One MIND-BLOWING Secret From Every WWE Royal Rumble

1996 - A Boxer Was (Supposedly) Considered As A Mystery Celebrity Entrant

Who was the first “mystery” entrant in the Royal Rumble?

As mentioned, there were several “surprises” before the trope was woven into the tradition, but that’s only because you had no idea who these people were. You weren’t meant to pop for them; they were there to shamble their way to the ring, hoping to go unnoticed before they were eliminated within minutes, because they were there to make up the numbers.

The first actual surprise entrant - i.e., someone you knew of, and whose appearance was portrayed as a surprise - was Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler in 1997, whose sh*t-eating grin was wiped off his face when Bret Hart eliminated him in five seconds. The spot was so incredible that it birthed the ensuing novelty wave. The first celebrity entrant was Drew Carey in 2001. Oddly, considering he was a professional comedian, this was infinitely less funny.

Both Lawler and Carey were almost beaten to the punch - that is if you take the word of boxer Peter McNeeley.

McNeeley was known only for being the first guy to take on Mike Tyson after he was released from prison. The fight was always going to receive a massive amount of publicity; Tyson was a monster draw even before he became notorious. Fittingly, there was a pro wrestling flavour to the “finish”; McNeeley’s manager theatrically entered the ring to save his man after the second knockdown, causing a disqualification.

According to the Boston Herald, McNeeley reckoned that the WWF wanted to reenact the Tyson fight finish by throwing him out on 89 seconds after his manager, Vinnie Verrione, interfered. This all seems very plausible, a thing the mainstream-chasing WWF would do, but what ultimately felt like a publicity stunt was revealed when the Undertaker was named as the guy who was planned to eliminate him.

‘Taker was not in nor planned to be in the Rumble match that year.