Royal Rumble (1989)
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The 1989 Royal Rumble was the second annual
Royal Rumble The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...
event produced by the
World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
(WWF, now WWE). After the inaugural event aired as a
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of en ...
, the 1989 event aired on
pay-per-view Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast. Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program ...
(PPV), thus becoming one of the WWF's original four annual PPV events, along with WrestleMania,
SummerSlam SummerSlam is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by the world's largest professional wrestling promotion, WWE. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's second biggest event of the year behind th ...
, and
Survivor Series Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
, which would become recognized as the "Big Four". It took place on January 15, 1989, at The Summit in
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
. It centered on the
Royal Rumble match The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic battle royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
, a modified
battle royal Battle royal (, also battle royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules, where the winner is the one who registers the most wins. In recent times, the term has been ...
in which participants enter at timed intervals instead of all beginning in the ring at the same time. Six matches were contested at the event, including two
dark match Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that o ...
es. The
main event In sports, a card lists the matches taking place in a title match combat-sport event. Cards include a main event match and the undercard listing the rest of the matches. The undercard may be divided into a midcard and a lower card, according to ...
was the 1989 Royal Rumble match, which was won by
Big John Studd John William Minton (February 19, 1948 – March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. Studd is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World ...
, who last eliminated
Ted DiBiase Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (; born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, and color commentator. He is signed to WWE as of 2024, where he works in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship succ ...
. Featured matches on the
undercard In sports, a card lists the matches taking place in a title match combat-sport event. Cards include a main event match and the undercard listing the rest of the matches. The undercard may be divided into a midcard and a lower card, according to ...
were
Jim Duggan James Edward Duggan Jr. (born January 14, 1954), better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best-known for his time in World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), where he won the first ...
and
The Hart Foundation The Hart Foundation is the name of several derivative tag teams and stables composed primarily of members and close friends of the Hart wrestling family. The name originated in the World Wrestling Federation in 1985 with the original Hart Foundat ...
(
Bret Hart Bret Sergeant Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling background at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal U ...
and Jim Neidhart) defeating
Dino Bravo Adolfo Bresciano (; August 6, 1948 – March 10, 1993), better known by the ring name Dino Bravo (), was an Italian-Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter, promoter. After training under Gino ...
and The Fabulous Rougeaus (
Jacques Jacques or Jacq are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over one hundred identified noble families related t ...
and Raymond Rougeau) in a two-out-of-three falls match, Rockin' Robin defeating Judy Martin to retain the WWF Women's Championship, and King Haku defeating
Harley Race Harley Leland Race (April 11, 1943 – August 1, 2019) was an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling promotion, promoter, and trainer. Race wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AW ...
to retain his
King of the Ring King and Queen of the Ring, formerly and still commonly known as simply King of the Ring, was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The event was established in 1993 and originally c ...
crown and cape.


Production


Background

In 1988, the
World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
(WWF, now WWE) debuted the
Royal Rumble match The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic battle royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
, although a non-televised version had been tested in 1987. The match was a modified
battle royal Battle royal (, also battle royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules, where the winner is the one who registers the most wins. In recent times, the term has been ...
in which the participants entered at timed intervals instead of all beginning in the ring at the same time. The inaugural match featured 20 wrestlers, and the inaugural event was named after the match. A second event was scheduled to be held on January 15, 1989, at The Summit in
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, thus establishing the
Royal Rumble The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named after, and centered on, the Royal Rumble match, a modified Battle royal (professional wre ...
as an annual January event. The previous year's event had been shown as a
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of en ...
on the
USA Network USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
. The 1989 event was instead aired on
pay-per-view Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast. Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program ...
(PPV), being the first Royal Rumble to be broadcast on PPV, in turn becoming one of the promotion's original four pay-per-views, along with WrestleMania,
SummerSlam SummerSlam is a professional wrestling event, produced annually since 1988 by the world's largest professional wrestling promotion, WWE. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's second biggest event of the year behind th ...
, and
Survivor Series Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
, which would be dubbed the "Big Four". It was also the first to feature 30 wrestlers in the titular match, which is now the traditional number of participants.


