10 Unforgettable Wrestling Moments That Gave You Goosebumps
3. Shawn Michaels Wins 1995 Royal Rumble After Drawing #1 Entry By "Skinning The Cat"
In 1995, as the British Bulldog was celebrating his Rumble victory, posing for fans on the middle ropes facing the crowd, with his back to a thought-to-have-been eliminated Shawn Michaels, Michaels pulled himself back up over the ropes, into the ring, and on to victory.
Michaels had inadvertently popularised the "skinning the cat" trope, most notably used during this kind of matches, where eliminations mean getting thrown over the top.
After some deliberation, the haze of victorious confusion lifted, as it became clear that only one of Shawn Michael's feet had actually touched the floor. (though this is disputable, as if you watch the footage again, for a brief second, the tip of Michael's other foot does indeed make contact with the mat below).
Since the days of Michael's ingenuity which proved to outmatch the brute strength of the Bulldog, there have been many variations of Royal Rumble elimination avoidances, each one seemingly more creative than the one before. This match trope remains an integral plot device, bringing many a spot few would have ever thought possible, including helping Rey Mysterio to do the exact same, except this time grabbing his last remaining opponent The Big Show with both feet, and pulling him over the top rope to floor below.