How are things, advocates of artificial altercations?
This weeks post is going to be a rather unique one, to say the least. It will no doubt be one of my most controversial, polarizing, and harshest posts, maybe taking second place to my post-WrestleMania 41 review and goodbye to WWE. I take on the task of memorializing Hulk Hogan. Eulogizing the most important figure in wrestling, while simultaneously pulling no punches in regards to Terry Bollea.
An incredibly important wrestler. An incredibly awful human being. Today, I walk the line. I thread the needle.
Read on, my friends, about the life of Hulk Hogan.
 |
| WWE |
Weekly Roundup
Here's what I watched for the week;
 |
| Big A-E-Dubyuh guy |
Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea - 1953-2025
Thursday July the 24th, 2025. 11:17 am, Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, passed away.
A fan of pro wrestling in his youth, Bollea began training for the ring when in 1976. Only 23 years old, he cut an impressive figure, idolizing "Superstar" Billy Graham and wanting to have a body as big and powerful as the Superstar. Despite having his leg broken while training with Hiro Matsuda, he carried on training with the Japanese great while being one of the many men who donned the mask of "The Super Destroyer." He eventually stopped training with Matsuda, with Hogan claiming he was an overbearing trainer, and took a hiatus from wrestling. He met and trained with his soon to be life long friend, Ed Leslie, better known as Brutus Beefcake.
While the pair wrestled as Terry and Ed Boulder, The Boulder Brothers, Jerry Jarrett, the promoter for Memphis based Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) offered them a contract. During his time in Memphis, he brushed shoulders with Lou Ferrigno, the man who played "The Incredible Hulk" on the 1978 TV series while on a talk show. The host remarked that Hogan dwarfed the man who played The Hulk, and soon Hogan began coming to the ring as Terry "The Hulk" Hogan.
His first championship win came on December 1st, 1979, winning the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship. Prior to this title win, former NWA Champion Terry Funk put the young Hogan in contact with Vince McMahon Sr. of the World Wrestling Federation. From 1979 to 1981, Hulk Hogan worked for the WWF, but as a heel. "Classy" Freddie Blassie flanked Hogan to the ring, with the soon-to-be-Hulkster wrestling the likes of Bob Backlund and Andre the Giant during his short lived run.
From there, Hogan made appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling, adopting the "ichiban" nickname, translating to "number one." He developed the "Axe Bomber" finishing move, which he kept exclusive to Japan, with his leg drop being his signature move while in America. He was the first holder of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, defeating New Japan icon and owner Antonio Inoki. This was a predecessor to the actual IWGP Heavyweight Championship, with the title that is still actively being defended not being conceived for a few more years.
With Vince Sr. giving Hogan the ultimatum of staying with the company or filming Rocky III, Hogan was let go and began working in Verne Gange's American Wrestling Association (AWA) after the filming wrapped. He was a heel for a brief period at the start, but his larger than life charisma and recent film role quickly turned him babyface. Much of what made Hogan so iconic was being developed while in the AWA. "Hulk mania," his mantra of saying your prayers and eating your vitamins, and his signature promo style were in their earliest stages. He was only with Gagne for a few years before returning to the WWF, his star rising to the point where McMahon decided Hogan was a key piece in his national expansion.
Returning to the WWF, he quickly turned face by saving Bob Backlund, his years as a heel now put behind him. His star had risen far beyond where anyone could have possibly imagined. His time in the AWA made people pay attention to him, his role in Rocky III made people recognize him, and his charisma and presence made people revere him. Sooner than anyone could have realized, Hogan was on his way to the very, very top.
• • • • •
Hulk Hogan vs. The Iron Sheik - WWF on MSG Network - 01/23/1984
 |
| Ready to go. WWE |
There's a lot of lore that surrounds this WWF World Heavyweight Championship match. The story goes that when Vince Jr; who ended up buying the company from his father in 1982, brought Hogan back into the company. Vince Sr; who still had considerable sway in the company, not giving all the power to his son just yet, wasn't all too thrilled to have him back. His father didn't see the same mega star in Hogan that Vince Jr. did, not to mention their less-than mutual breakup a few years prior. There was also the small problem of what they were going to do with Hogan upon his arrival, obviously World Champion was the goal, but how were they going to do that?
Vince Sr. ran his territory in a very particular way, you have a big, powerful babyface hold your championship for a long time, and a heel take the title in between. You trade back and forth, always making sure that the babyface isn't too far away from winning the gold and carrying the New York territory until someone else came along. The babyface/heel dynamic was one that stretched back to the very inception of the Championship in 1963. (I should clarify, babyface and heels trading titles was something done everywhere for decades prior to this, this wasn't a McMahon invention) Heels like Buddy Rogers, Ivan Koloff, Stan Stasiak and "Superstar" Billy Graham kept the title hot for a brief period of time, with the exception of Graham's nearly year long reign, only for the conquering hero to swoop in and reclaim the gold. Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, and Bob Backlund were the men chosen, all of them holding the championship for actual years on end, the backbone of McMahon's territory.
