10 WWE Battles With Fascinating Backstories
6. The 1994 Royal Rumble Match
Following the departure (once again) of Hulk Hogan, Vince McMahon decided he needed a new all-American star who could lead the way as top babyface. Lex Luger was plucked from a heel run and recast as a red, white and blue saviour. Meanwhile, some fans could see through the whole ordeal, much preferring the hard-working exploits of Bret Hart.
There was a battle between fans and management here. McMahon desperately wanted people to embrace Luger as the second coming of Hogan, whereas wrestling enthusiasts desired something different, enjoying the more scientific and dramatic matches that Hart provided regularly.
At the 1994 Royal Rumble, this difference in opinion was laid bare for all to see. For the conclusion of the bout, Hart and Luger were eliminated simultaneously, with the plan then being that fan cheers would be equal when referees claimed each man was the actual Rumble winner.
Fans accidentally rebelled on this, organically cheering for Bret Hart in a much stronger way. McMahon was thus forced to accept that the Hogan 2.0 experiment wasn't cutting it, and moved on from Luger.