1996 Royal Rumble Review

A night of impossible dreams and a lot of Pepto.

Free for All match: Duke Droese defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley by disqualification (6:25)
Helmsley was disqualified after using brass knuckles.
The winner of the match got the right to enter at #30 while the loser of the match was forced to enter at #1.
¾*
The first ever Free for all.

Ahmed Johnson defeated Jeff Jarrett by disqualification (6:40)
Jarrett was disqualifed after going to the top rope and jumping off, hitting Johnson with his guitar.
*3/4
Was starting to get solid until the DQ finish.

The Smokin' Gunns (Billy and Bart) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip and Zip) (w/Sunny) to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship (11:14)
Bart pinned Zip after Billy helped reverse the Bodydonnas' double suplex attempt on Bart into a small package from Bart on Zip.
**1/2
Not bad.

Goldust (w/Marlena) defeated Razor Ramon to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship (14:17)
Goldust pinned Ramon after The 1-2-3 Kid came and hit Ramon with a top rope Spinning Heel Kick while Marlena distracted the referee.
This match saw the WWF debut of Terri Runnels (aka Marlena).
1/4*

Shawn Michaels won the 1996 Royal Rumble (58:49)
The final two men were Shawn Michaels and Diesel. Michaels gave Diesel a Sweet Chin Music that sent Diesel over the top rope.
When Jake Roberts came out, he brought out his snake, clearing the ring. Roberts put the snake on Jerry Lawler who ran off and hid under the ring for almost half an hour before being found by Shawn Michaels and being eliminated.
After Shawn Michaels had eliminated Vader, Yokozuna, and the 1-2-3 Kid, Vader re-entered the ring and eliminated Shawn Michaels, Bob Holly, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Owen Hart was only thrown through the ropes both times). However, unlike previous instances where eliminations by eliminated wrestlers stood (e.g. Big Boss Man's elimination by Hulk Hogan in 1989), none of these eliminations were deemed official and WWF President Gorilla Monsoon forced Vader to get out of the ring.
**1/4

Entrant
Eliminated
Time

1
Hunter Hearst Helmsley
19
by Diesel
48:01

2
Henry Godwinn
2
by Jake Roberts
16:24

3
Bob Backlund
1
by Yokozuna
12:22

4
Jerry Lawler
16
by Michaels
36:02

5
Bob Holly
18
by The Ringmaster
39:35

6
King Mabel
3
by Yokozuna
12:14

7
Jake Roberts
6
by Vader
14:39

8
Dory Funk, Jr.
5
by Vega
10:53

9
Yokozuna
11
by Michaels
19:14

10
1-2-3 Kid
13
by Michaels
15:40

11
Takao Omori
4
by Roberts
2:48

12
Savio Vega
10
by Vader
12:28

13
Vader
12
by Michaels
11:04

14
Doug Gilbert
7
by Vader
2:59

15
Squat Team #1
8
by Vader
1:11

16
Squat Team #2
9
by Yokozuna
0:24

17
Owen Hart
21
by Michaels & Diesel
20:43

18
Shawn Michaels
-
WINNER
26:09

19
Hakushi
14
by Hart
1:53

20
Tatanka
17
by Diesel
4:09

21
Aldo Montoya
15
by Tatanka
1:52

22
Diesel
29
by Shawn Michaels
17:51

23
Kama
28
by Diesel
15:57

24
The Ringmaster
23
by Fatu
10:57

25
Barry Horowitz
20
by Hart
4:15

26
Fatu
24
by Yankem
7:07

27
Isaac Yankem
25
by Michaels
7:05

28
Marty Jannetty
22
by The British Bulldog
2:35

29
The British Bulldog
27
by Michaels
3:39

30
Duke Droese
26
by Kama and Diesel
1:10
So obvious who was winning this thing. Was just OK as far as Rumbles go.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) defeated WWF Champion Bret Hart by disqualification (28:31)
Hart was disqualified after Diesel came out and pulled referee Earl Hebner before he could make a 3-count for The Undertaker following a Tombstone Piledriver.
**1/2
WAY too long for these two to only have a **1/2 match. Really boring at many parts.

Bad show. Do not watch.