WWE Royal Rumble Debut Wrestlers: Where Are They Now?
13. Bret Hart
Bret Hart was already well-established in WWE by January 1988, but his career was just taking flight. Entering the Royal Rumble at number one, Hart became the event's first ever "Iron Man" by lasting close to 26 minutes in the match, though Tito Santana was his only elimination.
The Hitman's career skyrocketed soon after. From his impeccable tag work as part of the Hart Foundation to his phenomenal singles run, Hart was one of WWE's most impressive performers for the bulk of his run. He eventually became a five-time WWE Champion, two-time King of the Ring, and eventually won the Royal Rumble in 1994.
He famously left WWE in the aftermath of the Montreal Screwjob in 1997, and Hart's wrestling career dwindled thereafter. His WCW run was shambolic, a botched kick from Goldberg effectively ended his career in 2000, and he was rendered wheelchair-bound by a stroke in 2002.
Hart recovered, fortunately, and was finally able to lay his longstanding issues with Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, and WWE to rest by returning in 2010. He remains on decent terms with the company and continues making sporadic appearances, with the most recent coming at Payback 2016.
Away from the ring, Hart keeps himself occupied through a variety of avenues, and is never shy of sharing his criticism of the current WWE product. Never one to hold his tongue, Hart is always great value as an interviewee.