When Hogan showed back up, Backlund was chugging along in his 2,135 day reign, turning back all challengers with his legitimate wrestling background and all-American attitude. They weren't about to break the mould just to give Hogan the title, so what was the answer?
The Iron Sheik.
Sheik was a legitimately tough fucker. He served in the Imperial Iranian Army, was a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his family, and earned a spot on Iran's Greco-Roman wrestling team for the 1968 Summer Olympics. To say Sheik was as real as they come would be an understatement. He portrayed an irate Iranian that hated everything about America, the perfect heel for the most patriotic nation in the world. On Boxing Day in 1983, Sheik shattered Backlunds reign and won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, the top prize in the company now held by a heel.
The pieces were set perfectly, all Hogan had to do was beat The Sheik and start his reign. A bullet proof plan. There's just one problem, Senior still wasn't sold on Hogan. Junior promised Hogan that he'd be the next Champion, the guy to dethrone Sheik , It took some convincing, but his dad eventually relented, allowing Junior to make good on his promise and give Hogan the win. In story line, Backlund was supposed to have a rematch against the Sheik , but injuries from an attack prior to losing his title were still nagging him, so Hogan stepped up to take his place.
And there we have it, the table is set. We're in Madison Square Garden, a cool Monday night in New York. Make sure you find a version of this match online that has "Eye of The Tiger" for Hogan's music, his actual entrance song for this match, and not "Real American," which wasn't his theme until 1985. Fun fact! The US Express had that theme initially, using it first in October of '85 until they left the company in December. On the liner notes of the "Wrestling Album," "Real American" is attributed to the US Express, with "Hulk Hogan's Theme" being a completely different track altogether.
Back to the match at hand, the version of this match with "Eye of the Tiger" is infinitely better than any other. The sound of the crowd, the reaction when he parts the curtain, you could power a thousand houses for a month with the energy these people create. It's nuts, even without the benefit of hindsight, you just know tonight is different. Hogan gets in the ring to join The Iron Sheik and "Ayatolla" Freddie Blassie. Blassie was the man originally paired with Hogan when he first came though the WWF under Vince Sr, so it's kinda funny to see them back together again. Even if they are on opposing sides now.
 |
| Watch your back, brother! WWE |
The bell rings and Sheik goes to remove his outf- wait, Hogan jumps him? This paragon of virtue, symbol of all that's good and righteous in the world, attacks a man from behind? Well, this is certainly different, isn't it! He pummels him int eh back over and over, tossing him to the opposite corner before crashing in with a back elbow to Sheik, still trying to get his bearings.
He's laid out in the centre of the ring, only now is he able to remove the rest of his attire and get down to his ring gear. Hogan sees another opportunity to use some rather questionable tactics as he grabs Sheiks robe in one hand and shoots him into the ropes with another, catching him around the throat on the rebound! Some hero this Hogan fella is, eh? He takes him down and holds Sheik on the canvas, choking him in a robe assisted side headlock.
The referee restores order and takes the robe from Hogan, now standing and smiling, nodding his head in approval. Sheik, on the other hand, is crawling to the ropes for air, trying to collect himself after the early assault. He backs Sheik into the corner again with punch after punch, pulling him along the ropes before sending him out, catching him with a pretty weak looking lariat on the rebound. Borrowing a move from Bruiser Brody's playbook, he drops a King Kong knee on the face of the Sheik.
 |
| Brody style. WWE |
Both men are up again and, wait, an eye rake?! What is going on here! Hogan gives Sheik an eye rake?! What were babyfaces up to in the 80's?! Grabbing Sheik by the throat with both hands, Hogan holds him up high above the ring, choking the life out of him as the referee begins a five count. It's not easy to make out in the grainy video versions, but Hogan's sudden head snap and Pat Patterson's commentary call confirm it, he spits on the Sheik while he's down!
Another whip into the ropes when the Sheik gets to his feet and a big boot on the rebound, things look to be well in hand for the Hulkster here. Opting to not go for the leg drop, he tries for a simple cover, a lateral press, but Sheik escapes at two. Another rope rebound and Hogan drills Sheik with a running elbow to the head, catching him with the tip of the bone. Appearing from the right side of the screen, Hogan drops an elbow on the chest of Sheik and grabs the leg for another pin attempt, but still only two.
With Sheik in the corner again, Hogan charges for a back elbow but Sheik dodges, leaving Hogan to crash in an empty pool. From there, Sheik takes control, driving boots into the back of Hogan, trying to keep him down. A backbreaker applies more pressure to the kidneys of Hogan as he lays across him for the pin, but Hogan presses Sheik off him in an impressive display of raw power.
 |
| For maximum damage. WWE |
A kick to the throat of a kneeling Hogan has the referee checking on the challenger, leaving Sheik to "load" his boot. All he does is stomp his foot into the mat a couple of times and, as we're meant to believe, shifting a metal plate of some sort to the front of his boot, making each kick hurt even more. The next kick to Hogan's kidneys does extra damage, with the Iranian flipping Hogan over in a Boston crab, focusing directly on the wounded back.