Storylines

The main
feud A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially family, families or clans. Feuds begin ...
heading into the Royal Rumble was between the 30 superstars from the entire
World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
(WWF) who were selected to participate in the first-ever 30 man Royal Rumble match.
Big John Studd John William Minton (February 19, 1948 – March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. Studd is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World ...
returned to WWF in late 1988, and turned babyface after not siding with former
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
Bobby Heenan Raymond Louis Heenan (November 1, 1944 – September 17, 2017) was an American professional wrestling Manager (professional wrestling), manager, color commentator, and wrestler. He performed with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the Wo ...
, and began a feud with Heenan's client
André the Giant André René Roussimoff (; 19 May 1946 – 28 January 1993), better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World", Roussimoff was known for his great size, which ...
. Both men signed to participate in the Royal Rumble match. Mr. Perfect, who joined WWF in the summer of 1988, was pushed as an undefeated
heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
wrestler, entering his name into the match. Bad News Brown was pushed as an arrogant powerful
heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
who was an enemy of face and
heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
wrestlers. As a result, he also entered his name into the match. Many
tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establis ...
wrestlers also selected to participate in the match and selected their entry numbers.
The Mega Powers The Mega Powers was a tag team in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1987 to 1989, consisting of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, and managed by Savage's wife, Miss Elizabeth. Lust and jealousy surrounding her led to the team's demise and subs ...
(
Hulk Hogan Terry Gene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a brand ambassador. Known for his flamboyance and massive physiq ...
and WWF Champion
Randy Savage Randy Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler and professional baseball player, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation ( ...
) were involved in a feud with The Twin Towers ( Akeem and The Big Boss Man) since November 1988. At
Survivor Series Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
, Mega Powers became the survivors for their team in a
Survivor Series match The Survivor Series match is a professional wrestling tag team elimination match held in WWE. The match typically sees two teams pitted against each other and members of the teams are eliminated one-by-one until one entire team is eliminated. Memb ...
against Twin Towers. Since then, Mega Powers and Twin Towers had been at odds and both teams signed to participate in the Royal Rumble. The second feud heading into the event featured
Jim Duggan James Edward Duggan Jr. (born January 14, 1954), better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best-known for his time in World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), where he won the first ...
against
Dino Bravo Adolfo Bresciano (; August 6, 1948 – March 10, 1993), better known by the ring name Dino Bravo (), was an Italian-Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter, promoter. After training under Gino ...
, and The Fabulous Rougeaus (
Jacques Jacques or Jacq are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over one hundred identified noble families related t ...
and Raymond Rougeau). Since joining the WWF in early 1987, Duggan used an American patriot
gimmick A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand out ...
, coming to the ring with an
American flag The national flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, consists of thirteen horizontal Bar (heraldry), stripes, Variation of the field, alternating red and white, with a blue rectangle in the Canton ( ...
, and feuding with non-American wrestlers in the WWF roster (such as
Nikolai Volkoff Josip Hrvoje Peruzović (October 14, 1947 – July 29, 2018), better known by his ring name Nikolai Volkoff, was a Croatian-Americans, Croatian-American professional wrestling, professional wrestler from Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, ...
). In early 1989, Duggan began feuding with the French-Canadians, Bravo, and the Rougeau brothers, battling them with different partners. At a
live event A house show (also commonly called a live event) is a professional wrestling event produced by a major Professional wrestling promotion, promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in o ...
on January 6 in
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, Duggan teamed with
Hulk Hogan Terry Gene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a brand ambassador. Known for his flamboyance and massive physiq ...
and
Ron Garvin Roger Barnes (born March 30, 1945) is a Canadian former professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. He is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions, Mid-Atlantic Champi ...
to defeat Bravo and the Rougeaus. He was scheduled to battle Bravo and Rougeaus in a
two out of three falls match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...
at Royal Rumble, so he found partners in
The Hart Foundation The Hart Foundation is the name of several derivative tag teams and stables composed primarily of members and close friends of the Hart wrestling family. The name originated in the World Wrestling Federation in 1985 with the original Hart Foundat ...
(
Bret Hart Bret Sergeant Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling background at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal U ...
and Jim Neidhart). Hart Foundation and Rougeau Brothers had been feuding with each other since 1987. Rougeaus unsuccessfully challenged Harts several times for the WWF Tag Team Championship in summer of 1987, but did not become champions. They were in opposite teams against each other at Survivor Series 1988, where Bret eliminated Rougeau in the first place.


