WWF 1994: Diesel’s Royal Rumble Run to Championship Gold [Videos]

At the Royal Rumble, held on Saturday, January 22, 1994, at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island, Diesel (Kevin Nash) didn’t just make an impact—he took control from the outset. After storming the ring and quickly eliminating Scot Steiner, Bart Gunn, Owen Hart, and Kwang, the tone inside the arena began to shift. What started as a dominant heel performance quickly turned into something far more unusual—the crowd began to rally behind him.

Over the next several minutes, Diesel ran through the field with authority, racking up seven eliminations and imposing his will on the match. Rather than resisting him, the audience grew louder with each elimination, turning his run into one of the most memorable appearances of the night. Even Vince McMahon acknowledged the unexpected support on commentary.

When Diesel was finally eliminated after nearly 18 minutes, the crowd responded with chants of his name as he made his way to the backstage—a rare and telling sign that something had changed.

That night didn’t end with Diesel as the winner, but it marked the turning point. Three days after the Survivor Series on November 26, 1994, he had completed the climb, capturing the WWF Championship at Madison Square Garden and cementing one of the quickest rises of the era.

WWF Royal Rumble

January 22, 1994

WWF SUPERSTARS

Aired November 26, 1994

Non-televised WWF Championship Match

Bob Backlund vs Diesel

November 26, 1994

WWF Champion Diesel's Promo on Bob Backlund

WWF SUPERSTARS

Aired December 3, 1994

⚔️ WWF Classic Feud Spotlight: Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty — The 1993 Four-Star Match Trilogy

Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty in 1993

As the WWF’s Golden Era faded and the New Generation began to redefine professional wrestling, the breakup of The Rockers marked a decisive turning point for both Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. For Michaels, it was the launchpad for a meteoric rise as a singles competitor; for Jannetty, it quietly marked the closing chapter of his prime in-ring run.

Yet in 1993, their rivalry produced something remarkable. Across three singles matches—each earning four-star acclaim—Michaels and Jannetty delivered a compact trilogy that showcased their unmatched chemistry. The first took place on January 24, 1993, at the Royal Rumble in Sacramento, California. The remaining two aired on the USA Network’s WWF Monday Night RAW, cementing this overlooked series as one of the best rivalries of its time.

Royal Rumble Report

WWF SUPERSTARS

Aired on January 9, 1993

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match

WWF ROYAL RUMBLE

January 24, 1993

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match

WWF Monday Night RAW

Aired on May 17, 1993

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match

WWF Monday Night RAW

Aired July 19. 1993

Marty Jannetty vs Shawn Michaels in July 1993

📺 WWF Tag Team Classic Matches: Shawn Michaels & Diesel vs. Razor Ramon & 1-2-3 Kid

Charlie Minn with Shawn Michaels and Diesel

WWF Tag Team Championship Match

Shawn Michaels & Diesel vs Razor Ramon & 1-2-3 Kid

WWF ACTION ZONE

USA Network

Aired on October 30, 1994

📺 The World Wrestling Federation's New Generation Television Spots [Videos]

The “New Generation” campaign marked a pivotal shift in WWF’s identity during the mid-1990s. These television spots weren’t just flashy promos—they reflected a deeper effort to move beyond the aging '80s icons and position newer, more athletic talent like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Lex Luger, and Razor Ramon as the future of the company.

These ads captured the changing tone of the WWF. In hindsight, they represent the groundwork that led to the Attitude Era and beyond.

"BRET!" Television Promotion

Shawn Michaels Police TV Spot

Razor Ramon TV Spot

Holiday Line Up TV Spot

Monday Night Raw TV Spot

The Old vs The New Generation TV Spot

Diesel TV Spot

As a fan watching this unfold in real time, it felt like WWF was handing the torch to a new breed of superstar—quieter confidence, flashier athleticism, and a sense that the company was entering unfamiliar but exciting territory. Whether you loved Bret’s grit, Razor’s cool, or HBK’s swagger, these promos set the tone for what was to come.

And that’s exactly what Pro Wrestling Resource is here for—spotlighting the turning points that shaped an entire generation of fans.

