WWF ROYAL RUMBLE - JANUARY 19, 1992

Meanwhile, This Tuesday in Texas concluded with Hulk Hogan seemingly winning his 4th WWF Championship by pinning The Undertaker. That was December 3rd, 1991. Here is what had been happening since then....

• On the 12/7/91 episode of WWF Superstars, WWF President Jack Tunney stripped Hogan of the title, declaring it vacant, and putting the title up for grabs, for the first time ever, in the 1992 Royal Rumble match. The two former champs, Hogan and The Undertaker would be given an advantage by drawing numbers between 20 and 30. 
• Roddy Piper decided to leave the announce booth and focus on training for the Royal Rumble, leaving the WWF Superstars announce team as Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect.
• Bret Hart was awarded the 1991 WWF Wrestler of the Year award during an in-ring presentation on the 12/14/91 episode of WWF Superstars. However, that would not help him during a house show in Springfield, MA on 1/17/92, when he would lose the WWF Intercontinental Championship to The Mountie. The scheduled match between Hart and The Mountie at Royal Rumble '92 would be changed to Roddy Piper vs. The Mountie, as Piper had a chance at both the WWF and Intercontinental titles in the same night.
• During the 12/14/91 episode of WWF Superstars, The Beverly Brothers attempted to assault superfan Jamison, but he was saved by The Bushwhackers. This would lead to a match between the two teams at Royal Rumble '92.
• On the 12/21/91 episode of WWF Superstars, Shawn Michaels worked an entire tag team match by himself, refusing to tag in his Rockers partner, Marty Jannetty. After the match, Jannetty left the ring while Michaels posed. 
• After a layoff of 2 months due to injury, Sid Justice was confirmed to return to action at Royal Rumble '92 and was entered in the Royal Rumble match.
• Vignettes began for the wrestler known as Chris Chavis, later to be rechristened Tatanka.
• On the 12/28/91 episode of WWF Superstars, Rick Martel made his return after a layoff of several months.
• Also on the 12/28/91 episode of WWF Superstars, WWF Tag Team Champions The Legion of Doom defeated The Rockers. During the match, Shawn Michaels inadvertently cost his team the match. After the match, The Rockers argued leading Michaels to slap Jannetty and leave the ring alone.
• Finally, on the 1/12/91 episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge, during a Barber Shop segment with Brutus Beefcake, The Rockers appeared to reconcile before Shawn Michaels superkicked Marty Jannetty and threw him through the plate-glass window of the Barber Shop set. Jannetty would be pulled from the Royal Rumble match and disappear for several months. 

Now that you're caught up to speed, let's review the 1992 Royal Rumble show, shall we?

RATED TV-PG for Violence!

You know, there are times I really miss Vince's growl as he introduces the Rumble participants. LIVE! (not really) from the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, NY. Your commentary team for this one are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan. They announce that The Mountie had beaten Bret Hart for the Intercontinental title and will defende against Roddy Piper. LOD defend the tag team championship against The Natural Disasters.

Match #1: The New Foundation vs. The Orient Express (w/ Mr. Fuji).

