Royal Rumble: First-half shenanigans

[Stu]

I once started a thread explaining the difference between the first half and second half of a Royal Rumble. Usually, the comedy spots, surprise entrants and randomness happens in the first half while the second half focuses on the home stretch and main eventsts. Essentially, the first half has more variety.

So let's discuss some of our favorite first-half shenanigans. I suspect the Hardcore Rumble of 2001 is a favorite among most of you, but what else comes to mind?

[sunnytaker]

Punk going on an elimination run while cutting a promo between entrants because he had time to kill before the next guy came out

[mrbananagrabber]

Beth Phoenix eliminating the Great Khali was fun.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Roman eliminating Rusev only for AJ Styles to make his WWE debut at the next number and stepping in the ring with the WWE Champion

[Deputy Muscle]

Bobby Heenan on the verge of a breakdown from the moment flair enters at 3 in 92.
Although to be fair that lasted all through not just first half.

[cuppacoffee - slight return]

A relatively low-key bit of first-half fun I love is Bossman heeling it up and pricking about in 2000.

That one’s also got the Too Cool/ Rikishi dance spot and the “Jerry demands to see the replay of Taka faceplanting over and over again” bit.

[Deleted]

I swear to god, I'll pistol whip the next guy that says shenanigans.

[Rican]

The Cat having a dance break with Lamont before they get tossed out by Benoit and Orrin

[SirLucas]

What will be the First-half shenanigans this year? Elias playing a song in the middle of the match? Drew Gulak giving a powerpoint presentation?

[sarkerpolseng]

Always loved Austin doing pushups and checking his watch.

[Larryhausen]

Elias English duet.

[Rumble McSkirmish]

Jan 11, 2018 18:47:29 GMT -5 Rican said:

The Cat having a dance break with Lamont before they get tossed out by Benoit and Orrin

That was a good one. I enjoyed that as well as the similar spot a few years before that with Honky Tonk Man telling Kane to hold up a minute while he sings his song for the crowd, only for Kane to ka-bong HTM with the guitar and send him packing.

[wakko]

The hardcore section of the 2001 Rumble was fun.

[Alice Syndrome]

Part of the 2002 Rumble being so interesting that they spent 5 minutes following Undertaker around kicking Maven's ass all over the arena.

[Nikki Heyman]

2008 - watching the match just stop as Piper and Snuka square off.

[SirLucas]

Jan 12, 2018 1:43:23 GMT -5 Alice Syndrome said:

Part of the 2002 Rumble being so interesting that they spent 5 minutes following Undertaker around kicking Maven's ass all over the arena.

The facial expressions helped make that segment. After Taker gets eliminated, he turns around and gives Maven a pissed off stare. Maven reacts with a face that says, "Oh shit, what did I just do?" Then, as Taker enters the ring, Maven starts apologizing. 

Even though the purpose of the match is to eliminate everyone else to win, they still told the story of a green rookie accidentally overstepping his boundaries by eliminated a veteran and top guy. 

[Pushed to the Moon]

Was Lawler's "It takes a king...*gets eliminated*...to know a king" during the first half? Cos that was classic.

[SirLucas]

The best of all time was Rikishi and Too Cool dancing in the middle of the match. That dance was over huge at the time.

[Alice Syndrome]

Also 2001: Matt and Jeff somehow taking eachother out, and then Drew Carey (?) celebrating like he'd won the whole thing. Cue Kane.

["Magic" Mark Hurr]

Jan 11, 2018 14:10:43 GMT -5 sunnytaker said:

Punk going on an elimination run while cutting a promo between entrants because he had time to kill before the next guy came out

I'm so happy I saw this in person.