12 Best WWE Royal Rumble Performances Ever

10. Diesel (1994)

shawn michaels royal rumble 2010
WWE.com

When you talk about a wrestler who eliminates a bunch of opponents in quick succession during the Royal Rumble, it’s often called the “Diesel Push.” And there’s good reason.

In 1994, Diesel was seemingly treading water as Shawn Michaels’ bodyguard/tag partner, a solid mid-card heel. But when he entered the Rumble at #7, everything changed. Diesel proceeded to eliminate seven men in relatively quick succession, becoming an immediate fan favorite and “building momentum” – back when that phrase actually meant something.

In the aftermath, Diesel would go on to become a WWF Triple Crown winner in 1994 alone, winning the Intercontinental Championship that spring, the tag titles that summer (becoming a double champion) and then the WWF Championship that fall in eight seconds.

And that momentum started at the ‘94 Rumble.

Contributor
Contributor

Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fondly remembers watching WrestleMania III, IV, V and VI and Saturday Night's Main Event, came back to wrestling during the Attitude Era, and has been a consumer of sports entertainment since then. He's written for WhatCulture for more than a decade, establishing the Ups and Downs articles for WWE Raw and WWE PPVs/PLEs and composing pieces on a variety of topics.