Event

Before the event aired live on
pay-per-view Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast. Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program ...
(PPV),
Jim Powers James Manley (born January 4, 1958) is an American retired professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Jim Powers. He worked for the World Wrestling Federation from 1984 to 1994, then elsewhere until 2010. He wa ...
defeated
Barry Horowitz Barry Horowitz (born March 24, 1959) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, best known for his time in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Early life Horowitz attended Florida State University, where he studied spo ...
, and
Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two indi ...
defeated
Steve Lombardi Steven Kenneth Lombardi (born April 18, 1961) is an American professional wrestler and road agent, better known by his ring name, the Brooklyn Brawler. He is currently signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he performs as an on-screen per ...
in dark matches.


Premilinary matches

The first televised match was a
two out of three falls match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...
between
Jim Duggan James Edward Duggan Jr. (born January 14, 1954), better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best-known for his time in World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), where he won the first ...
and
The Hart Foundation The Hart Foundation is the name of several derivative tag teams and stables composed primarily of members and close friends of the Hart wrestling family. The name originated in the World Wrestling Federation in 1985 with the original Hart Foundat ...
(
Bret Hart Bret Sergeant Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling background at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal U ...
and Jim Neidhart) vs.
Dino Bravo Adolfo Bresciano (; August 6, 1948 – March 10, 1993), better known by the ring name Dino Bravo (), was an Italian-Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter, promoter. After training under Gino ...
and The Fabulous Rougeaus ( Jacques Rougeau and Raymond Rougeau). The powerful Neidhart and Bravo started the match. Duggan tagged in and Bravo ran to tag in Raymond. Duggan caught Raymond and connected with a scoop slam and an Old Glory. Duggan tagged in Bret Hart, who pinned Raymond with an inside cradle for a near-fall. He got Raymond with a sunset flip pinfall and then he hit a diving crossbody for another near-fall. Jacques tagged in and got a near-fall with a sunset flip on Hart, but Hart clotheslined Jacques and took him to the corner. Jacques' partners did try to help, but Neidhart ground Bravo and Raymond by a shoulder block. Raymond pulled the rope down causing Hart to fall on the floor. Bravo hit a side suplex in the ring but didn't cover and instead tagged in Raymond who hit Hart with a Bombe de Rougeau and pinned him to get the first fall. Rougeau brothers continued to beat Hart, who was caught in Jacques' Boston crab. Hart managed to reach his corner. Jacques tried to hit a
bulldog The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is a stocky, muscular dog of medium size, with a large head, thick folds of skin around the face and shoulders and a rel ...
on Hart, but Hart countered it into an inverted atomic drop. Duggan tagged in and hit a scoop slam on Raymond, followed by a forearm smash by Neidhart. He hit Bravo with a shoulder block and Duggan
slingshot A slingshot or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame, with two tubes or strips made from either a natural rubber or synthetic elastic material. These are attached to the upper two ends ...
ted Hart on Raymond and hit an
elbow drop Strikes can be offensive moves in professional wrestling, that can sometimes be used to set up an opponent for a hold or for a throw. There are a wide variety of strikes in pro wrestling, and many are known by several different names. Professional ...
on Raymond and pinned him, getting the second fall. Bravo tagged in and hit Duggan with an atomic drop, sending Duggan into the corner who tagged Hart. Hart followed it up with a
backbreaker Backbreaker refers to a kind of professional wrestling move which sees a wrestler dropping an opponent so that the opponent's back impacts or is bent backwards against a part of the wrestler's body, usually the knee. The standard version of the ...
