WWE Royal Rumble Debut Wrestlers: Where Are They Now?

15. Jim Neidhart

Royal Rumble debut
WWE

"The Anvil" Jim Neidhart was one of the bigger names to take part in the inaugural Rumble, and he had one of the most impressive runs. Only his tag partner Bret Hart and Jake Roberts topped his 19:06 in the ring, and while Anvil didn't come close to winning, he was able to throw Tito Santana out along the way.

Neidhart always worked best as a tag guy, but he and Bret gradually drifted towards singles careers in 1989. Anvil, for all his positive qualities, never had his brother-in-law's star power, potential, and dynamism, and struggled to make an impact on his own. He remained relevant, however, and drifted in an out of teams with various Hart family members throughout the 1990s.

His last big WWE run ended in 1997, but Neidhart still pops his head through the door from time-to-time. His daughter, Natalya, remains prominent on SmackDown Live, and Jim has appeared on a number of Total Divas episodes to support her. Most recently, Anvil was filmed attempting to train Lana how to throw a shot put, resulting in a not-at-all-scripted car windscreen breakage.

Aside from his low-key WWE contributions and the occasional independent appearance, Neidhart spends his days working in real asset while also dabbling in financial markets.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.