grudge match.

Video: Participants in the Royal Rumble match cut interviews earlier in the day including Demolition, Dino Bravo, Bad News Brown, Dusty Rhodes, The Rockers, Hercules, Rick Martel, Jimmy Snuka and more.

Match #5 is the Royal Rumble Match

• Entry #1 is ‘The Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase. Entry #2 is Koko B. Ware. DiBiase jumps Koko as he gets into the ring, shoots him into the ropes and dros him with a back elbow. The MDM real aggressive here, firing away with right hands and boots. He sends Koko hard into the corner, then rams him head-first into the top turnbuckle. It has no affect on The Birdman, he goes to DiBiase’s eyes and scores with a dropkick, delivering a series of right hands. He has DiBiase staggered on the ropes, charges and gets back body dropped over the top rope. Koko B. Ware has been eliminated. MDM will get a chance for a brief rest as the clock ticks down…
• Entry #3 is Marty Jannetty. The MDM is able to jump Jannetty sliding in, sends him into the ropes, Marty slides through and hits a dropkick. Jannetty whips DiBiase into the corner, rushes in and meets a boot to the face. MDM takes control, shoots Marty into the ropes and turns him inside-out with a clothesline, hops to the 2nd rope for a double axe handle and takes a right hand to the breadbasket. Jannetty fires back with right hands, catches DiBiase with a jumping back elbow out of the ropes, then reverses a whip back in. Marty with a go-behind, pushing MDM into the ropes, DiBiase hangs on, Jannetty charges for a crossbody and DiBiase ducks it, Marty spilling over the top to the floor. Marty Jannetty has been eliminated. The MDM celebrates as the countdown begins…
• Entry #4 is Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts. The Snake takes his time getting to the ring, DiBiase gets in the first shot and they go through the ropes to the outside. MDM slams Roberts on the floor, goes to lock in The Million Dollar Dream and Jake forces him into the ring post to break it. Back in the ring, The Snake whips DiBiase into the corner, hitting a back body drop off the rebound and then leveling him with a short-arm clothesline. Roberts calls for the DDT, DiBiase flips Jake over to get out of it, but misses a follow-up elbow drop. The Snake looks for the DDT again, MDM backs him into the corner and drives shoulders to the midsection, Jake catching him coming in with a knee lift. 10, 9, 8…
• Entry #5 is ‘Macho King’ Randy Savage. Macho goes right after Roberts, Jake drops him with a clothesline, goes to knee lift DiBiase again and misses, driving himself into the turnbuckles. Savage chokes The Snake, drops a knee from the 2nd rope and the double team is on. MDM drops an elbow from the 2nd rope, Macho King follows with a top rope double axe. They tie Roberts up in the ropes and deliver more punishment as the countdown hits…
• Entry #6 is ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper. Jake finally gets some help as Hot Rod unloads on DiBiase & Savage, they attempt a double team clothesline, Piper ducks it and hits a double clothesline of their own. They 4 pair off with Piper & Roberts fighting back to back. Roddy works with The Snake to eliminate Macho in the corner, but DiBiase is there to intervene as the clock strikes zero…
• Entry #7 is The Warlord. The heels now have a 3-2 advantage in the ring, Warlord pounding away at Roberts & Piper with clubbing shots. Piper battles back as Savage & MDM try to force Roberts over the top to no avail. Hot Rod fires up and delivers a double noggin knocker to Macho & DiBiase and here comes the countdown…
• Entry #8 is Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart. Now the face/heel odds are even, Hart avoids a double team from Savage & DiBiase, Macho getting hit with a right hand by mistake. Hot Rod & Hitman team-up to level Warlord with a clothesline, Piper looks for the elimination, but Warlord is just too big. Everyone pairs off to battle as #9 makes his way out…
• Entry #9 is Bad News Brown. Bad News enters right after Bret, Roberts drops DiBiase with another short-arm clothesline, attempts the DDT and Savage is there to make the save, clotheslining him to the outside. Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts has been eliminated. 2 on 1’s on both sides of the ring now, Bad News decides to go after DiBiase as the countdown is underway…
• Entry #10 is ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes. Dusty wastes no time going after Macho King, clobbering him with an elbow, shooting him into the ropes and dropping him with a back elbow. Bad News sneaks in a couple shots to Rhodes, Savage charges at him and The American Dream flips him over the top. ‘Macho King’ Randy Savage has been eliminated. The heels and faces pair off again as referees force Macho away from ringside, Hot Rod again trying to power Warlord over as the timer comes to an end…
• Entry #11 is Andre The Giant. The 8th Wonder Of The World saunters into the ring, Warlord makes the mistake of going right after him and Andre powers him over the top rope. The Warlord has been eliminated. Heenan & Fuji get into it at ringside as The Giant squashes Rhodes in the corner, then piles Piper in and sandwiches them. Dusty & Hot Rod turning the tables as the clock ticks…
• Entry #12 is The Red Rooster. Piper avoids elimination from Bad News Brown, elevates him over the top and Brown hits the floor. Bad News Brown has been eliminated. Bad News climbs right back to the apron, gets ahold of Roddy and drags him over, making him fall to the outside. ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper has been eliminated. Hot Rod is incensed, pulling Brown off the apron and they exchange right hands, battling down the aisleway as refs try and pry them apart. Virgil is able to help DiBiase stave off elimination while the referees are distracted and here’s the countdown…