Sheik is sat down deep in the hold, but Hogan begins to push, rising his upper body higher and higher as he straightens out his legs, forcing the Sheik off and breaking the hold! Back on his feet first, Sheik marches over to Hogan and grabs him by the torso, gutwrench suplexing him up and back down, trying for a pin but it's still not enough. More and more boots weaken the Hulkster, leaving him in the most vulnerable position you can be in against the Sheik- on your stomach.
Stepping over Hogan, the Sheik grabs him by the chin and sits down on his back, wrenching Hogan up with the Camel Clutch, the signature move of the Sheik. Pat Patterson is quick to point out that nobody has been able to escape this hold before, that the Shiek has turned away everyone with this signature submission. Hogan looks to be growing weaker and weaker as the seconds pass, Sheik sitting deeper and deeper as time wears on.
 |
| Fear the clutch. WWE |
With one finger on each hand, Hogan wags them back and forth to tell the referee, and the thousands in the garden "I haven't given up just yet!" Fighting through the pain, he shifts and wriggles beneath the Sheik, eventually able to pull one knee up undeneath him, and then the other, now on his hands and knees as the Sheik rides the back of Hogan, still trying desperately to maintain the hold, but it's a futile effort. Rising to his full height, Sheik is now a backpack to Hogan, with the red and yellow titan running backwards into the corner, crushing the Sheik against the turnbuckles.
Falling out of the corner, Sheik collapses in the centre, in perfect position. Hogan runs across the ring and rebounds off the ropes, soaring above Sheik before dropping the big leg. He covers him for one, then two, then three! It's over! We have a new WWF Champion!
 |
| A new era begins. WWE |
The crowd in Madison Square Garden explodes, it's a monstrous pop. The poor quality of a 41 year old piece of video doesn't do it justice, but you can feel it. That crowd was shaking the garden, close to destroying the power grid from the amount of energy suddenly exploding out of the worlds most famous arena. Hogan raises the big green title above his head; yes, the big green title. This is before they changed the design to the WWF Championship of the late 80's everyone knows and loves. His newly won title gleams in the spotlights of the garden as he marches around the ring, his spot as wrestling's new top dog solidified.
It's a fine matchup for it's era, coming in at just under 6 minutes, it's done in a flash and never really gets into any gear at all. It's pretty paint by numbers action but, honestly, it works! They didn't need to do a lot to get the crowd invested. The babyface works over the heel to start, heel gets his heat, babyface makes his comeback and wins! Basic match structure. Breaking the Camel Clutch was a huge part of this match and really helped put Hogan over the edge as the new guy to be leading the charge. With nobody else doing it prior to this, it made the victory feel all the more special.
• • • • •
And with that, we're off to the races. Hulkamania was born. Hogan's reign lasted 1,474 days, the last time a WWF/E championship would be held for more than 1000 days, an unreal statistic. (Before you write in, Roman's reign with this specific title lasted 735 days, his 1,316 day total with both World titles is only recognized under the Universal Title's history) There's a rumour I've head about this match that Verne Gagne, Hogan's old boss from the AWA, offered The Sheik $100,000 to break Hogan's leg in the match, thereby killing any plans McMahon had on the spot. Gagne was still bitter that McMahon sniped Hogan from him and turned him into something that Verne wasn't ready or willing to commit to, so I feel like there may be a shred of credibility to this rumour. I've also heard this story told by multiple sources that kept the story the same for years, lending more credibility to this rumour.
But I don't want to spend any more time on this first reign than is necessary because, let's be honest, it's what happened after those five minutes and forty seconds that really counts. Wrestling entered it's biggest boom period in history. With the power of Hulkamania, a WWF now piloted by Vince McMahon Jr; following the passing of his father in May of 1984, was set to take the wrestling world by storm. No longer content on abiding by the territory system that the business had been using for decades, McMahon had a vision and set out to gobble up every territory he could, move into every market possible, and outbid every TV time slot available. It was a risky move, one many in the business thought would blow up in Junior's face, but soon enough, the WWF was a national entity.
With the mainstream appeal of Cyndi Lauper and Mr. T, WrestleMania 1 was a success, turning more eyes onto wrestling, and as a result, Hulk Hogan, than ever before. What started as the ultimate gamble turned out to be the ultimate payoff for Vince, further launching the WWF into unbelievable heights. With Hogan at the helm as the champion, business picked up as the WWF forged a trail through 1985 and 1986, headlining WrestleMania 2 as a solo act against King Kong Bundy inside a steel cage.
1987 rolled around with Hogan still on top as the champion, and the company needed something big for their next WrestleMania. If this was going to be their show of shows, they needed to deliver with a main event match worthy of the show.
Enter; Andre the Giant
• • • • •
Andre The Giant vs. Hulk Hogan - WWF WrestleMania III - 03/29/1987
 |
| The ultimate staredown. WWE |
The Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant feud was one that was building in the background long before their titanic clash at WrestleMania. For three years, Hogan held the WWF Championship, and Andre wasn't blind to this stat. He felt that he was deserving of some recognition, some gold worthy of his stature, both literally and figuratively. But when every celebration for Andre quickly turned into a celebration of his good pal Hulk Hogan, something snapped in the giant. Aligning himself with a lifelong rival of Hulk Hogan, Bobby Heenan, Andre challenged Hogan to a match. During his challenge, he lashed out and grabbed Hogan by the collar, ripping his shirt and breaking his crucifix necklace.
