It remains the Royal Rumble that many consider the best ever.
The vacant World Wrestling Federation title was on the line on January 19 1992 at the Knickerbocker Arena in New York.
The event featured arguably the greatest cast of superstars ever assembled under one roof
Ric Flair won the 30-man match to become the undisputed champion.
Almost as iconic as the match itself was Flair’s promo afterwards.
He proclaimed: “I’m gonna’ tell you all, with a tear in my eye, this is the greatest moment in my life.”
The Dundee sequel served up just as much drama.
Six (almost seven) of the superstars that appeared in the 1992 30-man battle royale would arrive in the city over the next three decades.
First up was Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, back in 2002.
Roberts thrilled millions during his heyday and would release six-foot python Damien from his bag and drape the slithering reptile on his beaten opponents.
But he came up against his toughest opponent to date on his arrival in the city.
Dundee City Council demanded he leave Damien in the locker room before he appeared at the Caird Hall to comply with policy prohibiting performing animals.
Roberts was appearing on the bill alongside fellow 1992 Rumble entrants the British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith and Native American ring warrior Tatanka.
“We have asked Jake not to bring his snake with him when he appears,” said a council spokesman.
“He has been told of the city council’s policy on live animals. Jake has agreed to conform with the council’s policy and won’t be appearing with a live snake.”
Things went from bad to worse.
The British Bulldog was forced to cancel his appearance due to the recurrence of an old back injury and only 200 people turned up to watch the exhibition.
The small crowd witnessed one of the first times in Roberts’ long wrestling career that he had appeared on stage without the snake that helped him make his name.
Million Dollar Dream
In 2010 the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase arrived in Dundee.
He was the second entry in the 1992 Rumble but retired in 1993.
In 2010 he was an evangelical preacher, after swapping piledrivers for prayer meetings.
“A lot of people ask how I can be a Christian and talk about God and then go out in the ring and be the evil villain and the bad guy,” he said.
“Well, my answer to that is that it is just showbusiness, it’s playing a role.
“As long as the message we send out is that good will eventually triumph over evil, at the end of the day, I have no problem with that.”
He played a millionaire who wore a gold-studded, dollar-sign-covered suit and diamond-encrusted and self-awarded Million Dollar Championship Belt.
DiBiase was appearing at Dundee-based SWE’s Hell for Lycra 7 at the Bonar Hall and signed autographs at Tesco’s Kingsway store to promote the event.
The Evening Telegraph decided to pit their own mighty brawler against him with the unlikely clash of the titans taking place in the reduced clothing aisle.
The Tele’s ‘Hulk Shogun’ was sub-editor Alan Kerr wearing an inflatable sumo wrestling costume that was on hire from a fancy dress shop.
He was quickly disposed of by DiBiase, although quite what the unsuspecting bargain hunters in the aisle thought of it all was anyone’s guess.
The 56-year-old got back in the ring at the Bonar Hall and brought the crowd to their feet at Hell for Lycra 7 after walking on stage to give a speech.
His address to the sell-out crowd was interrupted by SWE wrestlers Damien and Tenacious Johnny Lions, who came into the ring to mock him.
It was great to share the ring with these legendary superstars, which was something I never imagined would happen in my wildest dreams.”
SWE owner David Low
“What have you got to say about that?” said Lions, after calling DiBiase “a has-been, a relic and a dinosaur”.
“You sure you want to know what I think about that?” replied DiBiase, who slapped Lions across the face, knocking him flat on his back.
The crowd went wild as DiBiase delivered his signature Million Dollar Dream finishing move on Damien and the tag team left the ring bruised and battered.
DiBiase became part of the SWE story and bought the company in 2011.
He brought former bodyguard and Rumble entrant Virgil with him to Dundee and suggested he would buy a castle in Scotland and put down roots.
They also took a trip to Tony’s Takeaway in Happyhillock where Million Dollar battered sausages were cooked up to promote Hell for Lycra 8.
Piper calls the tune
Things got bigger in 2012.
‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper joined the bill for the annual showcase and the promotional tour included the by-now-mandatory trip to Tony’s Takeaway.
There was a taste-off between the Million Dollar Supper and Piper’s Pudding before they signed autographs at Asda’s store in Kirkton.
Although he was Canadian, due to his Scottish heritage, Piper was billed as being from Glasgow and was known for his signature kilt and bagpipe entrance music.
Piper had the honour of being in the main event of the first-ever WrestleMania, in 1985, when he teamed with Paul Orndorff to wrestle Mr T and Hulk Hogan.
The match, which took place inside the famous Madison Square Garden in New York, featured Muhammed Ali and Pat Paterson as special guest referees.
He won 34 championships during his career and was described by Ric Flair as “the most gifted entertainer in the history of professional wrestling”.
Piper also took the lead role in John Carpenter’s 1988 cult sci-fi movie They Live and there was talk of the movie being shown at the DCA during his visit.
Piper appeared at Hell for Lycra 9 in Perth alongside Tatanka and the SWE joined the chorus of grief when he passed away in 2015 at the age of 61.
Piper was gone but he left his mark on the SWE.
In 2016 another 1992 Rumble entrant walked the aisle in Dundee.
Hacksaw Jim Duggan arrived with his iconic block of wood and American flag to sign autographs before hosting a special seminar for SWE wrestlers.
SWE founder David Low said: “I have booked or had promo videos from over 110 worldwide stars since starting the SWE in 2003.
“It was great to share the ring with these legendary superstars, which was something I never imagined would happen in my wildest dreams.
“I tried to book as many local lads or ladies to go up against these big stars, to give them a rub in the world of pro-wrestling, and it’s those moments they will never forget.
“They always thanked me for these special moments but I didn’t do it for the thanks – I just wanted to see them happy and doing such a grand job for the paying fans.
“I don’t run the SWE to be a millionaire.
“I run it to help people make their dreams come true.”
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