50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE Royal Rumble
42. It’s Good '92's Prize Didn’t Become The Norm
As good as it feels to revisit, something else must be said about 1992's Rumble. The vacant WWF Title was up for grabs in the match, which added a ton to the atmosphere, but it's a good thing that Vince McMahon didn't get carried away and make this the bout's new norm. That, dear readers, would've been a mistake, not least when the promotion stumbled on another dangling carrot the very next year.
Having Ric Flair win the belt in the '92 Rumble was fine as a one off (for the era - WWE would repeat the trick again with Triple H in 2016), but it's a major relief McMahon didn't make titles the standard prize on offer. Instead, he mixed things up by making the show a key part of the road to WrestleMania by offering a guaranteed World Title shot to the winner. That was a much, much, much better idea.
This is when the WWF/WWE started downplaying involvement from top titleholders in the Rumble, which was another hefty plus. Their exclusion fed into the idea of opportunity and elitism. Now, rather than bragging about possibly eliminating the champ without anything tangible going forwards, Royal Rumble winners would get a one-on-one crack at the big dog and line their pockets with a meaty payday from main eventing 'Mania.
Part of '92's magic comes from the uniqueness of it. Flair was an NWA incomer who felt different to everyone else on the WWF roster, and the title tussle echoed the changing face of federation business post-Ultimate Warrior failure and mid-Hogan drop off.