That was all it took. The pieces were put in place, Hogan vs. Andre, Pontiac Silverdome. WrestleMania 3. WWF Championship vs. a (kayfabe'd) 15 year undefeated streak. One of the largest matches in history in one of the largest arena's in the United States. A clash for the ages.
With the Silverdome being a massive stadium, the largest venue they've ran so far, they had to figure out a way to get the wrestlers to the ring quicker. If they made Andre walk to the ring, we'd be having this match in May. So, they implemented a cart, referred to as the "ring cart." It has a large platform on the front and loose ring ropes around it to mimic the appearance of an actual wrestling ring. When they reach the end of the entrance ramp, some stage girls unhook the ropes to let them out of the cart. The entire ring is raised off the ground by about four feet on a big wooden platform, the thought being that sight lines may be obstructed too much for the people on the floor.
Andre is out first, accompanied by Bobby Heenan, lifelong rival of Hulk Hogan, who comes out next. The walls of the Silverdome are reverberating with the sound of 93,0- I mean, 78,000 Hulkamaniacs and the iconic "Real American" song by Rick Derringer. Hogan makes the walk to the ring, pointing to the crowd and shouting the whole way down, he's fired up and ready to give Andre the very best he's got. He soaks up the crowd when he climbs inside the ropes, hundreds and thousands of flash bulbs popping off as the pair look eye to eye, the champion looking up at his challenger.
 |
| Marching to battle, soaking in the crowd. WWE |
"The irresistible force meeting the immovable object," the iconic call from Gorilla Monsoon.
Andre stands still in the centre, his massive frame looming over Hogan, who cautiously steps closer and closer to Andre. The golden locks of Hogan begin to move as his whole body shakes, saying things that are impossible to make out in the sea of screaming fans. Andre shoves him back, with the champion stumbling back. Hogan returns fire, and Andre barely takes a single step. He tries to swing for an overhead punch, but Hogan blocks it, firing off with rights of his own before scooping Andre up, trying for a bodyslam right out of the gate, but he's too much. Andre dead weights Hogan as he falls on top of him, crushing him as he stays on top for the pin. The referee is down quick to count the pin, with Hogan meerly slipping out from under Andre to escape, there's no possible way he's pressing the living mountain off his chest.
Convinced the referee counted three, both Andre and Heenan argue with the referee as Hogan crawls away, clutching at his back early. Andre shoots out a boot to the back of Hogan, focusing in on the weakness. He lumbers forwards and holds Hogan in a front face lock, clubbing him in the back with a redwood sized forearm. It's all Hogan can do to get back to his feet right now, Andre stands tall in the centre, clubbing Hogan in the back and crushing his face against his knee whenever the challenger finds it in himself to stand. Andre, for his part, seems to be struggling to stand without any assistance.
 |
| Down in a hurry. WWE |
With complete ease, Andre pulls Hogan off the canvas and holds him over his shoulder, tossing the champion down to the canvas with a bodyslam. Hogan writhes and hollers in pain, trying desperately to get vertical, to mount some sort of offence against Andre. He's on his feet again, but not for long. Another bodyslam plants him on the canvas, but this time Andre walks across the back of Hogan as he lays on the canvas, hollering in pain, 500 pounds compressing the small of his back.
The Giant stands tall, egging Hogan to rise to his feet. Tired of waiting, he grabs the champion by the waistband and rips him to his feet, hurling Hogan into the corner. I was fully expecting Andre to take a run at Hogan here, as this is my first time watching this match, believe it or not! But then I remembered this isn't afro Andre in AJPW, he's not moving any faster than a bus in idle. He grabs Hogan by the wrist again and tosses him across the ring, the champion collapsing when his back hits the turnbuckle pads.
Pulling Hogan to his feet, a pair of shoulder barges traps Hogan and a massive Andre... hip attack? Ass attack? I dunno what to call it, but he puts his back to Hogan, thrusts his hips out, and then just drives his ass into Hogan's gut. Signature Andre spot. I'm pretty sure he did it just to pop himself so the boys had to get his ass shoved in their face. Classic Andre. A headbutt has Hogan jelly legged, with Andre positioning Hogan in the corner so that the next headbutt he delivers will be with Hogan's head against the top pad.
 |
| Unique offence from the Giant. WWE |
Andre winds up, and goes for the headbutt, but Hogan slips out! He leaves Andre to slam his own head into the top turnbuckle pad, staggering around the ring to try and compose himself. Andre barely flinched, but it was enough to catch him off guard for a moment. He lumbers out of the corner as Hogan starts to feel some adrenaline flow through his veins. He focuses in on the enormous head of Andre with punch after punch, even a robe rebound shot for good measure, but Andre remains composed, only now does he start to show a sliver of weakness.
