30 year ago.....

Options
r.prince18
r.prince18 Members Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭✭✭
Hulkamania was born.

2013-hogan2.jpg

Hogan beat the Iron Sheik for his first WWF WWE World Championship on this day. So whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?

Comments

  • jono
    jono Members Posts: 30,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Iron Sheik the ultimate transitional champion. He was champ less than a month I think.
  • Chi-Town Bully
    Chi-Town Bully Members Posts: 29,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Never was a fan of Hulkamania, I became a fan when he turned heel
  • jono
    jono Members Posts: 30,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
  • Broddie
    Broddie Members Posts: 11,750 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2014
    Options
    It's difficult to explain the impact of Hulkamania to people who weren't around or remember anything from the 80's. There was nothing quite like the solidarity of the hulkamaniacs in the audience during the peak years of Hulkamania (I remember '87 and '88 most vividly). It created such a magical atmosphere that transcended the TV screen.

    Hogan wasn't even my most favorite wrestler back then. I was more into Savage, The Rockers, Hart Foundation, Rick Rude, Tito Santana, Mr. Perfect, Million Dollar Man and Jake The Snake. Those guys were just phenomenal to watch back in their prime plus they were the ones who carried the free TV (Superstars of Wrestling) so I saw their matches much more often and got more attached to their storylines.

    Everytime Hogan came out on SNME or at a PPV though I was completely in awe. The theme song, the taunts, the hulking up, the big boot all of that ? was just always well played by one of the GOAT ring psychologists long before they became tropes.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-9y1wu1_9M

    30 years ago a dream came true,I became WWE Champion and HULKAMANIA has been runnin wild ever since,30 years ,seems like yesterday brotherHH — Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) January 23, 2014

    30 year ago today me and the @HulkHogan sold out the most famous arena in the world to make Hulkamania. Now I am the legend & he the legend — The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) January 23, 2014
  • dalyricalbandit
    dalyricalbandit Members, Moderators Posts: 67,918 Regulator
    Options
    Iron Sheik number 1 all time
  • Broddie
    Broddie Members Posts: 11,750 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Iron Sheik number 1 all time

    Unlike that ? Brian Blair.

    "IRON SHEIK NOMBER ONE, FRED BLASSIE NOMBER ONE, IRAN NOMBER ONE!"
  • Broddie
    Broddie Members Posts: 11,750 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Saw this on wwe.com

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrxoxmsPalw

    they also had an interview with sheiky baby talking about losing to that jabroni hulk hogan

    http://www.wwe.com/classics/iron-sheik-discusses-hulkamania-26177137

  • Mally_G
    Mally_G Members Posts: 2,927 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    i'm with Bobby "The Brain" on this one........"I never liked Hogan"

    when he lost to Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania, my cousin went to see it at the Capital Centre on closed circuit TV, remember that ? ........closed circuit TV? Anyway, he came back and talked about all the matches, but Hogan/Warrior. I just knew Warrior won because he refused to talk about that match until I asked him. He said Warrior won, and then I rubbed it in and asked, was it clean (like i knew what clean meant back then, but i just wanted to know was there any controversy)? He said it was straight up, and I smiled. He was a Hogan head, I liked Warrior.

    There was just something about someone winning ALLLLLLL the time, that I didn't like; even at the age that I was at. I started seeing a trend where he would be on SNME, get sat on or splashed to death by the big bad fat dude, cough continuously, or even bleed from the mouth, say he has crush ribs, fight the dude at the next big event and win. I didn't like that ? .

    In DC, at the height of Hulkamania, a sportscaster by the name of George Michael (RIP), used to compare Hogan to Ric Flair of the NWA, on his Wednesday Night Wrestling Review. He talked about the worldwide phenomenon of Hulkamania versus the skill and cunning of Ric Flair; and how it was a dream match if the WWF and NWA were to let them go at it. He often asked, who would win, and he slightly leaned toward Flair because he was a world traveling World Champion who faced challengers from all over the world, not just the WWF, so he gave the experience edge to Flair. But he said, if Hogan got fired up (in what we now call Hulk Up), Flair wouldn't stand a chance.

    But I go as far back as seeing him as Sterling Golden on syndicated Georgia Championship Wrestling.
  • Broddie
    Broddie Members Posts: 11,750 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2014
    Options
    Heenan and Hogan were actually really good friends outside of kayfabe. I marked at the end of Wrestlemania VI. One of the greatest moments ever. So unexpected. Too bad Warrior's championship reign was so uneventful compared to his IC title days.

