20 Awesome WWE Royal Rumble Moments
11. Diesel Dumps Seven (1994)
If you’re going to talk about Roman Reigns’
star-making performance in 2014, you have to give credit to Diesel’s
elimination spree at the 1994 Rumble as the progenitor of that phenomenon. When
Kevin Nash joined WWF in 1993, he already had flopped in WCW in multiple
gimmicks. As Diesel, he served as Shawn Michaels’ bodyguard, a role that
probably wasn’t going to drastically improve his status in the industry.
But the 1994 Rumble changed all of that. Entering at #7, Diesel cleared the ring, then started tossing wrestlers as the entered the ring. Bob Backlund, Billy Gunn and Virgil all were tossed in less than a minute each. Even though he was supposed to be a heel, fans got behind Diesel, chanting his name and cheering each elimination. And thus, a star was born.
Months later, Diesel would win the Intercontinental
Championship, and by the end of the year, he would be WWE Champion. Then of
course there was the whole nWo thing, but all of that stemmed from the Diesel
push at the 94 Rumble.