Big John Studd's return to the ring in 1989 should have been a renaissance of sorts for the future Hall of Famer. Denouncing former manager Bobby Heenan, Studd easily could have filled the role of lovable giant, vacated by Andre the Giant when the Eighth Wonder of the World turned heel two years earlier. That Vince McMahon had an affinity for big men and saw them as the major attractions in his company, odds are he had sizable plans for Studd, beginning with the Royal Rumble match in January. In a match that touted the likes of "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Jake "the Snake" Roberts and the aforementioned Andre the Giant, not to mention the incredibly hot "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Studd was McMahon's choice to win the first Rumble broadcast on pay-per-view. The logic behind the decision was strong. McMahon felt that reintroducing the big man to the audience with a win in one of the company's signature matches would help him get over as a mega babyface. Unfortunately it backfired as the excitement was sucked out of The Summit in Houston, Texas, the minute both Savage and Hogan were eliminated from the contest. No matter what was done from there on out, or who was involved, the match was never able to regain the heat it had previously. And Studd was such an underwhelming choice to win the bout. The fans had no emotional investment in him at all, despite the interactions between he and Heenan leading into the bout. Sure, they popped for his win but this writer could argue that was as much for the fact that he eliminated DiBiase as it was for him actually having his arm raised in victory. Years later, through no fault of his own, Studd remains one of the most questionable winners in Rumble history.
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.