A running elbow backs Andre into the corner as Hogan channels his inner Ric Flair, chopping the barn-sized chest over and over. Giving Andre another taste of the buckle, he grabs him by the head and dribbles him off the top pad, over and over Hogan drives Andre head first. When he stops, the Giant is visibly stunned, holding the top rope to stay on his feet. Hogan backs out and over to the opposite corner, feeding off the energy of the crowd as they urge the champion on. Going for broke, he rebounds off the ropes, charging into Andre with everything he's got, only to eat a dinosaur sized foot, directly in the jaw.
With Hogan back on his feet again, a chop from Andre leads to a bear hug, squeezing the very life out of the champion. Hogan squirms around, trying to pull Andre off by his singlet strap, but the grip of Andre is sapping the life out of the Hogan, second by second. He tries to slip his hands between the arms of Andre to loosen to grip, but it's no use, the anaconda like arms of Andre squeezing tighter and tighter. His arms still in the air, he tries to fight and power through, but it may have been his last gasp. His head falls heavy as his arms drop to his side, referee Joey Marella, son of Gorilla Monsoon, is there to check if Hogan is still alive.
 |
| Sapping the life out of him. WWE |
He raises the arm once, only to fall back down. Twice now, it falls back down again. On the third time, Marella is already a step towards the timekeeper, ready to end the match, but Hogan's arm stays in the air! There's still life left in him! The building swells with the roar of the crowd as Hogan fights for life, laboured rights to the side of the Giants face break the relentless bearhug. Shot after shot to the head of Andre, with Hogan shaking out his wrist to try and get some feeling back into his hands after punching the equivalent of a brick wall.
He hits the ropes and comes back with a shoulder tackle, shifting Andre back half a step. Another rebound, another tackle, another step back. He goes for a third, but Andre fires out with a chop to the throat, dropping him flat. He pulls Hogan up to his feet again and fires him into the rope, bringing one of his redwood sized legs up and catching Hogan in the chest, the impact driving him through the ropes to the outside. Andre lumbers over the ropes and to the floor to join Hogan, chopping his chest with hands like frying pans.
With Hogan backed into the post, Andre reels back for a headbutt - a critical error. At the last second, Hogan moves out of the way, leaving the Giant to crash skull first into the steel. Stumbling around ringside, he rips up the bright blue mats to expose the wooden stage below. As Andre staggers around the stage, Hogan pulls his head in for a pilderiver, but Andre just stands out of it, flipping Hogan over with a back body drop onto the exposed wood. Not wanting to spend any more time outside than he needs to, Andre rolls Hogan in the ring and joins him inside, shooting him off into the ropes. Another leg up, but Hogan gets out of the way! He carries on past Andre, rebounding off the opposite side of the ring, and crashes into the Giant with a forearm, sending both men to the canvas! Andre is down!
 |
| Timber! WWE |
The building is roaring as Hogan's golden locks shake back and forth, the champion Hulking up, finding the strength deep inside himself to carry on. Heenan is in the face of Andre, urging his charge to get back up and take Hogan down. Andre rises to his feet, using the ropes as support, and stumbles to the middle. Hogan, urged on by the energy of the crowd, moves in towards Andre. With unreal strength, Hogan scoops Andre up by the crotch, pointing his feet towards the lights, before slamming the Giant through the ring. Rebounding off the strands, the Atomic Leg drop crushes Andre as Hogan lays across him for the cover.
 |
| Slam me boss. WWE |
Marella counts one, then two, then three! Hogan retains! The Giant has been slain!
Look, this isn't the best match in history, far from it. Maybe it is the worst worked match of '87, I haven't watched enough from the rest of the year to comment on it. Andre is very clearly limited here, you can tell he's struggling to stay vertical at several points in the match and is doing everything he can just to chop Hogan down with the most basic moves possible. But man, is it effective. They knew exactly how to make Andre come across as a threat. It's exceptionally hard to make someone as huge and conquering as Hogan look like he's in trouble, but he did it to perfection here. The sense of danger and urgency from the first nearfall set the tone for the rest of the match. How will Hogan survive Andre when he's beating him senseless? It's a fantastic little story told here. In the land of "making moments," this certainly was one of them, arguably the most important moment in WrestleMania to this point.
• • • • •
A moment that would live forever. The Immortal Hulk Hogan slamming the gargantuan Andre the Giant en route to defending his WWF Championship. If that isn't what wrestling is all about, then I don't know what else to tell ya.
Much like Hogan's first title win and the wrestling business itself, there's a lot of smoke and mirrors that surrounds this match. The fabled attendance record of 93,000 that was never broken for the simple fact that a) the building can't hold that many people and b) they actually only had about 78,000. The story that Andre was in such rough shape (I mean just watch this match, he was) that Paul Orndorff was waiting at the curtain to go out and face Hogan if the match needed be changed at the very last second. On a lighter note, this fabled, legendary match has the esteemed honour of being awarded the "Worst Worked Match of the Year" award by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter for 1987. Good work, gents!
