It had been 13 years since Great Kabuki made his greatest impression on North American fans during his stint with World Class Championship Wrestling, under the tutelage of the fantastic Gary Hart, when he turned up at the 1994 Royal Rumble as one of Mr. Fuiji's henchmen. Having helped Yokozuna successfully retain his WWE Championship against The Undertaker in a Casket Match earlier in the night, it looked as though Kabuki would be key in ensuring that top contenders like Lex Luger and Bret Hart did not make it to WrestleMania and a date with the champion. Though he and Tenryu beat down Luger backstage prior to the Rumble match, the former WCCW star failed miserably once he stepped inside the squared circle. He lasted under three minutes in the match and was eliminated by the man he vowed to prevent from winning, Luger. The result? An appearance in the 1994 match that is more memorable for being an answer to a trivia question than anything else.
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.