on Bravo, but Raymond shoved him from the ropes when Hart tried to hit an elbow drop. All the six men began brawling. The
referee A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other title ...
was distracted. Duggan took advantage and hit Bravo with his 2x4. Hart pinned Bravo to get the third fall and the victory. The second match was for the WWF Women's Championship between defending champion Rockin' Robin and Judy Martin. Before the match began, former champion Sensational Sherri was in the ring and challenged the winner to a future championship match, claiming neither was as much woman as she was, before joining
Gorilla Monsoon Robert James "Gino" Marella (June 4, 1937 – October 6, 1999), better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Sports commentator, play-by-play commentator, and Glossary of profess ...
and Jesse "The Body" Ventura at the announcers' table. Robin and Martin had a lot of near-falls during the match. However, in the end, Robin hit Martin with a diving crossbody and pinned her to win the match and retain the title. Next was a posedown between WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion Ultimate Warrior and
Rick Rude Richard Erwin Rood (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999), better known by his ring name "Ravishing" Rick Rude, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler who performed for many Professional wrestling promotion, promotions, incl ...
. The winner had to be decided by fan reaction. There were four categories: "Double Biceps", "Best Abs", "Most Muscular", and "Medley of Poses". Warrior won in every posedown. Rude, however, attacked Warrior with his metal workout bar. This posedown was so successful, and so well-received by the audience that it led to the launch of the
World Bodybuilding Federation The World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF) was a bodybuilding organization founded in 1991 by Vince McMahon. It operated as a subsidiary of his company Titan Sports, the owners of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Tom Platz announce ...
the following year. The third match was between King Haku and
Harley Race Harley Leland Race (April 11, 1943 – August 1, 2019) was an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling promotion, promoter, and trainer. Race wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AW ...
. The winner of that match would win the "King of Wrestling" crown, held by Haku. Race began the match by hitting Haku with knee lifts and
suplex A suplex is an Offense (sports), offensive move used in Wrestling, sport wrestling as well as amateur wrestling and professional wrestling. It is a throw that involves lifting the opponents and Bridge (grappling), bridging or rolling to slam the ...
es. Haku no-sold Race
headbutt A headbutt or butt is a targeted strike (attack), strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the headbutter's Skull#Humans, cranium as the area of impact. The most effective headbutts strike the most sensitive areas of ...
s. Race hit Haku with a
piledriver Piledriver or pile driver may refer to: *Pile driver, a person trained to use the diesel hammer that drives piles into the ground for foundations and bridges *Piledriver (professional wrestling), a move used in professional wrestling Entertainme ...
for a near-fall. Haku suplexed Race for a near-fall. He missed an
elbow drop Strikes can be offensive moves in professional wrestling, that can sometimes be used to set up an opponent for a hold or for a throw. There are a wide variety of strikes in pro wrestling, and many are known by several different names. Professional ...
on Race and both men went to the floor. Haku backdropped a piledriver attempt by Race. Race hit a swinging neckbreaker for another near-fall. Haku made a comeback by hitting Race with chops, but missed a flying splash. Race missed a diving headbutt. Both men got up and Race ran through the ropes, but Haku hit him with a thrust kick to win the match. This match was edited off the Coliseum Video release but included in the Royal Rumble Anthology DVD edition, as well as the version on the
WWE Network WWE Network is a subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and digital television network owned by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, a division of TKO Group Holdings. The service relied on technology develo ...
.


