10 Most Disappointing Surprises In WWE Royal Rumble History

8. Honky Tonk Man (2001)

Kane Drew Carey
WWE

The self-proclaimed greatest Intercontinental Champion of all-time held his belt for a record 64 weeks, and was an excellent heel in his heyday. His despicable, controversy-filled run provides a perfect blueprint for The Miz to follow, and while the current champ might be a more complete performer, he’d do well to match Honky’s undeniable legacy.

The Honky Tonk Man’s appearance in the 2001 Royal Rumble was his first since somehow surviving for close to 20 minutes at the 1998 event. This one didn’t go quite to plan, however. Kane was standing tall after systematically eliminating a valiant squad of midcarders, and when Honky’s music hit, the Big Red Machine was as surprised as anyone else.

The former Intercontinental Champion didn’t want to fight right away, however. Instead, he grabbed a microphone, bigged himself up, and decided to engage in a little mid-match karaoke. While he (and the 8 audience members who actually had a clue what was going on) sung his entrance music, Kane grabbed his guitar, smashed it over his head, and promptly tossed the Honky Tonk Man from the match. A fun moment, but one that served little purpose in the grander scheme.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. 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.