Rumble Roundtable: 1988

This month, we’re stepping into the squared circle to break down the very first Royal Rumble match, which aired on January 24, 1988, on the USA Network. While it wasn’t a pay-per-view event just yet, this historic match laid the foundation for one of WWE’s most beloved annual traditions.

Join Ian and Stew as we revisit the 20-man battle royal that changed wrestling history. Does the original Rumble still hold up today, or does it feel like a rough draft of the chaos to come? Was it a revolutionary concept right out of the gate, or did WWE take a few years to truly perfect the formula?

We’ll examine the match’s key storytelling choices—Did the right man win? How did the pacing and eliminations compare to future Rumbles? Was this truly the best way to showcase future main eventers, or was it just a fun TV special with little long-term impact?

Also, our big burning questions this month: Was Jake Roberts super-over or was it the DDT that was super-over? Does Bret Hart work as a heel? Why would they put Bret in the first ironman slot as a heel.  Also, why book him as a heel in Canada?

We’ll also take a closer look at the match structure and in-ring action—Did the 20-man format feel too small? How did the action flow without entrance music and countdown clocks? Were there standout performances, or was this more about the novelty than match quality? And did WWE miss an opportunity by not putting this on pay-per-view?

Finally, we’ll debate whether this first-ever Rumble is a must-watch piece of wrestling history or if it’s more of a curiosity for hardcore fans. Was it a game-changer at the time, or just another battle royal with a fancy name? 

Catch more of Stew on his own podcast: Stew World Order at
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stew-world-order/id1559913522

You can also catch him at his website where he writes about all sorts of fun things:
https://swoproductions.com/