In the mid-1990s, WWE was on a steep decline. The company's popularity, revenue, and quality were on a downward trend. Major stars like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and The Ultimate Warrior were gone. What remained was a "New Generation" of superstars. At the time, many fans looked at this new slate as a significant downgrade.
The 1995 Royal Rumble is a perfect example of the best and the worst of this transitional era for WWE. In hindsight, it's incredible how many legendary wrestlers were on the roster. It becomes more evident that perhaps WWE was holding them back, not the other way around.
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A Historic Finish, But A Mixed-Bag Of A Royal Rumble Match
There is no greater example of the mid-90's talent disparity than the 1995 Royal Rumble match. In the lore of Rumble record keepers, 1995 was memorable. The first and second entrants were also the last two survivors. Shawn Michaels and the British Bulldog not only went the distance, but they also carried the match. The battle royal started like gangbusters; the Bulldog displayed his extraordinary power. Michaels showed off his breathtaking ability to sell.
Shawn Michaels avoided elimination in a miraculous display of athleticism by "skinning the cat." One foot touched the floor, but Shawn was able to pull himself back into the ring before the second one hit the floor. While the Bulldog's back was turned, Michaels threw Davey Boy Smith over the top for the victory. The dramatic photo finish ending is the lasting image of the entire PPV.
Except for the thrilling open and ending, the Rumble match offered next to nothing. Most of the other competitors were members of tag teams. One of the other great workers of this generation, Owen Hart, was inexplicably eliminated in a manner of seconds. The "big surprise" entrant was Rick Murdoch, who didn't receive the enormous pop returning legends typically get. The only saving grace for this dull affair was that entrants came in every minute rather than every two minutes. So while it was painful, at least it was quick.
The Title Matches On The Card Were Solid
There were two incredibly well-worked championship matches aside from the disappointing Royal Rumble match. The Intercontinental Title was on the line, as Razor Ramon defended against "Double J" Jeff Jarrett. The two delivered on a great in-ring story. After Jarrett's roadie (a young Road Dogg Jessie James) chop blocked him, Ramon's knee was the point of target. Jarrett worked the knee for the rest of the match. His injured knee buckled when Ramon attempted his finisher, The Razor's Edge. Shortly after that, Jarrett cradled Razor in a small package for the victory.
The WWE Championship match was also masterfully worked (although not masterfully booked). Bret Hart challenged Diesel for the title. These two competitors worked a few terrific PPV contests in the mid-90s, and they always delivered. Hart was a muse of sorts for Kevin Nash, as it seems most of his best matches were with the "excellence of execution." The two superstars (at the time, both babyfaces) shook hands in the middle of the ring after their technical war. Despite the match ending in a deflating no-contest, the two wrestlers still received a standing ovation.
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Odd Booking Choices Muddle What Could Have Been A Great Card
Despite the talent in these two title matches, the booking got in the way of what could have been classic contests. Both the Intercontinental and WWE Championship matches had false finishes and restarts. The Hart and Big Daddy Cool match actually had multiple false finishes after run-ins on two different occasions. After a third run-in, the match was ruled a non-contest because "the referee couldn't maintain control of the matchup." Had the company just let these amazingly talented stars go out and work a match, it would have made up for the lackluster battle royal.
The 1995 Royal Rumble Pay Per View embodies WWE from that era. There were tremendous highs; Shawn Michaels' charisma, The Undertaker's breathtaking entrance, Hall of Fame talent in Hart, Razor Ramon, Sean Waltman, and Bam Bam Bigelow. There were also pitiful lows; ridiculous character concepts, silly backstage sequences, and annoying booking choices. Mix the good and the bad, and you get the epitome of WWE in 1995.
