Number 2: Only One Foot
The eight annual Royal Rumble match would take place in the USF Sun Dome in Tampa Bay, Florida. Shawn Michaels, entering at number 1, was a long shot to win this match. It was never done before, where a superstar won after entering number 1. There is a first for everything. Michaels would outlast 28 guys, and would be down to him and the more powerful Davey Boy Smith. These two men started the match, and it was fitting that they both ended it. Smith would send Michaels to the outside and eliminate him… but wait. Michaels only had one foot hit the ground, and the rules stated that both feet must hit the ground. Michaels hung on, would lift himself over the top rope, and club Smith to the outside to win. What a shocker. This would be something we would continue to see each year, a superstar holding on for dear life, touch one foot, and come back in. This shaped how we view the Royal Rumble now, and something that nobody takes for granted until BOTH feet hit the ground. Michaels would lose to Diesel at WrestleMania, but years later, he is considered “Mr. WrestleMania.” It all started at the Royal Rumble in 1995.
