by Timothy 'T- Money' Miller

Created on: January 16, 2007   Last Updated: May 01, 2007

Over the Top: The History of WWE Royal Rumble

Since 1988, World Wrestling Entertainment has graced their fans with the most creative, action packed, entertaining match in wrestling history. This match is the thirty- man over the top rope Royal Rumble. This match has launched in the careers of many superstars throughout the years including "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and "The Animal" Batista. The Royal Rumble was just another match until 1992 when the winner of the match was granted the World Wrestling Fed eh, Entertainment championship, and then enhanced the next year as the winner of the Royal Rumble would launch himself into number one contender ship for the title in the main event at the Super Bowl of professional wrestling, Wrestlemania. Here is a year-by-year look at the Royal Rumble match since it's inception in 1988:

-1988: The debut of the match that was inspired by Pat Patterson marked the only time that only twenty men were entered instead of the annual thirty that stands today. Tito Santana and Bret "the Hitman" Hart were the two men entered into the match. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan eventually eliminated the One Man Gang to earn the title of the winner of the very first Royal Rumble match.

-1989: Tag team partners drew first blood as members of Demolition, Ax and Smash, drew numbers one and two. The gentle giant, "Big" John Studd, eventually won the event eliminating 'The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase who bought himself a late number in the match but could not defeat the massive giant.

-1990: The immortal Hulk Hogan eliminates Mr. Perfect (Curt Henning) to win his first Royal Rumble match.

-1991: The Hulkster repeats by eliminating the 400 pound Earthquake to conclude the 1991 Royal Rumble match.

-1992: This was the first and only time that the World Wrestling Entertainment championship was on the line in the Royal Rumble match. With a cast that included Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Jake Roberts, Roddy Piper, Shawn Michaels, Ted Dibiase, Sid Justice, The Iron Sheik, Sgt. Slaughter, and many more names, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair became the world's champ by eliminating Sid Justice thanks to help from Hulk Hogan. Flair entered at number three and lasted over an hour to win the event.

-1993: This was the first time that the number on contender ship was on the line, as Yokozuna would go on to win the Royal Rumble and defeat Bret "the Hitman" Hart for the title at Wrestlemania. Yokozuna lost it minutes later to Hulk Hogan somehow.

-1994:

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