I also miss stereotypical entrance music for Japanese wrestlers. Jim Neidhart and Owen Hart had debuted their team just a few weeks earlier on TV, as Neidhart had been in the broadcast booth prior to this. Owen and Kato start us off. Lock up and Owen gets a wristlock, reversed by Kato, but Owen flips out to reverse it back. To the hammerlock, reversed by Kato, but Owen goes up and over. Owen gets an armdrag and knees the arm a couple times. To a knuckle lock for Kato, but Owen bridges out on the 2 count. He powers up, springboards off the top rope, and gets the hurricanrana to dazzle the crowd. Tag to Neidhart now, who hiptosses Kato out of the corner. Tanaka tagged in as the crowd is pretty hot for this opener. Tanaka can't slam Neidhart, who gets a shoulderblock. Tanaka bumps like a motherfucker here. Tag to Owen, who comes off the middle with an elbow drop for 2. Backbreaker gets 2. To the corner as Tanaka slugs away. Owen flips out of a corner whip attempt and gets an enzuigiri. Neidhart back in, but he is doubleteamed. Neidhart clothesline both of them, and Owen comes in with a flying crossbody on both guys that gets two. Suplex for Owen gets 2. Kato rolls to the outside for a breather. Back in, the crowd is still in this one. Owen runs the ropes and gets kicked by Tanaka from the apron. This provides enough distraction for Mr. Fuji to hit Owen with his cane. Tanaka takes control for his team with some thrusts to the throat. Kato in and he lands a kick for 2. Owen comes off the ropes into a back elbow that gets 2. Tanaka back in and whips him to the corner, and Owen takes the Bret bump. That gets 2 for Tanaka. Owen reverses another corner whip, but runs into a sweet superkick by Tanaka. Kato back in and we get our headlock segment. They still have the crowd here. Owen tries to elbow out, runs the ropes and gets a crucifix for 2. Tanaka back in for a sidekick and he goes low. Reverse chinlock for Tanaka. Owen elbows out, but Tanaka hits a beautiful flying chop to take Owen back down. Corner whip but Tanaka meets boot. Owen makes the hot tag, but Kato came in to distract the ref so it was missed. Owen is whipped into Fuji's cane in the corner, breaking it. Cover...1...2....kick out! Tanaka tagged in for a diving headbutt to the shoulder. Tanaka runs the ropes, Owen goes up and over, and nails his awesome belly-to-belly for a 2 count as Kato breaks it up. Neidhart comes in again, as the heels switch off illegally. Tanaka comes back in, gets Neidhart to come in like a sucker, allowing for more doubleteaming. Owen hits a double dropkick and gets the HOT TAG!! Neidhart is a house of fire! HUUUUUGE back bodydrop on Tanaka. Neidhart whips Owen through the ropes to Kato on the floor. Neidhart and Owen hit the Rocket Launcher on Tanaka! Owen covers....1....2.....3!! (17:18) ***1/2

WINNERS: The New Foundation. Great opener here. The crowd was into it all the way through. Owen took a beating and looked like a million bucks at the same time. This match and the 1991 Rumble opener the year before showed that The Orient Express (the Tanaka/Kato version) were an undervalued team. Unfortunately, Neidhart would leave not long after this, so we will never know how much success The New Foundation could have had.

Lord Alfred Hayes recaps the house show title loss for Bret Hart to The Mountie, as we get some brief footage from that show. The Mountie beats Bret with the title belt after the match, but Roddy Piper makes the save, setting up the title match tonight.

Sean Mooney is backstage with the NEW Intercontinental Champion The Mountie and his manager Jimmy Hart. Mountie questions Piper's win-loss record and how he earned the title shot on short notice. He's going to take Piper's skirt and manhood. I always had a feeling about French Canadians.

Gene Okerlund is with Piper for his counterpoint. In reference to The Mountie threatening to take Piper's manhood, Piper says he came to fight and isn't sure what Mountie came here to do. Mountie has been having wet dreams. Not vintage Piper. Give that man some cocaine, please!

Match #2: Roddy Piper vs. The Mountie (c) (w/ Jimmy Hart) - WWF Intercontinental Championship.