Main event

The
main event In sports, a card lists the matches taking place in a title match combat-sport event. Cards include a main event match and the undercard listing the rest of the matches. The undercard may be divided into a midcard and a lower card, according to ...
was the 1989 Royal Rumble match. The first Royal Rumble occurred in 1988, but it consisted of 20 men. The 1989 Royal Rumble was the second Royal Rumble, but the first to have 30 men and the first to air on
pay-per-view Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast. Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program ...
.
Demolition Demolition (also known as razing and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction (building), deconstruction, which inv ...
( Ax and Smash) drew Nos. 1 and 2 in the match. The two partners battled with each other until the #3 entrant
André the Giant André René Roussimoff (; 19 May 1946 – 28 January 1993), better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World", Roussimoff was known for his great size, which ...
came in. They battled André until Mr. Perfect entered at #4. André eliminated Smash, while Perfect and Ax began working on him.
Ron Garvin Roger Barnes (born March 30, 1945) is a Canadian former professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. He is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions, Mid-Atlantic Champi ...
entered at #5 and he also assisted Perfect and Ax in triple-teaming André, who was the largest person in the match.
Greg Valentine Jonathan Anthony Wisniski (born September 20, 1951) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "the Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine. Over five decades, Valentine held more than 40 championsh ...
entered at #6, while André eliminated Garvin. Perfect, Ax and Valentine triple-teamed André until
Jake Roberts Aurelian Smith Jr. (born May 30, 1955) better known by the ring name Jake "the Snake" Roberts, is an American actor, podcaster and retired professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs as the on-screen ma ...
entered at #7. This made Roberts the first man to participate in two Royal Rumble events. The other participants left André and Roberts worked on him alone. Andre choked Roberts and threw him over the top rope. Ron Bass entered at #8. Ax and Bass battled each other while Perfect and Valentine restarted double-teaming André; André eventually got the upper hand and, after beating back Perfect, began choking Valentine until he was unconscious. One half of
The Rockers The Rockers were an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty who teamed from 1985 to 1992. The team worked for NWA Central States Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, Continental Wrestl ...
,
Shawn Michaels Shawn Michaels (born Michael Shawn Hickenbottom on July 22, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he is the Senior Vice President of Talent Development, Creative, and oversees the creative aspects of th ...
entered at #9. Perfect hit a back body drop on Ax over the top rope, eliminating him. He tried to eliminate Michaels too, but Michaels used a skin the cat to come back into the ring and almost tossed Perfect. Butch Miller, one half of The Bushwhackers, entered at #10. Jake Roberts came back and tossed his snake Damien inside the ring. André saw the snake, freaked out, and eliminated himself from the match. Roberts took his snake and went back. The Honky Tonk Man entered at #11. Honky and Valentine both tried to eliminate Michaels but failed. One-half of Strike Force,
Tito Santana Merced Solis (born May 10, 1953), better known by the ring name Tito Santana, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Professional wrestling school, trainer, and retired school teacher. Solis has stayed a Face (profession ...
entered at #12 and beat out Perfect before focusing on Valentine. Bass and Perfect double suplexed Michaels. Bad News Brown entered at #13. Santana and Butch eliminated Honky while Brown messed around with Michaels until Michaels' tag team partner Marty Jannetty entered at #14. They both got together and double dropkicked Ron Bass over the top rope. Santana hit Valentine with a flying forearm smash. One-half of
The Mega Powers The Mega Powers was a tag team in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1987 to 1989, consisting of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, and managed by Savage's wife, Miss Elizabeth. Lust and jealousy surrounding her led to the team's demise and subs ...
,
Randy Savage Randy Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler and professional baseball player, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation ( ...
entered at #15 and went after Brown. Valentine hit Savage with a Hammer Drop and tried to eliminate him, but Savage stayed in. Santana aided Savage in beating Valentine until one-half of The Brain Busters,
Arn Anderson Martin Anthony Lunde (born September 20, 1958), better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Agent, road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler. Although he ...
entered at #16. Savage backdropped Valentine over the top rope. Anderson and Savage clotheslined Michaels over the top rope, eliminating him. Jannetty pounded on Anderson. Anderson's tag team partner
Tully Blanchard Tully Arthur Blanchard (born January 22, 1954) is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-to-late 1980s as a member of ...
entered at #17. Jannetty and Blanchard beat each other. Perfect and Savage nicely exchanged each other's moves. Anderson aided Blanchard in hitting Jannetty with a spinning spinebuster. Blanchard dumped Jannetty over the top rope, but Jannetty grabbed the second rope to stay in the match, only to be eliminated by Blanchard anyway. Savage's tag team partner
