10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 1998 Facts
7. The Honky Tonk Man Replaced Triple H
Triple H would most certainly have been part of the Rumble field, providing yet another star-of-tomorrow in a match with plenty. Three weeks before the show, however, Helmsley injured his knee at a live event in Hamilton, ON, and wouldn't be cleared to return until after the pay-per-view.
For a fill-in, WWE turned to the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, The Honky Tonk Man. Honky managed to last nearly 20 minutes in the match after entering 19th, incredibly giving him the ninth-longest duration in the '98 bout.
Helmsley did manage to hobble down to the ring, so that he could cause Owen Hart's elimination. In a weird little coincidence, Triple H's arrival coincided with Honky's Rumble entrance, which gave us the wonderful visual of "The Game" shambling down the aisle to "Cool, Cocky, Bad."