10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 1988 Facts
9. The Event Was Programmed Against NWA's Bunkhouse Stampede
You may recall how WWE muscled NWA's Starrcade out of significant pay-per-view space by booking the inaugural Survivor Series on the same night in 1987. NWA's second attempt at a pay-per-view, Bunkhouse Stampede, wasn't going to be strong-armed by another McMahon pay-per-view hijack. This time, McMahon brought his opposition to basic cable, making it even more accessible than a pay-per-view.
Stampede was a battle royal variation in its own right, and took place inside of a steel cage. Dusty Rhodes was victorious, reportedly to the disdain of his fellow wrestlers (most notably Tully Blanchard), and the event was largely considered a major flop. The fact that such a southern-fried "rasslin'" concept was booked to take place in Long Island, New York (Are there any bunkhouses in New York?) may have been a factor. Going up against the Rumble didn't help either.