30 MAN ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH
(WWF CHAMPIONSHIP)
WWF Royal Rumble (19th January 1992)
British Bulldog enters the match first, and he starts the match with Ted DiBiase. DiBiase gets the early advantage and throws Bulldog over the top rope, Bulldog lands on the apron and gets back in the ring, Ted DiBiase is abruptly stopped from celebrating his non-victory and becomes the first man eliminated just as we get to 10 seconds, Brain is counting along anxiously as Flair walks down the aisle. Amazing camera work here, zooming up the entranceway and focusing on Flair walking focused to the ring as British Bulldog makes the most of his breather. Gorilla Monsoon tells Heenan to kiss Flair goodbye in this match. No one has drawn the first 5 numbers and gone on to win. Ric Flair has to use shortcuts to stop British Bulldog from dominating him with strength. Flair avoids an early elimination as the countdown begins again. Jerry Sags is #4 distracting Davey long enough for Flair to get back in the ring. Jerry Sags assists Naitch against the bigger man, but Bulldog explodes out of the corner with a double clothesline to swing the momentum back his way. British Bulldog throws Sags over the top rope, but he lands on the apron. He mocks the fans that thought he would be eliminated before Bulldog dropkicks him out of the match.
British Bulldog shifts his attention back to Flair, taking full control of the match until Haku enters. Haku assists Flair momentarily against Bulldog but soon double-crosses him. Ric Flair fires back with a chop but Haku no-sells it and stalks Flair around the ring. Ric Flair slips out to ringside for a moment, coming back to attack Haku from behind. The three brawl between them and Haku takes Flair down in the corner before taking a rotten elimination in a brawl with Bulldog. Shawn Michaels is out to show early signs of his chemistry with Ric Flair. Michaels hits a superkick on Flair, British Bulldog reminds Michaels and Flair he's still in the match sending Michaels out to the apron. Ric Flair tries to force Michaels back over the ropes but a swift thumb to the eye keeps Shawn in the match. Michaels bounces around the ring until El Salvadore enters the fray, targetting Ric Flair. Shawn Michaels keeps himself busy choking Bulldog on the mat.
Shawn Michaels tries to eliminate the former Tito Santana, saving Ric Flair in the process, Tito Santana rolls back in the ring and tries to help Davey eliminate Michaels, but Flair drops him with a back suplex. British Bulldog wears Flair down with a trapeze hold, dropping him to his knees. Ric Flair counters that with a low blow but turns into a flying forearm by Salvadore. “Flying Burrito!” Barbarian enters the match going toe to toe with Davey Boy Smith. Ric Flair picks his spots, darting between the other participants facing off awaiting the arrival of the Texas Tornado to enter #9. Ric Flair breaks away from the pack, but eats some right hands, backing him into the corner. Flair stumbles away from the ropes for the Flair Flop and it's HBK's turn, Texas Tornado hits him with a discus right and Bulldog catapults him into the corner as Monsoon mentions he's been in since the start. El Matador and Barbarian both survive elimination attempts as Repo Man enters #10. He takes his time before getting in the ring and attacking Michaels, Flair is trying to eliminate British Bulldog as Santana hits a running crossbody on Barbarian.
They just keep switching guys to brawl with and tease eliminations until Greg Valentine kicks off the second third of the match, entering #11. He was in for 44:20 last year and heads straight for Flair in the corner. They exchange chops. British Bulldog holds Flair for more chops from Valentine as Santana saves Von Erich from elimination, Bulldog has Michaels on the top rope but Repo man cuts him off. Texas Tornado and British Bulldog send Michaels over to the apron, but he fights his way back in as the countdown begins for Nikolai Volkoff to enter #12. He targets Repo man, choking him back into the corner as Tornado and Valentine have Flair in the corner. More switching of dance partners, but Flair and Valentine stay with each other, Greg Valentine puts Flair in the Figure Four. Barbarian attacks Valentine but the cameras catch Nikolai Volkoff's elimination as the hold is released. The Big Bossman sprints to the ring at #13, trying to break the record for quickest entrance. He has right hands for everyone as Monsoon dismisses Brain's question if Bossman has his nightstick and handcuffs, I thought it was fair.
Shawn Michaels is knocked down on the apron but rolls back under the bottom rope. Repo Man sends Valentine out, Big Bossman and Texas Tornado almost have Michaels eliminated again but he gets back in the ring from the apron. Big Bossman sends Repo Man out of the match, beginning another section of brawling. Bulldog and Flair have paired off in one corner, Texas Tornado sends Michaels' head into the top turnbuckle. British Bulldog is eliminated from a Flair back bodydrop as Gorilla Monsoon says he was in for around 26 minutes. It was actually 23:33 but it was closer than I expected. Texas Tornado quickly follows, Barbarian and Bossman pair off, as do Santana and Michaels, leaving Ric Flair to rest as we count down to Hercules entering #14. As his countdown reaches 2 seconds Michaels and Santana both go over the top, out of the match. Hercules attacks Flair first, Barbarian assists Flair and Ric Flair quickly turns on him, hitting Barbarian with a chop, but he walks through it. Flair begs off as Bossman and Hercules try and work around it, Barbarian sends Flair off the ropes into a military press slam. Hercules is sending Bossman's head into the turnbuckle as Barbarian tries to send Flair over the top rope, Hercules sneaks up behind, eliminating Barbarian, who lasted 12:55 without a single elimination, this year's record. Big Bossman follows and eliminates Hercules but sends himself over to the apron with his own momentum, Flair thinks he's in the ring alone until he turns around!