• Entry #13 is Ax. Andre tosses The Rooster as Ax slides into the ring, Ax putting his focus on The Giant and clobbering him down to the canvas. The Red Rooster has been eliminated. Dusty comes over to lend Ax a hand, The Giant falls backwards into the ropes and gets tied up, Ax & Rhodes laying a beating down on The 8th Wonder Of The World as the countdown begins…
• Entry #14 is Haku. Haku slides in and immediately goes to help his partner, evening the odds for Andre. Everyone pairs off with The Colossal Connection working over Ax & Rhodes while DiBiase battles with Hitman. Dusty mounts a comeback, unloading on Haku with left handed jabs and a big elbow. The clock seems to be moving quicker now…
• Entry #15 is Smash. Demolition lays a pounding on The Giant, then turn to Haku and drop him with a double back elbow. There’s just random brawling all over the ring until we get our next entrant…
• Entry #16 is Akeem. Demolition turns their attention back to The Colossal Connection, dropping Haku with a double clothesline, then delivering one to the back on The Giant which sends him spilling to the outside. Andre The Giant has been eliminated. Demoliton now look to eliminate Haku, but Andre delivers a cheap shot from the floor as Hitman gets eliminated during the action. Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart has been eliminated…
• Entry #17 is Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka. Superfly springs into the ring where he’s met by Akeem, they exchange shots back and forth, The African Dream gets the quick edge. He celebrates a little early, turning his back on Snuka, The Superfly delivering a tackle from behind that forces Akeem over the top rope. Akeem has been eliminated…
• Entry #18 is Dino Bravo. More random brawling around the ring, everybody fighting for themself except for Demolition. 10, 9, 8…
• Entry #19 is The Canadian Earthquake. Quake goes right over to help his partner Bravo, levels Dusty with a clothesline to the back and Rhodes goes flying to the outside. ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes has been eliminated. Demolition looks to double team the big man, Haku comes over to get Smash and it allows Earthquake to power Ax over the top. Ax has been eliminated…
• Entry #20 is Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart. The Anvil goes after the biggest man, trying lift Earthquake to the outside with help from everyone in the ring, finally dumping him outside. The Canadian Earthquake has been eliminated…
• Entry #21 is WWF Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior. The Warrior takes the ring like a wildfire, going right after Dino Bravo and elevating him to the outside. Dino Bravo has been eliminated. Snuka, Smash & Haku team up to stop Warrior’s momentum, but he powers out before working over Smash in the corner…
• Entry #22 is ‘The Model’ Rick Martel. Haku & Smash go at it, Haku elevating Smash to the apron, then connecting with a superkick that drops him to the floor. Smash has been eliminated…
• Entry #23 is Tito Santana. Tito is quick to jump on his former partner Martel, driving his head into the top turnbuckle numerous times. Warrior flattens Haku with a clothesline, as Santana catches The Model with a right hand coming off the 2nd rope…
• Entry #24 is The Honky Tonk Man. Neidhart, Martel, Warrior & DiBiase all battle in a group near the ropes, Martel avoiding elimination and The Anvil falls over the top. Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart has been eliminated. DiBiase & Warrior continue the fight, Warrior reverses a whip into the ropes, DiBiase hangs on and Warrior charges in with a clothesline, sending him backwards to the outside. ‘The Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase has been eliminated…
• Entry #25 is WWF Champion Hulk Hogan. Hulkster levels Snuka with a clothesline that spills him to the outside, then works over Haku in the corner, shooting him across and charging in with a back elbow. Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka has been eliminated. Hogan whips Haku into the ropes now, connects with a big boot and Haku falls backwards over the top. Haku has been eliminated. Santana picks The Model up in a slam position to toss him over, Martel hangs onto the ropes and Warrior grabs Tito from behind, dumping him outside. Tito Santana has been eliminated. 4 left in the ring, pairing off in opposite corners with Honky choking Hulk with his own t-shirt as the clock starts…
• Entry #26 is Shawn Michaels. As Michaels enters the ring, Hulkster tosses Honky Tonk out, Warrior makes it a quick showing for Shawn, then powers The Model over the top, leaving only 2 standing in the ring. The Honky Tonk Man has been eliminated. Shawn Michaels has been eliminated. ‘The Model’ Rick Martel has been eliminated.Hogan & Warrior have a stand-off, pushing and shoving back and forth, then taking turns hitting the ropes and colliding shoulders. They go into a criss-cross, Warrior ducks a clothesline, both guys thinking the same thing and they lay each other out with a double clothesline…
• Entry #27 is The Barbarian. He takes advantage of both men being laid out, dropping elbows on each, then shooting Hogan into the ropes for a big boot. ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude hits the ring prematurely and unloads on the Warrior as Barbarian works over Hulk in the corner. Rude & Barbarian now go to double team Warrior, getting him elevated near the ropes, Hulk delivers a double clothesline to their backs and it sends Warrior to the outside. The Ultimate Warrior has been eliminated. Warrior slides back in the ring and lays out Rude & Barbarian with clotheslines, then sprints to the back…
• Entry #29 is Hercules. The Mighty One slides in and evens the odds with Hogan, Hulk delivering a slam to Barbarian and following with elbow drops. The last man makes his way to the ring…