    Growing up I only knew Flair after NWA had become WCW. When he did arrive at WWF with the big gold belt I was hyped and crushed when Hogan Vs. Flair WWF champion vs. The "Real champion" as Heenan called him didn't main event Wrestlemania VIII. Seeing the WCW belt on WWF TV was unreal even when they blurred it cause you knew what belt it was if you were hip to the industry outside of WWF. That match would've been monumental with the winner carrying both belts around. A precursor to what we see on RAW today.

    Apparently at the time the program was being talked about Hogan and Flair had wrestled at house shows and supposedly lacked chemistry. Which is funny cause they would go on to put on some good ass matches together when down in Atlanta a few years later. Still considering that Randy Savage is my favorite wrestler ever what we got instead wasn't all too bad either.

    One thing for sure like Hogan or hate him you got to respect him. He'll always go down as the Ali of this ? because he's been in some of the most important & monumental matches in pro wrestling history throughout 30 years

    Sheik Vs. Hogan at MSG
    Hogan Vs. Andre at Wrestlemania III
    Hogan Vs. Savage at Wrestlemania V
    Hogan Vs. Warrior at Wrestlemania VI
    Hogan Vs. The Rock at Wrestlemania X-8
    Hogan Vs. Flair at Halloween Havoc '94
    Hogan Vs. Sting at Starrcade '97
    Hogan Vs. Goldberg on Monday Nitro

    hell I'd even include Hogan Vs. Vince at Wrestlemania XIX

    No other wrestler from that generation outside of Flair had as prestigious a resume when it came to impactful and relevant matches throughout the industry as Hogan. This is why when it comes to talking about that particular gen of wrestlers a lot of fans generally consider Hulk and Flair to be the best of the best.

    A_VQFozCYAA0tIH.jpg

    Anyway this was the match right before Hogan went back to WWF. Hulkamania was technically well established by then too even if only the WWF years are generally acknowledged today.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFVWro5_umM
  • RawAce
    RawAce Members Posts: 4,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    I'm surprised to see Hogan get respect in here

    I thought ottb were anti-hulkamania

  • Broddie
    Broddie Members Posts: 11,750 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2014
    Options
    There's Hogan hate all over the IWC. He always had his haters but it got waaaay more vocal when he went to TNA instead of coming back to WWE. I don't know about anybody else but I don't ? on legends just because it's the hip thing to do. A lot of the cats who ? on Hogan online don't even know any of his history before WCW. If they did they'd see how foolish hating on the man actually is.

    This industry wouldn't be anywhere close to what it is today in 2014 without Hulk Hogan. A lot of amazing wrestlers were able to eat and make excellent careers for themselves after Hogan broke down the barriers separating a global mainstream audience from the regular marks. Twice. Like I said you don't have to love the man but you definitely gotta respect him. He helped give you Wrestlemania for crying outloud. Funny thing is once he's back on WWE TV a lot of these same fools are going to end up chanting "HOGAN HOGAN" with the older fans anyway.
  • 5th Letter
    5th Letter Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 37,068 Regulator
    edited January 2014
    Options
    The reason Hogan/Flair didn't happen at WrestleMania VIII was because back then the WWE believed that faces should always win in the main event at WM. Hogan was on his way out to do movies, so they obviously couldn't put the belt on Hogan. And Flair was a heel. So that's why they did Hogan/Sid and Savage/Flair.
  • dalyricalbandit
    dalyricalbandit Members, Moderators Posts: 67,918 Regulator
    Options
    waiting for Hogan pop up in WWE im a mark out
  • jono
    jono Members Posts: 30,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Most of the hate for Hogan is personal because of his personality (his ego, being power hungry, lying, manipulative) and some of it is based on his repetitive matches (punch-punch-big boot-leg drop). I haven't met anyone that tries to diminish his impact on the business as a whole.

    Hes the Arnold Schwartznegger of the wrestling business. When it comes to the technical aspect of his job he wasn't the best but he was a big enough box office success for people to overlook it.
    5th Letter wrote: »
    The reason Hogan/Flair didn't happen at WrestleMania VIII was because back then the WWE believed that faces should always win in the main event at WM. Hogan was on his way out to do movies, so they obviously couldn't put the belt on Hogan. And Flair was a heel. So that's why they did Hogan/Sid and Savage/Flair.

    I've heard several reasons why that match didnt happen but I've never heard that one. Heard Flair didnt draw well, heard Flair wouldn't job (? obviously), heard they didnt have chemistry in between the ropes all kinds of stuff. It should have happened though. They gave too much momentum away by letting that happen for the first time ever on PPV in WCW.