WWE Royal Rumble Debut Wrestlers: Where Are They Now?
17. Harley Race
Wrestlers don't get much more iconic than Harley Race. A legend in the National Wrestling Alliance, Race didn't join WWE until he was 43 years old, but he still had something to offer between the ropes. Debuting in 1986, Race was managed by longtime friend Bobby Heenan, and won the sophomore King of the Ring tournament later that year.
He feuded with Hulk Hogan, Jim Duggan, and the Junkyard Dog thereafter, and entered the 1988 Royal Rumble at number six. Unfortunately, King Harley didn't have the best of runs, and he was bundled out by Don Muraco after little over ten minutes. His career hit a downturn from there, and after suffering a hernia while wrestling Hulk Hogan, Race was forced to leave in 1989.
Race continued his wrestling career in WCW, and occupied a number of backstage roles for WWE throughout the '90s. In 1999, Race formed World League Wrestling, his own promotion, and opened Harley Race's Wrestling Academy one year later. Both enterprises are still going strong today: WLW's family-friendly events have attracted the likes of Mick Foley and Bret Hart for guest appearances, and Race lists former WWE Tag Team Champion Trevor Murdoch among his trainees.
Race retains a good relationship with the WWE, and was inducted to the Hall Of Fame in 2004. His last notable wrestling appearance came in January 2014, when he took part in an NWA World Heavyweight Championship presentation at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 8.