With Hogan already in the stratosphere, all this did was solidify his position at the very top. From this point forward, Hogan was the giant killer, always searching for the next larger than life athlete to conquer. It's not always easy to find someone that dwarfs the 6'7" Hogan, but they did, time and time again. And each time they did, Hogan chopped them down.
I don't want to do a full on career retrospective from here, there's plenty of those already online, but I did want to cover, what I would argue are two of Hogan's biggest matches. His first WWF Championship win, seating him at the top of the food chain, and his legendary encounter with Andre the Giant, making this comic book hero come to life even more powerful and awe inspiring.
There's a reason we still talk about wrestling today, and a reason why wrestling was at such a fever pitch during the late 80's and early 90's, and it's because of Hulk Hogan. Steve Austin may have drawn the company more money faster, but Hogan drew the most for the longest period of time. Nearly 8 years of insane profits. For all of his catchphrases and "smelling what he's cooking," The Rock didn't fill the most arenas. Despite being the cornerstone of the 2000's and being branded as "Super Cena," John Cena didn't become completely synonymous with the sport, and Cody Rhodes isn't going to be revered as a God by fans of the sport that remember it "when it used to be better." Hogan transcended the sport of professional wrestling. He completely embodied what it meant to be a pro wrestler. The look, the size, the charisma, the ability to make your TV shake. A figure like Hulk Hogan show up once in a millennia, we were just lucky enough to catch him on our screens when we did.
• • • • •
Terry Bollea, The Man
Now, I've spent quite a bit of time here discussing Hulk Hogan, the wrestler. Doing my best to eulogize one of the most important figured wrestling has ever seen. But now we need to address the elephant in the room. Terry Gene Bollea. The human being. The person. Buckle yourselves in, because I am pulling no punches.
The Snitch
First, let's talk about unionizing, shall we? Prior to WrestleMania II, Jesse Ventura started to see the writing on the wall. For years, and even still to this day, wrestlers were treated as "independent contractors." Despite signing contracts and agreeing to exclusivity with a company, they are treated as "freelancers," and thus not given the benefits a contracted worker would receive. Dental? Physio? Transport? Time away? Like millions of other people, companies set aside money to compensate employees for these "benefits," understanding these are essential to completing their work and living comfortable lives.
But wrestlers? The people who get slammed, kicked, punches, thrown, and tossed around buildings day in and day out, do they receive these same benefits? Of course not! Don't be so silly!
Ventura decided enough was enough and was trying to change things for the better. Using WrestleMania II as leverage, Ventura gave the locker room an impassioned speech about the need for a wrestlers union so they can be properly looked after. Many of them said that the only way it would work was if they had the support of Hogan, but Ventura thought the opposite. Ventura claims that all he wanted was the support of King Kong Bundy, Hogan's opponent for the main event match. That, and the threat of others walking out of the event, was all Ventura thought it would take to make a real change.
He couldn't have been more wrong. Scared about his position as the most payed man in the locker room going away if the wrestlers were to unionize, Hogan snitched to Vince. I mean, wouldn't you? When you get paid more than everyone else on a WrestleMania card combined, why would you want the boys to unionize and give you a pay cut? Doesn't sound too fair to me, brother!
Upon hearing about this, an irate McMahon called Ventura to confront him about his locker room speech;
"I went home the next day. My phone rang, and it was Vince," Ventura recalled." "'What in the hell are you doing yapping about this union crap in the dressing room?' And I stood up to him, I said 'Vince, why can't we? It's not just to fight you. Right now, I pay $5,000 a year for health insurance for me and my family.' This was the '80s... if we had strength in numbers, maybe I'd only have to pay $1,200 a year. What about retirement? I've seen hundreds of guys retire after 30 years in this business, they don't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of."
via WrestlingInc.com
And with that, his boat was sunk. Inking a contract to be in the film "Predator," Ventura wasn't afraid to walk out of the WWF and not look back. If Vince was so firmly against a union, Ventura would join one of his own, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), which he's still collecting money from to this day.
The Tape
Next, let's move onto The Big One. You guys remember Gawker? One of those TMZ type websites? Well, one fateful day in October of 2012, a video (from 2007) was posted to the Gawker website. The video in question? A Hulk Hogan sex tape. Scandalous, I know. But that in and of itself isn't anything super controversial, even if it was with another man's wife. They were in an open relationship! He was cool with it! Bubba Clem was Hogan's best friend, of course he'd offer up his wife to have sex with him! (I need you guys to understand how soaked in sarcasm those last sentences are, my lord)
The real scandal came after he... well... y'know. This covert sextape, recorded by the Clem's without Hogan's knowledge, captured some audio while Hogan and the missus were sharing a moment together.
So it gets to the point where…I dunno if Brooke was fucking the black guy’s son, or they’ve been hanging out. I caught them holding hands together on the tour. They were getting close to kind of [inaudible] the fucking [inaudible]. I’m not a double standard type of guy. I’m a racist to a point, y’know, fucking n------, but then, when it comes to nice people and [redacted] (...) If we’re gonna fuck with n------, let’s get a rich one!