Mountie is taunting Piper about his kilt, so he throws it in Mountie's face and attacks with a flurry. Off the ropes, but Mountie hangs on and goes to the floor. Piper follows him out and takes him down. Mountie comes back and puts Piper in the ring. Off the ropes, Mountie goes up and over, but Piper stops himself and drops a fist on a prone Mountie. Piper hits a bulldog out of the corner. Piper covers...1...2...Mountie gets the foot on the rope. Piper gets in the eyepoke, which was still funny at this point. They slug each other back and forth and Piper misses a dropkick. Mountie covers...1...2...kick out! Mountie takes Piper's head to the corner.  Off the ropes and Mountie hits a flying back elbow. Cover..1....2...kick out! Mountie tosses Piper to the floor. From the apron, Piper gets a sunset flip...1...2...kick out! Mountie tosses Piper again, but he's right back in with some punches. Off the ropes, right to the midsection. Off the ropes again, Piper gets a back bodydrop. Off the ropes again, right hard to the gut flips the Mountie. Piper tosses Mountie, but he skins the cat back in. Jimmy Hart distracts Piper, and Mountie charges, but Piper moves, Mountie takes Jimmy down and Piper hits the sleeper. He's going......he's going.....he's gone!! (5:22) *1/2

WINNER: And NEW Intercontinental Champion, Roddy Piper! Not much of a match, of course. This was Piper's first title win in the WWF, so it's a milestone to remember. The match was just the typical Piper brawling style meshing with The Mountie's goofy character. After the match, Piper takes the cattle prod to The Mountie, adding insult to injury. Big smile for Piper for his first title.

Lord Alfred Hayes is backstage outside Hulk Hogan's dressing room. He steps inside to ask Hogan for a few words about the Rumble. Hogan says he intends to get the title back and he won't have any friends in there.

Okerlund is backstage withe The Bushwhackers and Jamison. Luke calls them The Beverly Sisters and says they have a surprise for The Genius. Jamison wants The Genius, and Okerlund tries to slip in a joke about Mr. Blackwell.

Match #3: The Bushwhackers (w/ Jamison) vs. The Beverly Brothers (w. The Genius).

The Genius gives us a poem calling Jamison a "waste of human tissue". Sign in the crowd says "The Bushwhackers are cool". I beg to differ there, loser. Who makes your signs? Vince? The Bushwhackers start the match by stalling with their "whoooaa yay" business with the crowd. They run The Beverly Brothers to the floor and then try to start a "sissies" chant. Luke and Beau start the match as Beau gets in some stomps. Blake gets in some choking while the ref is distracted by Beau. Luke gets in the first ass-bite of the match, then all four guys are in, but the Whackers clean house and send them to the floor. Butch in now against Blake. Meanwhile, outside the ring, Jamison blows his nose in one of his socks that are stuck to his suit. How did this not get over? Butch hits a knee to Blake's gut then gets a bulldog. All four in the ring, and The Bushwhackers clear the ring again. This has the feel of a match that is going to get 15 minutes and we'll all be dumber for it. Luke in the ring against Blake, who bails to the floor. Butch is out there, however, and he pokes Blake in the eye. Back in the ring, the Beverlys get in some double-teaming for a 2 count. Beau gets some stomps in the corner and more double-teaming. Blake in again and he gets a backbreaker on Luke. Off the ropes for a diving headbutt to the back, that gets a 2 count. With the ref distracted by Butch, more double-teaming for The Beverlys. Beau in now and a whip off the ropes nets Beau a face full of boot. Blake back in and he drops Luke on the top rope for a 2 count. Blake off the ropes with a clothesline. Beay tagged in, make a nonchalant cover and Luke rolls him up for 2. Luke is tossed to the floor and now we get The Genius slapping Jamison. Jamison: "He hitted me!". Good lord, fucking kill me. In the ring, Beau is off the middle rope with an axhandle for 2. Blake back in with a legrop. Another tag to Beau, a whip to the corner, and Luke comes out with a clothesline. Luke makes the hot tag to Butch who clotheslines both Beverlys. Battering ram puts Beau outside. Blake trips Butch from the outside, allowing for some elbow droppery for Beau. Blake comes off with a double axhandle on Butch while Beau holds him. Cover..1..2....3! * (14:56)

WINNERS: The Beverly Brothers. Thank fuck that's over. The Beverly Brothers tried but it's the fucking Bushwhackers in there. Comedy match all the way, and not very fun at that. After the match, The Bushwhackers clear the ring, allowing Jamison to kick The Genius in the ass. Heenan: "He's got his pants tucked into his socks!". Sums it up.

