10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 1996 Facts
2. It Was The First PPV Rumble Where The Rumble Match Didn't Finish
Generally you'd think that an hour-long Royal Rumble match would be the perfect conclusion to a three-hour show. Once one match has held your attention for so long, it's pretty difficult to get up for another match, even if there are big stars involved.
Yet, from 1996 through 1998, WWE insisted on putting the World Championship match on last. For '96, it was Bret Hart defending the gold against The Undertaker, in what was Taker's first televised shot at the belt in two years.
The match ended with Undertaker winning via disqualification after Diesel interfered, to build their respective feud. From a structuring standpoint, it made sense for Diesel (who had just lost the Rumble match) to take his anger out on new rival Undertaker, so the reversed match order fit the story that they needed to tell.