Hulk Hogan Terry Gene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a brand ambassador. Known for his flamboyance and massive physiq ...
entered at #18 and dumped out Perfect. However, Perfect broke the longevity record, lasting 27:58. Anderson dumped Santana. Brown and Hogan had near-eliminations with each other. Butch's tag team partner Luke Williams entered at #19. Hogan and Brown eliminated Butch, leaving six men in the ring. Hogan and Savage were double-teamed by the other four men: Brown, Anderson, Blanchard, and Luke. Koko B. Ware entered at #20 and
dropkick A dropkick is an Professional wrestling strikes, attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as they ju ...
ed all four of them. Anderson climbed over the top rope, but Hogan scoop slammed him. Koko hunted Hogan but was dumped out over the ring, getting eliminated. Hogan punched The Brainbusters away and then eliminated Luke. The Brainbusters went for a double clothesline on Hogan, but he ducked and instead clotheslined them over the top rope. The Warlord, one-half of
The Powers of Pain ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
, entered at #21, but as soon as he entered the ring, he was eliminated by Hogan. Warlord set the record for the shortest time in the ring by spending only 2 seconds in the ring, a record that stood 20 years until
Santino Marella Anthony Carelli (born March 14, 1974), better known by the ring name Santino Marella, is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he works as the on-screen director of authority. He is best kn ...
was eliminated in 1 second at the 2009 Royal Rumble. Brown and Savage battled each other. Hogan dumped both men out. Savage berated Hogan, beginning the breakup of Mega Powers. The two tried to battle each other until
Miss Elizabeth Elizabeth Ann Hulette (November 19, 1960 – May 1, 2003), best known in professional wrestling circles as Miss Elizabeth, was an American professional wrestling Manager (professional wrestling), manager, occasional professional wrestler and prof ...
told them to calm down. The duo embraced before Savage left. One half of The Twin Towers, the
Big Boss Man Ray Washington Traylor Jr. (May 2, 1963 – September 22, 2004) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his appearances with the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name (The) Big Boss Man, a ...
entered at #22. Hogan scoop slammed Big Boss Man but Boss Man hit him with a corner avalanche and a
piledriver Piledriver or pile driver may refer to: *Pile driver, a person trained to use the diesel hammer that drives piles into the ground for foundations and bridges *Piledriver (professional wrestling), a move used in professional wrestling Entertainme ...
. Hogan tried to get rid of Boss Man until Boss Man's tag team partner Akeem entered at #23. The duo double-teamed Hogan and eliminated him. Hogan's friend Brutus Beefcake entered at #24 and took on the Twin Towers. Despite being officially eliminated, Hogan remained at the ringside area and fought with Boss Man outside. After intervention from match officials, the Boss Man re-entered the ring and Twin Towers double-teamed Beefcake until Hogan pulled the rope down, sending the Boss Man over the top rope and eliminating him from the match. The duo continued to battle each other to the locker room. With this last elimination, Hogan broke the elimination record in a single Royal Rumble match with ten. Akeem tried to eliminate Beefcake until The Red Rooster entered at #25. Rooster and Beefcake double-teamed the big Akeem until the Warlord's tag team partner The Barbarian entered at #26 and broke up Rooster and Beefcake's double-teaming on Akeem. He battled with Beefcake while Rooster received a 747 Splash by Akeem.
Big John Studd John William Minton (February 19, 1948 – March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. Studd is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World ...
entered at #27 and went after Akeem.
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
entered at #28, followed by an already eliminated Tito Santana's tag team partner
Rick Martel Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler, trainer, and television presenter, better known by his ring name, "The Model" Rick Martel. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling As ...
, who entered at #29. Everyone was punching each other before the final entrant,
Ted DiBiase Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (; born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, and color commentator. He is signed to WWE as of 2024, where he works in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship succ ...
entered at #30. DiBiase bought the slot from manager Slick to get a better spot. He eliminated Rooster and then went after his rival Hercules, whom DiBiase had bought as a slave. Beefcake saved DiBiase and battled Hercules. DiBiase sneaked out behind and eliminated both men from the ring, leaving it to the final five participants – Akeem, Barbarian, Studd, Martel, and DiBiase. Barbarian manhandled Martel, but Martel was able to avoid a clothesline by Barbarian. He dropkicked Barbarian over the top rope, leaving it to Akeem, Studd, Martel, and DiBiase. Martel hit a diving crossbody on Akeem, but the big man caught him and threw him over the top rope. Akeem, Studd, and DiBiase were the final three participants. DiBiase and Akeem spent some time in double-teaming Studd before they quarreled with each other. Studd took advantage and dumped Akeem. Studd and DiBiase remained the final two participants. Studd slammed DiBiase and followed it up with a butterfly suplex. After a clothesline, Studd threw DiBiase over the top rope to eliminate him and win the 1989 Royal Rumble. This made Studd the first man to win a 30-man Royal Rumble (the previous match had 20 entrants).