Well... that's certainly a quote, isn't it?
Look, sarcasm aside, I don't know what else to tell you guys. Like, it's right there in black and white, and there's audio of it too! Like, that's pretty reprehensible to say. Just casually dropping n-bombs like it's nothing. He sure seemed comfortable saying that, didn't he? Sure felt like it wasn't the first time, or last time, he'd dropped that one on someone.
What else can I say? Should I say? I mean, he's racist. Full stop. Period. End of thought. How can you justify that? How can you defend that? I genuinely don't understand how anyone can read that or hear the audio and still think "Hogan's a great guy!" It boggles the mind.
And I know what some of you are already saying, "but Morgan! He apologized and everything!" and if by apology you mean he said;
According to Mike Johnson of PWinsider, Hogan is backstage at the Extreme Rules PPV in Pittsburgh and met with the WWE locker room to formally apologize for his racial comments from a few years ago. Johnson says that Hulk spent a long time apologizing for what he said and also for embarrassing himself and the company. Hogan also passed along the message for the talent to think about what they say because there are cameras everywhere in today’s age.
Via IWNerd.com
So it's fine if you make racially charged comments, you just need to be mindful of the cameras. Totally fine to steal cookies out of the cookie jar, just make sure you don't get caught. Is that the conclusion I should be coming to here? My lord...
The Target
Now, before I get completely off topic, I want to go back to the start of this point. Gawker, the website that Hulk Hogan killed as a result of that sex tape being released. Unhappy with the negative PR his own actions caused him, a Hulk Hogan bankrolled by billionaire Peter Thiel sued Gawker, and won. But what does Thiel have to do with all of this? He too, had it out for Gawker after they published an article in 2007 that outed him as gay. So, when he saw this Hogan lawsuit looming, he used it as an opportunity to really stick it to Gawker. A double barrelled salvo of revenge.
On one hand, this kind of sensationalistic and provocative journalism often rubs people the wrong way, with the people on the receiving end often wishing they could "get what's coming to them." But in a fair and just world, this kind of journalism needs to exist. Maybe not the hit pieces where a closeted man is exposed to the world without his consent, but when a gigantic celebrity is outed as a racist? Absolutely. If they can't handle the repercussions of their actions, they should have thought twice about them a long time ago.
This lawsuit, and subsequent victory, set a dangerous precedent in the journalistic world, proving that if you have the resources, you too can crush the free press beneath your boot if you so desire. Free speech? Not if it harms my public image!
The Ego
Another knock at Hogan is his larger than life ego. His outright refusal to do jobs or do anything that would benefit those around him. Ratting out Ventura is a pretty glaring example of this, feeling his spot being threatened so badly he had to ruin a good thing for everyone else. But there's countless examples of Hogan's ego running wild, brother.
Let's start at the beginning, shall we? The night Hogan won his first WWF Championship. The match ends, everyone returns to the locker room, and it's a great big party for the Hulkster. Taking a moment from his celebration, Hogan goes to Sheik and thanks him for the opportunity. For being the guy to take the fall and let Hogan have this win. He tells Sheik that he owes him one, making it seem as though Hogan will be more than willing to do the same for Sheik when the time comes. This makes Sheik happy as a lark, his old school mentality and cultural beliefs mean that he values respect above all else. Years go by and Sheik still holds onto those words, when the time is right. Out of a job now, he tries to call Hogan when he is in WCW, remembering Hogan's words, "I owe you one." He makes several attempts to call Hogan and see if there's a spot for him. But Hogan never, not once, calls Sheik back. He never made good on his promise, and the Sheik never let Hogan live it down.
How about WresteMania VI? Hogan vs. Warrior. Title for title. One of the biggest 'Mania matches to date. The idea behind this match was that Hogan was to take time off to work on a movie and rest up a bit while the Ultimate Warrior was at the peak of his popularity. They knew the time was now to go with the Warrior, and weren't going to pass this opportunity up. The match happens, and Warrior wins, beating Hogan to retain the Intercontinental Championship and win the WWF Championship all at once. A huge crowning moment for the Warrior. He stands in the ring to celebrate, but not alone brother! During a moment that should have been to make the Warrior, to allow him to soak up the packed Skydome in Toronto all on his own, Hogan couldn't resist taking that spotlight for himself. Posing and celebrating with the Warrior as if he'd won the match too, he robbed the Warrior of his chance to shine. He never had a WrestleMania main event match again.
One of the greatest criticism's of Hogan's entire career is his fabled WCW run. One of the biggest shifts of the wrestling world happened when Hogan joined "the enemy." What shocked the world even more was his legendary 1996 heel turn. But what shouldn't have shocked anyone, was a teensy little clause in his contract titled "creative control." This clause does exactly what you think it does. If the booker came to Hogan one day and said "Hogan, we want you to lose to Konnan tonight in 4 minutes. You aren't going to get anything in, we really believe in this kid." All the Hulkster would need to say is "that doesn't work for me, brother," and that would be the end of it. Now, Hogan has gone on record several times and said that he never once used his creative control clause, but it was there if he ever needed it. Now, I don't know about you, but I find that very hard to believe. And you will too as you read further into this post. If you expect me to believe that for the entirety of his run, Hogan was totally cool with every single piece of creative they brought to him, that he never once said "no", then you'd probably try to sell me a timeshare in the Bahamas. Get a grip.
