1992 Royal Rumble

[WingedEagle]

Do we have any sense why Flair came out at #3 rather than #1? Instinct says its a simpler story to promote someone going the distance. So why 3?

[RCS1988]

I think they did that, because people expected Flair to come out at number 1, if you had the CV version, Flair basically reveals what number he picked.

[peachchaos]

Interesting question. My only thought is maybe they were saving the #1 Entrance Win for another time. If Flair had entered at #1 and won, they would've blown through two big Rumble storylines in one year with the title being on the line.

[DownNDirtyTN]

I think McMahon wanted to make sure he didn't go "all in" with Flair. He didn't want Flair to go bell to bell and wanted to ensure that he could have someone one up Flair when he inevitably went back to WCW. I think it would have made more sense for Flair to come out at 4 as a little wink and a nod to the 4 Horseman. Of course the WWF isn't interested in anything not WWF centric so that wouldn't make sense to them.

[PeteF3]

I liked the gradual progression to somebody actually going wire-to-wire (which got an asterisk even then since Shawn did it with 60-second intervals). DiBiase was the first real marathon guy going from #1 to #23 or so, then Martel went from #6 to 30. There was no real need to rush a guy going the whole distance, when going from #6 to #3 lasting all the way was a big enough jump on its own.

[Death From Above]

Dibiase being #1 was a callback to him having "purchased" #30 the previous Rumble and people enjoying his character getting what he had coming. I think they also wanted Dibiase out of the way before Flair gets there so Flair is the heel that has all of the spotlight for virtually the whole match. Dibiase being eliminated almost instantly gives Flair a platform to be the one heel drawing all the focus virtually the whole way through.

 

Bulldog was #2 I guess because they'd run a previously televised Battle Royal that he'd won and they wanted him hyped as another possible red herring marathon man. If I remember right he lasts a long time in this too and it's played up as a big deal when he gets eliminated. Bulldog elminating Dibiase right off establishes him as a threat and makes the next few minutes far more dramatic than they have any real right to be given that in hindsight we know Flair is going to the finish.

 

I think Flair not being 1 or 2 adds ever so slightly to the impression that the Rumble was something totally random and not just taking the easiest pre-determined route. Heenan's reaction on commentary is so priceless, his man dodged being 1 or 2 but then he's just apoplectic that Hogan, Tunney and that evil WWF are out to get his client. To me that's one thing the 92 rumble does so well in that you have several possible red herring marathon guys, several great "this could be the real champion" moments, the middle of the match OH NO moment when Piper has Flair alone etc. It's all playing out as it should but often it did so (other than Piper, who HAS to come in right when he does) in the second most obvious moment instead of the first, which gives it a wilder feel. There's even the great sequence where Greg Valentine goes after Flair which is an old rivalry and although the announcers don't play it up because it happened in OTHER PLACES, the crowd is clearly with it.

 

I think it's perfect just the way it is.

[RCS1988]

An interesting thing about 1990's Rumble is that they played the themes up until Jake Roberts entry into the match, then after that they didn't do music.

[flyonthewall2983]

I would have given him 4 or 5 to give Heenan a few of those nervous moments followed by relief. But when he comes out is great enough as it is, as was Heenan's reaction. Having seen the match so many times I don't think it's the single-greatest performance of his but it's certainly up there. Can't help but think McMahon would have been so much better instead of Monsoon that night, who flubs a few lines and goes into his hyper-face cheerleader mode a couple times too.

[JerryvonKramer]

Dibiase being #1 was a callback to him having "purchased" #30 the previous Rumble and people enjoying his character getting what he had coming. I think they also wanted Dibiase out of the way before Flair gets there so Flair is the heel that has all of the spotlight for virtually the whole match. Dibiase being eliminated almost instantly gives Flair a platform to be the one heel drawing all the focus virtually the whole way through.

This was actually 3 Rumbles ago. He purchesed the 30 spot in 89.

 

Came out #1 in 1990.

 

Dusty and Dustin match in 91.

 

It was a call back, but a call back to him coming out number 1.

 

But also, I think, a nice little night off for Ted after his iron man performance from before, being the sacrificial lamb for Bulldog.

 

Still, would have been nice to see Flair and Ted in there together.

[MikeCampbell]

I think it was mostly intended as a bit of a gotcha to the fans. One of the storylines was that Hogan and UT got preferential treatment in the drawing and would get a number from 20-30, and, it was mentioned on TV at least once, that Flair also has a good chance of getting a high number.