Aftermath

The Royal Rumble became an important part of the breakup of
The Mega Powers The Mega Powers was a tag team in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1987 to 1989, consisting of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, and managed by Savage's wife, Miss Elizabeth. Lust and jealousy surrounding her led to the team's demise and subs ...
.
Hulk Hogan Terry Gene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a brand ambassador. Known for his flamboyance and massive physiq ...
accidentally eliminated
Randy Savage Randy Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler and professional baseball player, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation ( ...
from the match. On the February 3 '' The Main Event II'', Hogan and Savage faced The Twin Towers ( Akeem and
Big Boss Man Ray Washington Traylor Jr. (May 2, 1963 – September 22, 2004) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his appearances with the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name (The) Big Boss Man, a ...
) in a
tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establis ...
match, filled with controversy. During the climax of the match, Akeem threw Savage through the ropes onto the floor with Savage's body hitting Elizabeth in the process. Hogan did not help Savage and turned his attention to an unconscious Elizabeth. Savage questioned what was happening, but Hogan did not reply. Hogan picked Liz up and took her backstage. Hogan left Savage alone in the ring to handle the Twin Towers. When Hogan returned to the ring, Savage slapped him in the face, took the championship belt, and left Hogan alone in the ring with the Twin Towers. Hogan still managed to pick up the win, however, but afterward got into a heated argument with Savage backstage. Savage declared that Hogan was jealous of him, that he lusted after Elizabeth, and that he would defeat Hogan if it came to it for the belt. Hogan tried to talk sense into Savage, but was unsuccessful as the Macho Man turned
heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
on his now former partner by attacking both him and Brutus Beefcake, who tried to intervene on Hogan's behalf. Hogan and Savage then began
feud A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially family, families or clans. Feuds begin ...
ing with each other, which culminated in a match at
WrestleMania V WrestleMania V was a 1989 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the fifth annual WrestleMania and took place on April 2, 1989, at the Atlantic City Convention Hall in ...
dubbed "The Mega Powers Explode", where Savage, who had won the
WWF World Heavyweight Championship The WWE Championship, also referred to as the Undisputed WWE Championship since April 2024, is a men's professional wrestling World championship (professional wrestling), world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American profe ...
over a year earlier at
WrestleMania IV WrestleMania IV was a 1988 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the fourth annual WrestleMania and took place on March 27, 1988, at the Atlantic City Convention Ha ...
with Hogan in his corner, would defend against his former friend. Hogan defeated Savage to win the title; ending Savage's reign of 371 days.
Jake Roberts Aurelian Smith Jr. (born May 30, 1955) better known by the ring name Jake "the Snake" Roberts, is an American actor, podcaster and retired professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs as the on-screen ma ...
and
André the Giant André René Roussimoff (; 19 May 1946 – 28 January 1993), better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World", Roussimoff was known for his great size, which ...
continued their feud during the rest of the winter of 1989, with the returning
Big John Studd John William Minton (February 19, 1948 – March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. Studd is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World ...