Okerlund is backstage with the tag champs, The Legion of Doom. Hawk: "They like to throw their weight around. Well that's okay. We want to throw your weight around too." After the match, their tongues will hanging out like dead deers. The plural is the same as the singular there, Hawk.

Match #4: The Legion of Doom (c) vs. The Natural Disasters (w/ Jimmy Hart) - WWF Tag Team Championship.

Hawk and Typhoon start us off. Lock up and a break. Lock up again an another break Shoulderblock doesn't budge either guy. Hawk to the top and he hits a flying clothesline for 2 as Earthquake breaks it up. Earthquake wants in and tags. Hawk hits a standing dropkick to no effect. Earthquake tries a dropkick that misses and Hawk hits a fistdrop. Animal tags in now. Nose to nose they go and they slug back and forth. Earthquake hits a kick, they run the ropes and double clothesline each other. Animal tries a slam but Quake falls on him for a 2 count. Tag to Typhoon, whip to the corner, and Quake whips Typhoon in for a an avalanche. Animal comes back with a clothesline that puts Typhoon down. Hawk in there now. They each try clotheslines that do nothing. Hawk off the ropes and Typhoon catches him for a couple of backbreakers. Quake tagged in and he hits a big elbow drop to the back. That gets a 2 count. Tag to Typhoon who gets to choking Hawk on the ropes. Typhoon with a bearhug now. Hawk powers out, comes off the middle but Typhoon catches him and takes him to the heel corner where Quake tags in. To the corner, and Quake hits an avalanche and a big stomp.  Quake with the bearhug. Quake whips Hawk to the corner but misses a splash. Hawk comes off the middle with an elbow, then tags out to Animal. Animal hits a flying shoulderblock off the ropes, then hits a double clothesline on both Disasters. It spills outside now with all four guys brawling on the floor. Typhoon makes it back to the ring, and everyone else is still on the floor. The ref makes the 10 count and calls for the bell. (9:24) **

WINNERS: Via count out, The Natural Disasters. The Legion of Doom remain the champs however. After the match, LOD clear the ring with a chair. Lame ending to a decent match. LOD hit some solid power moves, while the Disasters proved themselves able to hang with the LOD's power. The count out ending hurts it.

Mooney is backstage in the locker room waiting on the Natural Disasters and Jimmy Hart. Jimmy is going to get his attorney on this one as they feel they are the champions. They're pretty pissed off here as they yell about a count out victory should give them the championship.

Okerlund is backstage with Piper who is still celebrating his IC title victory earlier. He's going to go into the Rumble looking for the big prize to complete his big day.

Mooney backstage again as The Barbarian bumps him as he walks past. Mooney talks with the newly single Shawn Michaels as they revisit the footage from The Barber Shop of Michaels turning on Jannetty and throwing him through the window. After all these years, it's still hilarious to hear Heenan say "I knew he was going to do that!". It's weird to here Michaels speak without his gruff voice.

Lord Alfred Hays is backstage with Ric Flair. He tells Hayes that he drew #3. Flair says that he may be in there for an hour, but he's walking out with the title. (Editor's note: This is apparently a Coliseum Video exclusive, as it was not known which number Flair had drawn during the original broadcast.)

Okerlund backstage and throws to various Rumble entrants and their thoughts. Randy Savage (good chance)! Sid Justice (very good chance)! Repo Man (no fucking chance)! The British Bulldog (he's not BIZAAAAAARE just yet)! Jake Roberts! Ric Flair! Perfect says that Flair rocks the cradle. Hopefully, he's not robbing it, if you know what I mean. The Undertaker! Paul Bearer nearly has a pretty gross orgasm thinking of all those hearses. Hulk Hogan! He mentions being cheapshotted by friends. Keep that in mind later on. Put your hypocrite-detecting helmets on.
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Match #5: Royal Rumble.