Classic WWF Interviews: Bret Hart and Diesel on Raw [Videos]

November 13, 1995

In a build up to their third pay-per-view title match, Bret Hart and "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel faced questions from Vince McMahon in an interview segment on the November 13, 1995 edition of WWF Raw.

Diesel: "...don't toot your own horn, Shawn Michaels gave me a run for my money too."

Diesel: "I'm not going out there to win on points in some kind of collegiate wrestling match."

Bret Hart: "The one thing about the Hitman is that the Hitman is sorta like a Timex watch, when I take a licking, I keep on ticking..."

Bret Hart: (in an apparent swipe at Vince McMahon) "Well, it's certainly not the money."

This interview segment would continue a feud that began at the 1994 WWF King of the Ring, when Hart defended his World Wrestling Federation Championship against then World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion Diesel. The two wrestlers would then face each other again at the 1995 Royal Rumble in a classic match where Diesel held the World Wrestling Federation Championship. After their 1995 Survivor Series match, Hart and Diesel faced off on the In Your House pay-per-view held on February 18, 1996. In later years, both wrestlers would join rival professional wrestling promotion WCW, and become members of the infamous NWO 2000 faction.  

WRESTLEMANIA X8 Reaction: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan vs The Rock [Videos]

In what was considered an unlikely matchup, Hulk Hogan made a shocking return to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) after nearly nine years to face one of its biggest stars, The Rock, at WrestleMania X8 on March 17, 2002, in Toronto, Canada.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shares his memories of WM X8

Hulk Hogan responds to The Rock and shares his memories of WM X8

THE MATCH

(divided into iconic  moments)

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan vs The Rock

WRESTLEMANIA X8

The FAN reaction to Hulk Hogan the next day on RAW

March 18, 2002

WWF History: 1994 - An Interesting Year for "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel [20 Videos]

The World Wrestling Federation (WWF) saw some major changes occur in 1994. The rise of the professional wrestler known as Diesel to WWF World Champion was one of the biggest transformations.

To understand the rise of Diesel, it is important to understand the departure of Hulk Hogan from the WWF. At the time, Hulk Hogan was the biggest star in WWF history. Hogan's WWF departure in late 1993 and later emergence in the Ted Turner-owned World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in June 1994 shook the foundation that the WWF was built upon. WWF owner Vince McMahon and company were in a major search for Hogan's replacement --- a big, charismatic, steroid-free, entertainer. While the WWF leadership allowed workhorse Bret "Hitman" Hart to hold the title for over 240 days in 1994, they saw a desire for a change. "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel was that change.

Diesel and Shawn Micheals discuss the Royal Rumble

January 1994

The Heartbreak Hotel with Shawn Michaels and Diesel

Aired on April 4, 1994

Diesel vs Virgil

Aired on April 11, 1994

Diesel vs Razor Ramon

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match

Aired on April 30, 1994

King's Court with Diesel

May 2, 1994

King's Court with Bret Hart and Diesel/Shawn Michaels

May 30, 1994

Lex Lugar vs Diesel

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match

July 1994

Diesel vs Typhoon

August 1994

Diesel and Shawn Michaels vs DeVito and Van Dale

September 11, 1994

Heartbreak Hotel with Bob Backlund

October 8, 1994

Diesel and Shawn Michaels/Headshrinkers Promo

October 1994

Diesel and Bob Backlund promos

November 26, 1994

Diesel vs Bob Backlund

The Full MSG Match

November 26, 1994

Diesel at Madison Square Garden

November 26, 1994

Diesel promo on Bob Backlund

November 27, 1994

Diesel interviewed by Vince McMahon

November 28, 1994

King's Court with Diesel

December 26, 1994

🏆 WWE Championship History (1963–1997): The Golden Era of Wrestling

🏆 WWE Championship History (1963–1997): The Golden Era of Wrestling

Since 1963, holding the top championship title in the WWE has been a sign of respect and a representation of the wrestling organization. In addition, the holder of the top championship title received the biggest payday and was often seen in the wrestling card's main event. Although there have been "transition champions,*" for the most part the holder of the top title meant a long-term life change for the title holder, as it meant being the highest-paid wrestler in the company.

