Hacksaw Jim Duggan explains how to win the Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is one of the biggest pay-per-view wrestling events of the entire year. Millions of people tune in, and thousands of people show up to the live event, to watch a legion of wrestlers face off in a battle royale styled competition. The Royal Rumble began in 1988, when 20 wrestlers were brought into the ring. A year later the number was pushed to 30, and that’s where it’s been ever since.
That first Royal Rumble changed the wrestling world forever. Recently the online betting site Betway spoke to Hacksaw Jim Duggan, the winner of the first Royal Rumble, about his experience and how the event has changed over the decades since it first began. Duggan had a lot of insight into the Royal Rumble, and his comments are sure to interest any & every wrestling fan.
Here we’ve got a recap of Duggan’s discussion with Betway, as well as some views on Hacksaw’s career and the growth of the Royal Rumble over the years. Get ready to step into the ring with us!
Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan became a wrestler in 1979, but his career really exploded through the eighties when he became known as “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan. His wrestling abilities took him around the world, and eventually led him to the inaugural Royal Rumble. “You had a unique group of guys back then,” Duggan told Betway. “I think overall the talent nowadays is much better in terms of athletic ability, but my generation of guys were much more creative.”
“We didn’t have a board of guys coming up with our character – I own Hacksaw Jim Duggan and trademarked it long before I went to WWE – so we were much more willing to try something new.” Trying something new is exactly what brought Hacksaw his Royal Rumble victory back in ‘88. “In my portfolio of wrestling achievements, that’s the biggest one. Nobody was more surprised in that whole building than me after I won the thing.”
Returning to the ring
Hacksaw was invited back to the Royal Rumble in 2012. “Everything about the Royal Rumble in 2012 was harder. I knew it would be a challenge because all the kids were 15 or 20 years younger than me,” he said. “I wasn’t in my prime anymore and I was worried about how I looked physically. I wore trunks and boots and as I got older, my trunks just kept getting bigger and bigger.”
Despite his nerves, walking out to the cheers of thousands of fans made Hacksaw feel like he was a champion all over again. “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. The people have elevated me many times over the years and they had me walking on a cloud that day.”
What’s his advice for winning? “Try to stay away from people. The less time you’re in contact with people, the longer you’re in the ring. The whole thing is about longevity. That’s why when you watch the Royal Rumble, everyone goes straight to the corners. That’s a safe place.”
Who knows if Hacksaw Jim Duggan will make his way back into the ring for another Royal Rumble, but you can read his entire conversation on Betway’s website.
