Every WWE Royal Rumble Match - From Worst To Best

By John Bills /

27. 1988

It probably isn't fair to judge the very first Royal Rumble against the 27 that would follow, as it was very much akin to a toddler taking tentative steps into a foreboding ocean. Only 20 men made up the field as well, and even then it wasn't exactly heavy on star quality. Bret Hart was the very first man to enter a Royal Rumble and put in the most impressive performance by a landslide. It was a time in wrestling history where enhanced big men were the be all and end all, none of whom were noted for a particularly exciting in-ring style, meaning what we got was 33 minutes of slow, boring action. The only points of interest were in seeing who will enter next, before returning to the boredom. 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan would be the first winner, ousting Dino Bravo and finally One Man Gang to take home the W.