50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE Royal Rumble
37. 1995’s Format Tweak Was Necessary
This is why 1995's format change was a necessary evil.
Here's a simple question: Would you want to sit through a 60-minute long Rumble starring such luminaries as Duke Droese, Jimmy Del Ray, Timothy Well, Steven Dunn, Mantaur, Aldo Montoya, Kwang, Dick Murdoch and more? ’95 dropped the familiar 90 second/2 minute intervals to just 60 seconds, and Vince McMahon crowed on commentary that this would make the Rumble more exciting than ever. Just you wait and see, WWF loyalists. Ha-ha-haaaaaaaa!
His decision certainly made the match more palatable to fans who could see right through the WWF’s paper-thin roster sheets. Only Shawn Michaels, The British Bulldog and Lex Luger had any real shot at being a credible winner and heading to WrestleMania XI in 1995; Owen Hart at a push, because he was always an upper-card Mr. Reliable when called upon to deliver the goods.
The promotion's top brass knew they didn't have a lot to shout about, so they had to keep things on the shorter side and hope that was enough of a selling point to coax fans in with the Rumble's name value. In fairness, McMahon did everyone a favour. Imagine having to wait 2 full minutes between the #3-#9 stretch of Eli Blu, Droese, Del Ray, Sione, Tom Prichard, babyface Doink The Clown (not the badass Matt Borne version) and Kwang?!
That'd be considered a form of torture in some circles. Same goes for making folks wait to see Mantaur and Montoya as #20 and #21. Good lord, this was like taking a trip down memory lane then standing in dog poo.