And lastly, before getting too into the weeds, let's talk Starrcade 1997. A year long feud between "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and the hot new "Crow" Sting was the marquee match for this show. The nWo had been steamrolling through WCW, the invading force that seemed to be unstoppable. People had been waiting, begging, desperate for Sting to get his hands on Hogan. This spectre of justice to really give it to the Hollywood menace. But when the match happened, did that end up happening? Nope! (Remember what I said just a paragraph before? "That doesn't work for me, brother") The story goes that Hogan didn't feel like after 18 months of build, 18 months of Sting looming in the rafters, 18 months of people wanting Hogan to get his ass beat, Hogan didn't feel like getting beaten clean. So, he had a workaround! nWo referee would fast count the finish, Bret Hart (one month after Montreal) would get involved to make sure that there wasn't another screwjob finish on his watch, Hogan gets sent back into the ring, put in the scorpion death lock, and Hogan verbally submits. He wanted a whole heap of bullshit to happen just so he could look strong. The only problem was, when referee Nick Patrick counted at the same pace he always does, the entire finish fell apart. We still got Bret and the submission, with Sting triumphing over Hogan, but he looked like a total geek needing all that help. Thanks for doing the honors, brother.
The Support
And lastly, without getting into politics (which I steer clear of in my day to day life, and this blog will be no different), I'll leave this video here for you to watch and interpret in your own way.
The Lies
An honourable mention, which is more hilarious than anything, is how Hogan is a career long, well documented, bat-shit-insane at times, pathological liar. You can find article after article after article online that go into great detail as to why is is actually impossible that Hogan worked 400 days in a year, why he was not, in fact, with Kerry Von Erich prior to his suicide, or how there is no record of him batting 714 in the Little League World Series. This is less a dig at him for being a terrible person, but more a question of 'why lie about this stuff?' What is there to gain? Do you hear about something big an important that you could have been involved in and just self insert to make yourself more important? It's a hilarious game he played his whole career and it made it next to impossible to believe a single thing he ever said. Once a worker, always a worker.
The Legacy
In closing, I think it's possible to eulogize the character Hulk Hogan. What the red and yellow titan stood for was righteous and noble, a pillar of American pride and purity. But when you dig even slightly below the surface, the cracks start to show. And that, I feel, is where the rubber really meets the road. If you can idolize Hogan but can't see that he is deeply, hugely flawed, then you are just fooling yourself. Maybe he did change his ways, maybe his devotion to Christ helped steer him on a righteous path, but everything he did in the public eye for years and years, everything he said and how he acted, it doesn't prove that he learned anything, honestly.
We can remember Hulk Hogan for how he impacted our childhood (not mine, I'm a 90's baby) and changed the wrestling business into something that we are still enjoying today, all thanks to the impact he made during the golden years of the business.
But, we also need to remember what Terry Bollea did, what the actual, real person beneath the red and yellow superhero did. He was a deeply flawed and troubled person, with the scrutiny and magnification of the public eye only making these negative qualities in him worsen.
Personally? I missed the Hulk Hogan era completely. I wasn't born during his prime, too young to enjoy the nWo, not watching during his WWE return, and stopped watching by the time he got to TNA. I've only learned about Hogan after coming back to wrestling about 10 years ago. Am I upset about his passing? No. One of the first times I heard about Hogan was when I listened to the audiobook "Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue." I learned about his sex tape, his racist comments, his campaign to stomp Gawker into the dirt, all before I watched a Hogan match. My views on Hogan were permanently tainted when I learned about Terry Bollea, and I've never been able to look at the red and yellow hero the same as everyone else.
When this post is published, I won't be giving Hogan any more of my time than he deserves. I don't mourn bad people, and you shouldn't either. He was critical to the sport and a terrible human being, and I'd be doing everyone a disservice if I didn't point that out. Journalistic integrity, y'know?
It's not until his passing that we have had a chance to reflect and really, I mean really ask ourselves, that one, burning question. What are we going to do, when Hulkamania runs wild on us? Will we try to remember? Or will we choose to forget? When it comes crashing down and it hurts inside, you gotta take a stand, it don't help to hide.
• • • • •
Well, there you have it. I started writing this piece the moment I saw the news of Hogan's death hit my screen. It's been a labour of... some kind. I knew I wanted to get into Hogan from every aspect, and I've gotta say that I'm pretty proud of this piece of writing. It's a doozy but I think it does a pretty good job of translating my scatterbrained thoughts and opinions into a coherent, detailed article.
If you think otherwise or want to lay into me for calling Hogan a piece of shit, you know where to find me.
cliffmorganwstl@gmail.com
Until next week, roulette week, stay safe. Love one another. And be well.
No comments:
Post a Comment