Entry #30 is Mr. Perfect. Rude & Barbarian look to double team Herc, The Ravishing One holding him for a big boot, but Hercules ducks it. Barbarian charges The Mighty One near the ropes, getting back body dropped over the top. The Barbarian has been eliminated. Rude & Perfect now do the double teaming, whipping Herc into the ropes, Perfect scoring with a dropkick and Rude follows with a clothesline that sends him to the outside. Hercules has been eliminated. The Ravishing One & Perfect now set their sights on Hogan, laying a beating down. Perfect holds Hulk for Rude’s right hand, Hulkster ducks it and Perfect nearly gets sent out of the ring, hanging onto the apron.

Hulk whips Rude into the ropes, Perfect uses the top rope to pull himself to his feet, thus sending The Ravishing One to the floor. ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude has been eliminated. Hulk brings Perfect in the hard way, sends him into the ropes for a back body drop, Perfect lays in a kick and follows with a clothesline. The Perfect One takes control, firing away with right hands, then planting Hogan with a PerfectPlex that has no affect. He Hulks up, takes Perfect down with a double leg and catapults him into the ring post. Hogan follows with clotheslines, then tosses Perfect over the top in the corner.
Winner: Hulk Hogan

• After The Bell: The WWF Champion celebrates in the ring for the crowd, hitting his trademark poses to close the night.
• EA’s Take: Easily the most star-studded Royal Rumble match in its brief history to this point, the company was really starting to figure out how to book it. Again, nobody worked twice tonight, but the talent roster was so deep at this point in time. The Rumble match winner doesn’t yet earn a title shot at WrestleMania, but this was the Rumble that really started the concept of ‘Road To WrestleMania’. There were many confrontations during the contest that would continue/begin rivalries heading into WrestleMania including DiBiase/Roberts, Rhodes/Savage and Hogan/Warrior. Minor details are still missing such as the timing of the horn and the use of entrance music to get the best pop. The music was used briefly at the beginning, but not everyone even had music at this stage.

EA’s Finisher: By far the best Royal Rumble PPV to date with a decent undercard. The Royal Rumble match completely delivered and gave us one of the more memorable moments in history with Warrior & Hogan squaring off. When they went face to face, the crowd was totally invested as a face/face stand-off of that magnitude had never been seen before. Warrior was riding an incredible wave while Hulk was the top dog, forcing fans to choose which side they were on for the first time ever. This would set the wrestling world on fire as we head into one of my favorite PPVs of all-time, WrestleMania VI.

Top Three To Watch
1 – Royal Rumble Match
2 – Ronnie Garvin vs. Greg Valentine
3 – The Bushwhackers vs. The Rougeaus

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