Hulk Hogan died at 71, leaving behind a complex and polarizing legacy. Here are his greatest moments in WWE, WCW and pro wrestling as a whole.
Hulk Hogan died at 71 on Thursday morning after cardiac arrest. The embattled, controversial and iconic Hall of Famer is arguably the greatest pro wrestler of all time depending on how you define a great pro wrestler. Even without the hardcore wrestling bona fides that befit his less famous contemporaries like Terry Funk, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Roddy Piper and Ric Flair, very few people on planet earth will hear the name Hulk Hogan and not know who he is.
Hogan’s almost 50-year career in the wrestling business gave way to countless memorable moments. Some polarizing, some timeless, but every one of them was all the above.1. The Rise Of Hulkamania
Hulk Hogan was fired from WWE after pursuing a now-iconic role on Rocky III as Thunderlips. The role launched him into superstardom and made him an instantly recognizable figure, not to mention a draw for Verne Gagne’s Minnesota-based wrestling promotion AWA.
Hogan left AWA to join Vincent Kennedy McMahon’s WWE, where he won his first world championship within months of signing. Hogan’s victory over the Iron Sheik is considered the birth of Hulkamania and the beginning of the WWE’s national takeover of the wrestling business.2. Hulk Hogan Chokes Out Richard Belzer
Ahead of what would be his most important main event, a tag team match alongside Mr. T at WrestleMania I, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T went on a back-breaking promotional tour to promote WWE’s make-or-break showcase. In addition to hosting Saturday Night Live the night before WrestleMania I, Hogan and Mr. T’s most infamous stop came during an appearance on Belzer’s show Hot Properties.
The smarmy talk show host clearly didn’t understand pro wrestling, nor did he take it seriously. This clearly miffed Mr. T, who antagonized Belzer throughout the interview. Hogan did his best to remain professional throughout. While demonstrating a basic wrestling hold on Belzer, however, Hogan accidentally choked out the cocky host who went limp and passed out onstage, hitting his head. A clearly disoriented Belzer quickly hopped to his feet and threw to commercial break.
The incident would cost WWE a $400,000 settlement after Belzer sued, but this is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things considering the free press this caused, which helped lead to a successful WrestleMania pay-per-view.3. Hulk Hogan Headlines First WrestleMania
Hulk Hogan and WWE’s finest hour (to this point) came at the first WrestleMania, WWE’s Super Bowl. Compared to what WrestleMania has become, the main event was nothing to write home about.
