In January 1994, Vince McMahon had no idea which one of his company's top babyfaces he wanted to dethrone Yokozuna for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania X. He had invested a great deal of time and money in pushing "Made in the USA" Lex Luger as Hulk Hogan 2.0 and had built a solid story out of his journey to defeat the champion in the name of all things America. But Bret Hart had a connection with fans that could not be replicated in the merchandising and marketing rooms. It was real, organic and helped keep him over and relevant, no matter how hard management attempted to shuffle him into the background in favor of Luger. With no real, definitive favorite in mind, McMahon booked Hart and Luger to become the first co-winners in Royal Rumble history. Both men tumbled over the rope and to the arena floor, their feet hitting the ground at the same time. Replays abounded but no clear angle of who really won the match could be found. Referees argued, President Jack Tunney made his presence felt and still, no winner was determined. It was then that a confused Howard Finkel announced the decision, much to the dismay of an audience clearly behind Hart. Those fans would be happy when the Hitman eventually advanced to WrestleMania X and defeated Yokozuna to capture the WWE Championship.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