1. Buddy Rogers, 2. Bruno Sammartino, 3. Ivan Koloff,* 4. Pedro Morales, 5. Stan Stasiak,* 6. Superstar Billy Graham, 7. Bob Backlund, 8. The Iron Sheik,* 9. Hulk Hogan, 10. Andre the Giant*

11. Randy Savage, 12. Ultimate Warrior, 13. Sgt. Slaughter, 14. The Undertaker, 15. Ric Flair, 16. Bret Hart, 17. Yokozuna, 18. Diesel, 19. Shawn Michaels, 20. Sycho Sid 

History: The 1996 "Curtain Call" at Madison Square Garden (Nine Rare Videos)

For much of its history, professional wrestling has been based on a willing suspension of disbelief. While today and for much of its history, many know professional wrestling as a scripted form of sports entertainment, in 1996 many in the wrestling industry preferred the illusion that scripted content be preserved and presented as reality. Those that wanted to keep this illusion of reality, known as kayfabe, believed that if wrestlers and performers maintained kayfabe, it would provide a better experience for the fans. Unlike actors who only portray their characters when on set or a stage, professional wrestlers often stayed in character outside shows, especially when interacting with fans. This act of preserving the illusion of reality meant that those wrestlers that portrayed "bad guys" would act villainous while they were in public, and those that were known as "good guys" would be model citizens and role models in public.

However, at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 19, 1996, at the end of the World Wrestling Federation event, two "bad guys" and two "good guys" embraced and celebrated in the middle of the ring in front of shocked fans. The interaction between the group of four professional wrestlers, known initially behind the scenes as the Kliq, acted as a tribute to their friendship since two of the individuals were leaving the company. This incident is referred to as the "Curtain Call" and involved the departing Diesel (Kevin Nash) and Razor Ramon (Scott Hall), and the two wrestlers remaining with the World Wrestling Federation, Shawn Michaels and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The "Curtain Call" upset a lot people in the professional wrestling business as it openly deviated from the wrestling company's set storyline and revealed that there was a friendship between "bad guy" characters and "good guy" characters. This incident has since been credited as a major shift in the professional wrestling industry and set a precedent in blurring the lines between reality and scripted sports entertainment.

In many recent instances, real life events and relationships are now written into pro wrestling storylines, causing a blurring or what is real and what is scripted. This storytelling device is used to enhance the storylines, and bring back some of the illusion that what a fan of professional wrestling is seeing has a hint of reality.

Shawn Michaels Promo - May, 18, 1996

"Curtain Call" - May 19, 1996

DX showing "Curtain Call" Footage on Raw - October 6, 1997

Diesel (Kevin Nash) talks about the "Curtain Call"

"Curtain Call" Recap by WrestleLamia on YouTube

Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) discusses the "Curtain Call"

Shawn Michaels discusses the "Curtain Call"

On July 25, 1999, Triple H while in character discusses the "Curtain Call"

Jim Cornette is disgusted with the "Curtain Call"

A Historic Night in Professional Wrestling, January 4, 2010 [Video]

Match of the Night:
Kurt Angle vs. A.J. Styles (TNA)

Moment of the Night:
Bret Hart & Shawn Micheals make peace (WWE)

Notable TNA Wrestling talent on Impact!:

• Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair
• Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Sting, Mick Foley, Eric Bischoff
• A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, Bobby Lashley
• Jeff Jarrett, D'Angelo Dinero, Daniels
• Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman
• Sean Morley, Abyss, Matt Morgan
• Desmond Wolfe, Jay Lethal,
  
• Amazing Red, Suicide, Tara
• The Nasty Boys, Orlando Jordan

Notable WWE talent on Raw:

• Bret Hart
  
• Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Vince McMahon
• Chris Jericho (leaving for SmackDown)
• Randy Orton, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, The Big Show
• Ted DiBiase, Cody Rhodes, Jerry Lawler