Number 5 Hulk Hogan
Starting off the list at Number 5 is the Immortal Hulk Hogan. The winner of both the 1990 and 1991 Royal Rumbles, the Hulkster entered the events at positions number 25 and 24 each year, but in both instances it felt like he came in and dominated even though these were relatively late appearances.
A lot of fans expected Hogan to complete the hattrick in 1992, but he was eliminated by Sid Justice to go out in third place before actually giving the somewhat heelish assist to the eventual winner Ric Flair to help pull Sid out.
Hogan’s two wins were at the height of Hulkamania and whilst super feel good moments at the time, didn’t have the same significance as later Rumble wins would, as Hulk’s wins predated the concept that the winner would go on to face the WWF World Heavyweight Champion at Wrestlemania. In fact Hogan’s 1990 win was whilst he was currently the World Champion, so there was no sharing of the glory by the Hulkster at this time.
Some of you may have just raised an eyebrow with the thought that Hogan did indeed win the 1991 Rumble and then go on to face the then current WWF Champion Sgt Slaughter at Wrestlemania VII. This is true, but it wasn’t connected to his winning the Royal Rumble. Instead Hogan challenged Slaughter because Sarge had defaced the American Flag…and naturally Hogan being the Real American he would of course earn a World Championship shot as a result. In retrospect Slaughter should have perhaps defaced the Quebec flag so he could have had an easy time at Mania and taken on Jacques Rougeau…