Finkel introduces WWF President Jack Tunney to a solid round of boos, who declares the winner of the match the new WWF Champion. Heenan is nervous, which reminds us that today's comentary is ucking shitty. #1 is The British Bulldog. #2 is Ted DiBiase. Strong showing for DiBiase early on as he hits Bulldog with almost every move in his arsenal. He tries to toss Bulldog out, but Bulldog comes back right away and clotheslines DiBiase over to a big pop. #3 is Ric Flair and Heenan is losing his shit on commentary. He tells us that he won't be able to be objective. #4 is Jerry Sags. He and Flair double team the Bulldog. Bulldog comes back with a double clothesline. He almost tosses Sags, but Sags hangs on. Bulldog dumps him with a dropkick to the back. #5 is Haku. He immediately goes after Bulldog. Then Haku turns on Flair and Heenan turns on Haku on commentary asking him if he's gone nuts. Haku with a nice piledriver on the Bulldog. Flair gets a kneedrop on Haku. #6 is Shawn Michaels as Bulldog dumps Haku out. Michaels gets a back bodydrop and a superkick to Flair. Bulldog clotheslines Michaels over but he hangs on. #7 is Tito Santana. He goes after Flair right away. Flair gets a back suplex on Tito, and then hits Bulldog with a low blow. Heenan: "I would do that to my grandmother if I had to.". #8 is The Barbarian. He goes after the Bulldog and Flair joins in as they try to dump him. #9 is Kerry Von Erich. Hide the drugs! Von Erich goes after Flair. Bulldog tries to dump Michaels. Barbarian tries to dump Tito. Tito escapes and stomps Flair. #10 is Repo Man. He sneaks down to ringside and wait for his opportunity. Flair tries dumping Bulldog. Tito with a crossbody on Barbarian. Flair with some loud chops on Von Erich. #11 is Greg Valentine. He goes after Flair with heavy chops. Bulldog tries dumping Michaels again. Flair goes low on Repo Man with his trick knee. #12 is Nikolai Volkoff. The crowd forgets that he was a face the last time they saw him and boo him. He even has the American flag on his tights! Valentine puts the Figure 4 on Flair as Heenan screams "NO!". Volkoff is dumped over the top. #13 is The Big Boss Man. He goes after everybody. Valentine is dumped over the top and done. Boss Man throws Repo Man over and he's eliminated. Flair puts the Bulldog over. Then Von Erich goes flying out. #14 is Hercules. Tito and Michaels both go over at the same time. Barbarian press slams Flair. Hercules dumps Barbarian over, then Boss Man dumps Hercules out and it's Boss Man and Flair alone. Boss Man goes flying over while missing a move, and Flair flops in the middle of the ring. Flair gets a few seconds to recover and #15 is Roddy Piper! Flair is begging off but Piper is all over him. Flair goes to the floor but Piper follows him out. Back in the ring, Piper backs him to the corner, starts the 10 punch count, Flair tries an inverted atomic drop, but Piper Avoids it and pokes the eyes. Piper gets a sleeper and Heenan sounds like he's in tears. #16 is Jake Roberts. He just finds a spot in the corner and lets Piper have Flair. Once Piper's back is turned, however, Jake attacks. Jake hits Flair with the short-arm clothesline and signals for the DDT, but Piper clotheslines Jake. Heenan: "Thank you, Roddy. It's a kilt, not a skirt". Then when Piper goes after Flair, Heenan says "The skirt-wearing freak!". #17 is Jim Duggan to a big pop. Duggan gets some licks in on Flair, but then receives an inverted atomic drop by Jake. #18 is IRS. Flair tries to dump Duggan, then tries his hand at dumping Piper, Duggan gets a double noggin knocker on Flair and Jake. Piper tries dumping Flair. #19 is Jimmy Snuka. He hits Duggan, then chops Flair coming off the ropes. Piper chops Flair in the corner, then tries throwing him over. Jake Roberts also tries to give it a shot. #20 is The Undertaker. He immediately eliminates Snuka and then goes after Flair with choking. Duggan tries to pull Taker off but Taker kicks Duggan in the nuts. Piper pokes out Jake's eye. #21 is Randy Savage. He rushes the ring looking for Jake, who is hiding. Once The Undertaker takes care of him, Jake jumps in the ring. Savage eliminates Jake to a big pop. Gorilla thinks Savage eliminated himself by jumping over the top rope to go after Jake, but he's allowed back in. Taker tries putting Duggan out, but is stopped by a nut shot from Flair. #22 is The Berzerker. Heenan is smart here by saying that Berzerker's specialty is throwing people over the top rope, which is how Berzerker won his matches. Flair tries to suplex Savage out from the apron, but Savage brings him back in. #23 is Virgil. 23 is also the amount of dollars Virgil charges for hanging out with him in the mall. Undertaker tries putting Flair over. Piper kicks Virgil down. #24 is Col. Mustafa. Piper has Flair on the ropes. Mustafa goes after Duggan. Flair has Piper on the apron. #25 is Rick Martel. Gorilla puts over Martel's longevity record, as he goes after Flair who is trying to set a new record. Good booking there. Martel has Flair on the ropes, as Mustafa gets eliminated. Berzerker with a huge chop on Piper in the corner. #26 is Hulk Hogan to a monster pop. He goes after Flair but is stopped by Taker. Hogan clotheslines The Undertaker over and then back bodydrops The Berzerker over. Duggan and Virgil take each other over at the same time. #27 is Skinner. Like he stands a chance. Hogan lifts Flair to the apron as Heenan starts crying. Martel has Savage up in the corner. Flair and Martel work on getting Piper over the top. Flair whips Hogan to the corner, but Hogan charges out with a clothesline. #28 is Sgt. Slaughter. Piper eliminates Skinner (told you). Hogan and Piper rake each other's eyes. We have a mass of guys near the ropes. #29 is Sid Justice. He tries to put IRS over the top. Flair works over Hogan in the corner. Sid tries to hoist Flair over. #30 is The Warlord. So that's it for the entries. Warlord goes after Piper. Hogan and Flair are on the floor where Hogan gets a suplex. Sid tosses Slaughter hard over the top. Piper pulls IRS over by the tie and to the floor. Hogan and Sid toss The Warlord. Sid pushes over Piper and Martel.

