WWE Royal Rumble: 10 Best Performances By Losing Superstars
2. Hulk Hogan - 1989
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4z0LM7Ld-0 There are few names in wrestling that are more synonymous with the craft than Hulk Hogan. You can go halfway across the world, and you will find that the Hulkster is still a household name, even though his in-ring prime was nearly twenty-five years ago. By the time the 1989 Royal Rumble rolled around, Hulk Hogan had already established himself as the face of wrestling in the eighties, helped Vince McMahon build WrestleMania, and become the favorite of nearly every fan who came to see the show. With the Rumble entering its second year, Hulk Hogan saw an opportunity to prove, once again, that he was the dominant superstar of the brand. The 1989 Royal Rumble started out slowly, as, in the first half of the match, it proved hard for any man to gain a real advantage. Andre the Giant took out Smash, Ronnie Garvin, and Jake the Snake, but ended up eliminating himself from the match early when Jakes snake Damien was let loose in the ring. Mr. Perfect, Greg Valentine, and Shawn Michaels all managed fifteen minute or longer stints in the ring, but none of them could muster more than one elimination. The ring had begun to fill up with superstars, with seven in the ring after Tully Blanchard tossed out Marty Jannetty leading up to entry number eighteen. Hogan would enter the match at that number eighteen spot, immediately turning the Rumble into his match. Hogan went straight for Mr. Perfect, tossing out Hennig after he had spent nearly thirty minutes in the ring. Hogan would then turn his attention to the other combatants, next throwing out Bushwhacker Butch (with help from Bad News Brown). He would then eliminate Koko B. Ware, Bushwhacker Luke, Arn Anderson, and Tully Blanchard in quick succession. If Hogan didn't already look unstoppable, he cemented his dominance when The Warlord took to the ring at number twenty-one. Hogan would eliminate Warlord with a clothesline after only two seconds, helping to establish a record for shortest Rumble appearance that would not be broken for twenty years until the insufferable Santino Marella broke the record in 2009. Hogan wasn't about to stop with just seven eliminations, already a record at the time. He took advantage of a distracted Macho Man and sent him sprawling to the floor. He then rounded on and eliminated Bad News Brown, giving him his ninth elimination. It was clear that just one man couldn't stop Hulkamania. As he teed off on Big Boss Man, Boss Mans tag partner Akeem stormed the ring, and the duo finally subdued Hogan, taking him over the top rope and out of the match. Not to be denied some retribution, Hogan continued to brawl with Big Boss Man until the officials could separate the two. Hogan found a way to come out on top, as he lowered the ropes on Boss Man, sending him out of the ring instead of rebounding him back towards his opponent. That mark of ten eliminations set in Houston would stand for twelve years until one superstar would make Hulks 1989 dominance pale in comparison.