“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan is undoubtedly one of the most iconic wrestlers of his era. The American professional wrestler is currently signed to the World Wrestling Entertainment on a Legend’s contract. Many fans remember his American patriot gimmick that saw him carry around a USA flag, a 2×4 piece of wood as a weapon, and chant “U-S-A!”.
Duggan won the first-ever Royal Rumble event in 1988 and is a one-time United States Heavyweight Champion and a one-time World Television Champion. Below are some of Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s wrestling tips and tricks which he picked up throughout his professional wrestling career.
- Stay Away From Other Participants During Royal Rumble Events
As the first-ever Royal Rumble winner, Jim Duggan undoubtedly has a tip or two to share about winning this prestigious pay-per-view. According to him, the best way to stay alive in the match and boost your chances of winning is to “try to stay away from people”. This reality is because the less time you contact others, the longer you will last in the ring. Therefore, he advises that it is always best to head for the corners since you are highly unlikely to be eliminated from there compared to the center. This strategy undoubtedly helped him battle his way to the final two in the 1988 Royal Rumble event, where he emerged victorious after eliminating the gigantic One Man Gang.
- Creativity Is As Essential As Athletic Ability
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan opines that the present talent available nowadays is undoubtedly better than that of his era in terms of athletic ability. However, he adds that his generation was a lot more creative. Indeed, many modern wrestlers rely on WWE’s Creative Team for gimmicks that the WWE Universe will love. In the past, many wrestlers owned their gimmick and trademarked it long before signing for WWE. Therefore, it is no surprise that Duggan’s era had some of wrestling’s most unique performers like the Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, Kane, and “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase.
Consequently, there was a lot of experimentation in that era. Duggan partly credits his Royal Rumble win to this open-mindedness. He was never a world, tag team, or intercontinental champion, but his original character and determination helped when it came to the Royal Rumble.
- Be Passionate About Your Job
The Hacksaw’s originality and passion primarily won him the Royal Rumble Match in 1988, bringing him back to the WWE ring in 20019 and 2012. According to him, he was a brawler, not a wrestler, so he always won the fight despite losing the match. Upon his return, his passion and toughness led him to wrestle against the children of some of his biggest adversaries, like Dusty Rhodes and Bob Orton. Duggan participated in the 2012 Royal Rumble, where Cody Rhodes eliminated him. Although it was a difficult experience because his best years were behind him, he gave it his best shot. Duggan is fully retired from wrestling now and advises today’s crop of wrestlers to never give up or surrender.