Ric Flair pokes Big Bossman in the eye and sends him off the ropes, Bossman ducks the chop and knocks Flair down with a clothesline. He sets up to charge at Flair again, but Ric Flair is able to duck out of the way and Big Bossman's own momentum sends him out of the ring, that didn't look the easiest way to take that. Bobby Heenan screams that Flair's won the match, which is a brilliant moment. Roddy Piper is #15 in this match. He goes after Ric Flair with right hands in the corner, Flair is sent corner to corner and walks out into a backdrop, Piper hits a knee lift but lands on his ass from the momentum. Ric Flair bails to the floor, Piper follows him out and knocks him down with a clothesline, Flair is sent into the guard rail and Piper throws him back in the ring. Flair tries to snap Piper's throat off the top rope but it's blocked. He uses the corner punches, Flair brings him out of the corner but the inverted atomic drop is blocked, Roddy Piper pokes Flair in the eye and knocks him down with a clothesline. Bobby Heenan is practically crying on commentary as Piper puts Ric Flair in the Sleeper hold, that's what won him the Intercontinental Championship earlier tonight. We count down to Jake Roberts entering #16, he sits in the corner, letting Piper wear down Flair, then attacks Hot Rod from behind. Jabs from Roberts back Piper into the corner, a couple of right hands have Piper slumped down before Jake chokes him with a boot in the corner. Jake Roberts makes a momentary pact with Flair, before instantly breaking it with a short-arm clothesline.
Roddy Piper saves Flair from taking a DDT, so Brain sings his praises on commentary, Ric Flair puts a Figure Four on Roberts and Piper lays the boots to both of them, causing another quick turn around. Jake Roberts holds Piper in place for a chop from Flair, then Flair fires off one at Jake, Roberts and Piper brawl between them and Roberts has Piper over the ropes as Jim Duggan enters #17. Roddy Piper has Jake over on the apron as Duggan hits Flair with right hands, he sends Ric Flair across the ring and sends him down with a clothesline. Ric Flair's head is sent into the turnbuckle by Duggan and they keep switching dance partners, Flair tries to help Duggan but Piper pokes him in the eye, so it's Flair vs Piper and Duggan vs. Roberts as the USA chants are heard. Which could conceivably be for 3 of these 4 people. Ric Flair hits Roddy Piper with a back suplex and Jake hits Duggan with an inverted atomic drop as Brain is putting over Flair's endurance in the match. Piper and Flair exchange chops in the middle of the ring until Duggan and Roberts separate them, Irwin R Schyster is out next at #18, saving Jim Duggan from elimination and sending Flair's head into the turnbuckle. Jim Duggan shows his gratitude laying into IRS with rights as Flair and Roberts try to eliminate Roddy Piper. Jim Duggan with a “double noggin knocker” - Gorilla Monsoon. IRS tries to force Piper over the rope but Duggan saves him again. IRS and Flair mess up the wishbone move as the camera focuses on them and double team Piper on the mat. Jake Roberts holds Duggan and walks around the ring with him as Jimmy Snuka enters #19.
Snuka saves Flair from being eliminated thanks to Duggan then hits Naitch with a headbutt. We move back to the hit everything that moves section as Monsoon and Brain rundown names that haven't entered the match yet. Roddy Piper lays into Flair with overhand chops and tries to send him over the top, but he's still in the match. Jake Roberts tries to finish the job as the countdown to #20 begins. Undertaker makes his way to the ring, he enters the fray as everyone is brawling and immediately eliminates Snuka, he grabs Flair by the throat and forces him into the corner. Jim Duggan tries to bring Taker away by the hair, but a mule kick low blow puts a stop to that. Undertaker hits Duggan as IRS holds him in place. Piper and Jake try to eliminate each other and it turns to IRS, Flair and Duggan against Undertaker as Randy Savage enters #21. Jake Roberts slides under the bottom rope, Savage looks for Roberts in the ring but is blindsided by Undertaker, Jake tries to jump Savage but the short arm clothesline gets ducked, Savage runs at Jake and starts hitting him in the corner, which to me looks like it should have been his elimination. Randy Savage hits Jake Roberts with an ax handle then a jumping knee sends him over to the floor.
