Ranking All 31 WWE Royal Rumble Winners

27. Lex Luger – 1994

Ric Flair Royal Rumble 1992
WWE.com

WrestleMania title shot: Lost to Yokozuna at WrestleMania X

When you talk about Rumble winners who squandered their world title shot, Lex Luger has to be at the top of the list. Ignoring the backstage rumors, the debacle that was the ’94 Rumble is a huge blemish on the event’s overall history.

As many know, Luger and Bret Hart were the last two in the ’94 Rumble, and they tumbled out of the ring together. Replays were “inconclusive,” so both men got title shots at WrestleMania X. Luger went first, while Hart faced his brother Owen in arguably the best Mania opening match in history. Luger lost by DQ for shoving guest referee Mr. Perfect, which has to be the worst world title match ending in WrestleMania history (save maybe for Cena versus Miz at WrestleMania XXVII).

Luger would be shuffled down the card and leave WWF in mid-1995, kicking off the Monday Night Wars by appearing on the inaugural episode of WCW Nitro.

Contributor
Contributor

Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.