It's Rumble Time Again!

It's that time of year again, folks, when thirty of the (supposedly) top wrestlers in the wrestling business compete in one of the toughest (supposedly) matches in the history of the game, the Royal Rumble.

The Rumble is probably my second favourite pay-per-view of the year, behind Wrestlemania. As many of you probably know, I've been watching the WWE since 1989, and the Rumble match itself always held a special place in my heart, probably because unlike most other gimmick matches, it only comes around once a year, and it isn't done to death.

The first Rumble I saw back in 1990 featured a moment that will remain as one of my favourites in WWE history, and I'm not including the moment where the Warlord entered and was promptly dispatched from the ring seconds later. I'm talking about that moment.

This match featured the first ever in-ring encounter between World Champion Hulk Hogan and Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior, the two most popular wrestlers in the company at the time. I must admit that I marked out with the best of them at seeing these two wrestling giants in the ring together. It was a moment that many fans will cherish for years to come, and the start of the journey that led to one of the biggest matches ever at Wrestlemania VI.

Many of today's so-called smart fans will probably criticise me for being such a big fan of this story line, but back then, long before the dawn of the Internet, this was like a dream come true. For the Hulkster, it was indeed the ultimate challenge. Hogan went on to win the Rumble that year, but back then, winning the Rumble didn't really mean that much.

Of course, there have been other memorable moments in Rumble history. Who can forget Ric Flair's sixty-minute plus performance to win the vacant title two years later? Drawing number three, this was Flair's defining moment in his WWE career. In an era of steroid-filled monsters, Flair outlasted them all, and claimed the one World title he hadn't won. The sad thing here was that at the time everyone's dream match was Flair v Hogan. This would have been a perfect way to start promoting the match on television, but because Hogan wanted to wind down his schedule at the time, this dream match was never featured on pay-per-view. It would have been a perfect main event for Wrestlemania VIII.

During the early years, one of the things that drew me to the Rumble match was the chance to see heels pounding the hell out of other heels, and the same with the faces. At that moment in time the WWE were very reluctant promote heel v heel or face v face matches. This changed with the introduction of the so-called "Attitude" era, the era of the beer-swilling anti-hero, where the line between hero and villain became blurred a little.

The Rumble still remained compelling viewing however, mainly because that after a few years, winning the match actually meant something, with the stipulation that the winner would be granted a title shot at Wrestlemania two months later adding a little sparkle to the proceedings. But one setback to this meant that it became obvious that only a select few had a real chance of going over. The era of the underdog in the Rumble came to an end.

This stipulation however has led to some dire matches at the following Wrestlemania. Yokozuna v Bret Hart at Wrestlemania IX will never be remembered as a classic, but at least the powers-that-be stuck to their guns that year, and they more than made up for it the following year, booking Bret and Lex Luger as joint winners, so that both of them would be competing in high-profile matches at Wrestlemania X.

A few years later, the WWE would use the Hart/Luger ending again, when in 2000, The Rock won the belt, only for the Big Show to contest decision, insisting that he was the last man in. The big lump would later prove his point, lose a number one contenders match, but still go on to main event at Wrestlemania. This wasn't exactly the most memorable of years for me.

Apart from the Rumble match itself, there have also been some great under card matches. The 1991 match pitting World Champion the Ultimate Warrior against Iraqi-sympathiser Sgt. Slaughter, held at the height of the first Gulf War, may have infuriated many fans, but take away the Iraqi angle, and you've got booking at it's finest. You've got Randy Savage, who has been feuding with the Warrior over the title for months, trying to get one last title shot, with the Warrior refusing his request. Savage and his manager Sensational Sherri then do everything they can to interfere in the Warrior's match with Slaughter, costing him the title and setting up the thrilling retirement match at Wrestlemania VII.

Then we have the classic I Quit match between Mankind and The Rock. Mrs. Foley's baby boy was riding the crest of a wave going into this bout. His feud with The Rock, and his title victory made for compelling viewing at the time. Of course, this match will be remembered for the number of chair shots Foley took, for the way it was portrayed in Beyond The Mat, and for Foley's comments about The Rock's actions (or non-actions) after the match in his first biography.

In recent years we've seen some puzzling booking. A couple of years ago we saw a heel v heel encounter as champion Kurt Angle defended the title against fellow villain Triple H. This was during Angle's first title reign, and the original plan was for Angle to face Chris Jericho, a singles match that had never been seen on pay-per-view before. While this would have been a boon to many fans, a match between to of the companies up and coming stars, Triple H apparently threw a hissy fit and convinced the powers-that-be to change the plans. Jericho was thrown to one side as Triple H was put into the title match. Triple H dominated the match, making Angle looking very weak and very lucky to come out of the match with a victory. This did nothing for Angle's career, but a great deal for Triple H's ego.

Just one year ago, with the brand extension in full effect, we saw the good and the bad with the two title matches. Scott Steiner and Triple H literally stunk up the building with their awful World title encounter. One comment I read at the time summed it all up for me - both guys were built like tanks, and both guys moved like tanks. Then, moments after that debacle, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit put on an excellent match, the sort of match that will probably win countless Match of the Year awards in the next few weeks. Both men received a standing ovation for their efforts that night, and it was something that was really needed.

But looking forward to this year's event, I must admit my heart missed a beat when it seemed like we Brits wouldn't be getting a look in. It seemed odd that Sky, in their infinite wisdom, were going to turn their back on one of their most popular shows, but thank heavens for Sentanta Sports. We Brits, having been loyal supporters of the McMahon family since Sky first transmitted their shows in 1989, deserved nothing less.

Since the brand extension, the Rumble match has regained some of it's lustre, as we'll once again have a chance to see wrestlers competing against wrestlers they don't normally go up against. Seeing the Raw and Smackdown guys beating the crap out of each other just once a year is worth waiting for.

As far as the under card goes, it looks like it will be dominated by the two title matches. This year sees Triple H defending his newly-won title against his old buddy Shawn Michaels. Okay, this is nothing new for pay-per-view. It makes you wonder just who will win, considering Triple H has proven somewhat reluctant to put other guys, apart from his close friends, or guys who are past it, over in the past. Add in the last man standing stipulation, and you have a mystery on your hands. Of course, you also have to wonder how a match between a part-timer and a man so injury prone will pan out.

Then we have Hardcore Holly against Brock Lesnar for the WWE title. This story line has been quite a while in the making. While it's obvious to many just who is going to win, the fact that this match is going ahead shows one of two things - that the Smackdown brand could be lacking in main event talent, and that the company is showing loyalty to a long-time employee. I was never a fan of Thurmann Plugg. Hardcore Holly is another matter entirely. This match won't be a mat classic. Given the story line there will probably be a great deal of blood spilt. I'm just glad that someone "new" is getting airtime in a main event match.

So with the Rumble just a few weeks away, yours truly is looking forward to a WWE show for the first time since....well....Wrestlemania last year. Thank heavens for Sentanta Sports. Let's hope Sky and the WWE can sort out their acts in the future.