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Hulk Hogan was the biggest name in the history of professional wrestling, whether you liked him or not. He did create a lot of controversy in his later years and some are completely unforgiveable.
But this post is about the wrestler Hulk Hogan and his contribution from the eyes of a wrestling fan.
I started watching wrestling around when I was about 4 years old, didn’t know much about it, but everywhere I went I would see Hulk Hogan merchandise. The soft toys, action figures, posters, videos, magazines and lots of yellow/red.
I was hooked as a kid, wanting to know more about this wrestler. I would catch some of the videos of old WrestleMania’s that my uncle would buy and my first exposure was WrestleMania 8. Sneaking downstairs early in the morning watching him and Sid Justice go at it.
I didn’t know I was watching his retirement match in WWF at the time, all I remember was the big entrance he made, the comeback of him being immortal and the fireworks with Ultimate Warrior. I was hooked from then as a wrestling fan, every weekend I would ask for more videos to watch more about Hulk Hogan. So, I built a collection of all the WrestleMania’s he appeared on learning about his big feuds with Andre the Giant, Macho Man and Ultimate Warrior.
I was just hooked by the entrance music and just how big the audiences were. He was the first real hero to everyone that was real, although in a scripted environment. He was a true childhood hero that would save the day and beat all those big monsters.
I did have a gap where Hulk Hogan went to WCW, access to that was quite hard so only saw clips, and only what was free when WCW had a 1 hour show on ITV and Channel 5. But during my early teens I caught up on just how he changed his character in WCW. Say what you will he was a liked and disliked in front and out of the camera.
But I was glued to his WCW NWO, Hollywood Hogan style. It was different he was not a hero anymore, but more modern. A bad guy running wild, but no longer the kid’s hero. It was a different side, as to be honest as a teenager we all wanted to be rebels. But you could relate to that because you wanted to be part of the cool groups, have a bit of a laugh and have fun. Did enjoy his WWE return facing The Rock in 2002 and that babyface reaction was crazy.
As said before he was not everyone cup of tea, as we say in England. But he was truly to me a hero growing up. When he came back to WWE in 2005, his returned at Wrestlemania 21 was immense that entrance was just amazing. Seeing him have that opportunity to be part of that show was great, as thought it gave me goosebumps.
As I got older, I still found interest in Hulk Hogan was when he joined TNA in 2009, my homegrown company I call it because I had been a fan since the start pretty much. When he showed up, I thought I had come full circle, yes, he was not what he was in the 1980’s and 1990’s but he really created a buzz. I was sceptical because this is Hulk Hogan and money.
But again, when he showed up on stage, walk down to the ring and just held an audience it was still something to especially when I finally met him for the first time in 2012 and again in 2013 at the UK TNA shows at Wembley. Those crowds were electric, and he was still an icon. That for me was my best moment seeing him in person in front of the largest TNA crowds.
Obviously after that his return to WWE 2014 at Wrestlemania 40 was iconic next to the The Rock and Steve Austin. Mostly like the 3 biggest icons in WWE history.
I don’t want to mention more after that because that is where it went wrong for Hulk Hogan. I am pleased though he was reinstated back into the WWE Hall of Fame and made some more appearances even though he was booed a lot. That music though still creates a buzz for me.
But Hulk Hogan was my childhood hero, who beat the monsters and overcome the odds. He was what I needed as a child as hero to save the day. He is the biggest pop icon in WWE history and without him leading the way, we might not have had the exposure where wrestling is today. He was the forefront of that and took WWE to a whole another level moving out from the territories to mainstream national stardom.
Hulk Hogan thank you for the memories you provided in the world of wrestling.