Randy Savage jumps over the top rope and starts choking Jake on the floor, as commentary is confused why he isn't eliminated. Undertaker exits under the bottom rope, dragging Savage off Jake and throwing him back into the ring. Randy Savage tries to go after Roberts, but Undertaker makes the save again as Brain says you must be thrown over to be eliminated. Roddy Piper hits Flair with lefts and rights, backing him into the ropes. We go back to walking and hitting anyone that moves until #22 enters, it's The Berzerker, as IRS has his ankle trapped in the ropes. Berzerker gets a hot start, but Duggan hits him with an atomic drop as Savage and Flair are fighting near the ropes. Ric Flair goes out to the apron, he tries to suplex Savage out of the match, but it's blocked and he is suplexed back into the ring. Undertaker starts choking Ric Flair on the mat, Piper joins in but gets a hand around the throat for his troubles. Virgil enters #23 going straight after IRS until Undertaker cuts him off. Undertaker forces Flair into the corner again and tries to eliminate him as we see Berzerker hitting Duggan with a big boot, Piper and Berzerker are trying to eliminate each other, then Piper turns his attention to Undertaker. #24 is Col. Mustafa (the former Iron Sheik), who goes straight for Jim Duggan.
We miss a piledriver on Virgil from Berzerker. More hard to follow brawling as Monsoon calls Flair “Rick Martel” due to the standing ironman record being held by The Model. Strangely enough, he enters at #25 after crowd shots and more fumbling near the ropes. He makes a beeline for Flair, wanting to keep his record intact. IRS and Martel try and get Flair over the ropes and Monsoon tells us in 2 ½ minutes he'll have beaten Martel's record. Ric Flair fights off another elimination attempt as Undertaker chokes Savage on the mat. Jim Duggan starts a USA chant again. Undertaker lifts Savage off his feet in a choke but Duggan cuts him off as the countdown begins for #26. The crowd comes alive for Hulk Hogan making his way to the ring, he goes after Flair and Undertaker in the corner. IRS and Berzerker hold Hogan in the corner as Undertaker takes some free shots, but Hogan fights out of it, Jim Duggan almost walks through Hogan's attempt at a running clothesline which sends Undertaker over the top to the floor. The Berzerker charges at Hogan but is backdropped out of the match, Hogan rips his shirt and being the evergood babyface he is, chokes out Martel with it. He sends Martel across the ring, almost interrupting Duggan and Virgil's elimination. IRS chokes Piper with Hogan's shirt as Hogan no-sells the chops and Skinner enters at #27 going straight for Piper.
IRS takes a few seconds to catch his breath and saves Flair from another elimination. Hogan sends IRS across the ring using the shirt, Ric Flair has Piper over the ropes as we're told he's a minute from the record. Rick Martel tries to help Flair, but Piper has him in a headscissors, Martel sells it like Piper's got blades on his boot. Ric Flair sends Hogan into the corner, but he explodes out with a clothesline for Flair, and an attempt at one for Skinner. Rick Martel makes an agreement with Skinner to work together as Sargeant Slaughter enters #28. Skinner is double-crossed, sent out of the ring by Martel. Randy Savage chokes out IRS with Hogan's shirt and tries to force him over the ropes, Flair tries to eliminate Savage from behind but they both stay in the match. #29 enters, it's Sid Justice. He goes after IRS with kicks and forces him over to the apron, but he's not out yet. Flair and Hogan get another little sequence but the crowd pops as Justice breaks it up and targets Flair. Flair sends Justice down to the mat and he kips up, why is that not spoken about more? The Warlord completes the match, entering #30 and taking his time getting to the ring. Flair goes to the top rope and Hogan brings him down to the mat, Flair slides out to the floor and brings Hogan with him, but it backfires as Hogan hits him with a suplex on the crash mats.
Sid Justice sends Slaughter from corner to corner and he goes over the top to the floor. Flair and Hogan are back in the ring now, Hogan sends Flair off the ropes into a Big Boot, IRS sends Piper over to the apron, but Roddy Piper uses IRS' tie to bring him over and sends him to the floor. Hogan and Justice double team Warlord before sending him over to the floor. Roddy Piper and Rick Martel pair off near the ropes, Sid Justice sends them both over to the floor. More brawling before Sid Justice has Savage precariously over the ropes, Ric Flair knocks them with a knee to Justice's back, sending Savage out of the match. Ric Flair goes after Hulk Hogan and they exchange chops, Hogan sends Flair into the corner, he goes upside down but not over the ropes, a right hand by Hogan wobbles him, Hogan tries to get him over the ropes but Sid Justice sneaks behind and sends Hogan out of the ring. Hulk Hogan shouts at Sid from ringside, and tries to pull him out by the arm, Ric Flair uses the leverage to dump Sid out of the ring and win the WWF Championship.
WINNER: RIC FLAIR (NEW WWF Champion)
This is a difficult match to rate, there are a few changes in pace and in Royal Rumble matches you seem to type random brawling” more than I'd like. The one thing I've said about this match is that it was a genius way for Ric Flair to prove he's the 60-minute man in WWF. You had intertwining stories through the match (Savage and Roberts, Flair and Hogan, Flair and Piper) and they kept the match moving nicely. Slaughter and IRS' eliminations were my favourites in the match and Bobby Heenan's commentary is world-class throughout the match. **** match, personally 9/10.
After the match, Sid Justice and Hulk Hogan argue in the ring, bringing out referees and officials, we then cut to the now-famous "A tear in my eye" promo from Flair before we fade to black.
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