New Delhi [India], February 2 (ANI/ATK): Royal Rumble is one of the most famous live wrestling promotional events held every year.
Winner of the first Royal Rumble in 1988, the WWE wrestler Hacksaw Jim Duggan explains it is all about longevity, and most players head right towards the corner. “That’s a safe place,” explains Hacksaw.
Hacksaw entered 13th in the ring among 20 participants. Beating One Man Gang the 450lb, 6flt wrestler, Hacksaw bagged the title of the first winner of Royal Rumble. From his experience in the ring, Hacksaw suggests new wrestlers be aggressive, strong, and quick.
Royal Rumble is all about the entry position. Statistics suggest most people winning the event entered the ring 30th and ahead. To date, only three wrestlers entering the 1st position have won the event. Talking about this luck-dependent part of the game, he explained, “Luck of the draw has a lot to do with it as well. It’s always better to come in later. You’re fresher than the guys who’ve been out there longer. For the first five guys, that’s a long time in the ring.”
Hacksaw Jim Duggan also explained how this PPV event is different from singles fights. “It’s like the Wild West out there,” he says.
Royal Rumble is famous for its extensive drama, chaos, and unpredictability and is the most entertaining event for wrestling fans. Explaining the difference between then and now, he says, “You had a unique group of guys back then. I think overall the talent nowadays is much better in terms of athletic ability, but my generation of guys were much more creative, we were much more willing to try something new.”
Today, from his wrestling milestones, Duggan is most proud of winning the Royal Rumble. Explaining his feelings on his first-ever win back, Duggan says, “Nobody was more surprised in that whole building than me after I won the thing. I was never world champion, I was never tag team champion, I was never an intercontinental champion, I was lucky to win a match but that was my character.”
The wrestler does not put on an attractive display but is a doer. Duggan says he is more of a brawler than a wrestler.
Since his first win, Duggan has returned to the WWE ring in 2009 and 2012. He pitted against old opponents like Dusty (Rhodes) and even their kids.
During his 2012 return, Duggan was 58 and defeated by Cody Rhodes. Explaining his experience being the oldest member in the ring with wrestlers almost 20 years younger than him, he says, “Everything about the Royal Rumble in 2012 was harder. I wasn’t in my prime anymore, and I was worried about how I looked physically. It’s a show that millions of people watch, so you have all that anxiety. Multiply that by 10 when they throw you into a pay-per-view and add another five when people know you’re Hacksaw and you won the first one.”
However, these things do not matter once you are in the ring and the adrenaline hits you.
“Stepping through that curtain, that place was hoo-ing and yo-ing and USA-ing and I could have taken on Andre the Giant again man, I was 10ft tall when I hit that ring,” says Hacksaw.
The wrestler is currently 68 years old and is undergoing cancer recovery for the second time. With his current health condition, Duggan has closed the door to all hopes on his return. However, the ultimate champion of Royal Rumble, Hacksaw Jim, shares a few words of wisdom for aspiring wrestlers and current year contestants.
“In a Royal Rumble, anything goes. Anybody has a chance at the Royal Rumble, anybody can win it, and it can change people’s careers like it changed mine. Go in there, stand up, and be counted. Go for it, never give up, never surrender.”
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