becoming involved in their WrestleMania V match as the guest referee. The Ultimate Warrior vowed revenge against
Rick Rude Richard Erwin Rood (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999), better known by his ring name "Ravishing" Rick Rude, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler who performed for many Professional wrestling promotion, promotions, incl ...
for his attack after the posedown, to which Rude replied that he wanted a match for the Intercontinental Championship, held by Warrior. Over the next couple of months, Rude would regularly appear at ringside midway through Warrior's matches with World champion Savage, luring the Warrior outside and causing him to be counted out (then afterward embracing Savage to emphasize the latter's heel turn.) At WrestleMania V, Rude won the Intercontinental title, using outside interference from manager Bobby Heenan to pin Warrior. Rude thus became the first champion in the Heenan Family. The Rockin' Robin- Judy Martin match for the WWF Women's Championship was the last women's match for a championship title conducted at a major WWF pay-per-view event for nearly five years. Robin left the company in June 1989 and – with little to no interest in women's wrestling at the time – the title was deactivated in February 1990. The title remained vacant until 1993, when
Alundra Blayze Debrah Ann Miceli (born February 9, 1963), better known as Madusa, is an American monster truck driver and retired professional wrestler. She is currently signed to National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) as a producer. In professional wrestling M ...
won a tournament to become the new champion. The Royal Rumble marked the WWF PPV debut of The Bushwhackers, who arrived in WWF in December 1988 after leaving WCW whilst in the finals of their United States Tag Team title tournament. The Bushwhackers would go on to feud with the Brain Busters throughout the early part of 1989 on the house show circuit. Another PPV debut was former NWA World Heavyweight Champion "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin, who also arrived in December 1988 from a run in the AWA. After the Rumble, he and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine would feud where they exchanged televised pinfall victories on ''WWF Superstars of Wrestling'', with Valentine winning a "retirement match" on ''Superstars''.
Steve Lombardi Steven Kenneth Lombardi (born April 18, 1961) is an American professional wrestler and road agent, better known by his ring name, the Brooklyn Brawler. He is currently signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he performs as an on-screen per ...
would be repackaged as "The Brooklyn Brawler" on an episode of ''Prime Time Wrestling'' later in January 1989, where he attacked The Red Rooster on the set of PTW at the urging of Bobby Heenan, which also "injured" host Gorilla Moonson and started a feud between the two.


Results


Royal Rumble entrances and eliminations

A new entrant came out approximately every 2 minutes. ^Jake Roberts had already been eliminated when he returned from the locker room with his bag. He then removed his pet, a
boa constrictor The boa constrictor (scientific name also ''Boa constrictor''), also known as the common boa, is a species of large, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is frequently kept and bred in captivity. The boa constrictor is a member of the Family (b ...
called "Damien", from the bag and then slid into the ring to chase André The Giant away, who quickly eliminated himself over the top rope to escape Jake and his pet snake.


References


External links


Official website
{{WWEPPV, Royal Rumble
1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...
1989 in Houston Professional wrestling shows in Houston 1989 WWF pay-per-view events January 1989 in the United States pl:WWE Royal Rumble#Royal Rumble 1989.5B4.5D