by Kirsty O'Lone

Created on: January 30, 2007   Last Updated: May 01, 2007

The road to Wrestlemania begins with the Royal Rumble, with the winner of the Rumble match itself getting to compete in the main event title match at the biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania. Many WWE superstars have been elevated by winning the Rumble and going on to compete at Wrestlemania.

The first Royal Rumble was held in 1988, at the time there was no prize for winning the match. Pat Patterson was responsible for coming up with the concept of the Royal Rumble match. This first Rumble would be the only one to have twenty rather than thirty participants. Eventually the match came down to "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and "one man gang" after all the other participants had been thrown over the top rope and therefore eliminated. "Hacksaw" then eliminated the one man gang to win the match, he eliminated a total of five people and had entered the match at number thirteen.

The 1989 Royal Rumble was both the first to have thirty participants and the first that was shown on pay per view. The first two entrants were Ax and Smash, known collectivly as the tag team "Demolition" they fought it out between themselves thus proving that the Rumble really is every man for himself. The "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase actually bought himself the number thirty spot after originally drawing a lower number. While this certainly gave him an advantage over the other twenty nine men in the match it wasn't enough and the man who entered number twenty seven, Big John Studd, eliminated Dibiase for the win.

The 1990 Royal Rumble was won by Hulk Hogan after Hogan eliminated Mr Perfect, and in 1991 Hogan became the first man to win two Rumble matches back to back when he eliminated Earthquake. The 1991 Royal Rumble was the first Rumble appearance of The Undertaker, he eliminated three people before being eliminated. Also during the 1991 rumble Bushwacker Luke set the record for the shortest time in the Rumble match lasting just three seconds before being eliminated by Earthquake.

The 1992 Royal Rumble was the first time there was a prize for winning the Rumble match. That prize was the WWE Championship, Ric Flair won the match and therefore the WWE Championship after coming out at number three and lasting over an hour in the match.

In the 1993 Rumble the winner was given a title shot at the biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania, a tradition that continues to this day. The 500 pound Yokozuna went on to win the match after entering at number twenty seven therefore earning the main event spot at

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