Final four: Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice. Flair knees Sid which knocks Savage over the top. Hogan whips Flair to the corner and to the apron. Sid tosses Hogan to a big pop! Hogan grab Sid by the arm and tries to pull him out, allowing Flair to come up from behind and knock Sid over the top!! (62:02) *****

WINNER: And NEW World Wrestling Federation Champion, Ric Flair! This is, of course, the classically booked Rumble. The story of Flair coming in at #3 and fighting from underneath the entire match. The Savage/Jake storyline. Piper coming into the match at just the perfect moment. This was all excellently booked. Heenan's commentary carried it during the few slow spots. After the match, Sid and Hogan get into a shoving match. Can't blame Sid because Hogan was a poor sport. There are some noticeable boos for Hogan here, deservedly so.

Backstage, Okerlund is with Tunney and the Rumble winner Flair. Tunney congratulates him and Flair goes into the "...with a tear in my eye..." promo. Heenan and Perfect behind him are just busting. "We're not the kind of guys to say we told you so, but.....we told you so!" We also get Okerlund yelling at some schlub off-camer to "put that cigarette out!" This whole backstage segment was gold.

This show started off hot with the tag team opener, but then slowed down in the middle with comedy and lame booking. However, this show is memorable for the Piper IC title win and the awesome Royal rumble match. I don't know anyone that has not seen this show, but if you're one of the few, check it out.