How Good Was 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan Actually?

7. Time's Test

During Roman Reigns' mammoth 1,316 day run as WWE's kingpin, he was ably assisted by a squadron of family members and a great non-wrestling mouthpiece who helped sell him as the end-all, be-all of professional wrestling. He would almost entirely win with dirty finishes, while claiming that the company he worked for was his playground, and fans consider it to be one of the best WWE Title runs of all time.

Can you see where we're going with this?

Straight to the point, Reigns' run had a hell of a lot of Hollywood Hogan in it. Though Hulk's red and yellow, white meat babyface schtick (where he always won through righteousness and hard working American values) would be laughed out of town for being lame as hell in today's era, Hollywood would thrive in this landscape. 

As has to be readdressed, Hogan is a real-life villain; he was a backstage politician who manipulated the people in power and politicked his big money contract to ensure he was always on top. Fans would arguably hate Hollywood more today than they would have in his pomp. Put 1997 Hulk Hogan in front of Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Kevin Owens, Oba Femi, Kenny Omega, Roman Reigns, LA Knight or any name you want to mention, and they would print money because the world would want to see Hogan's demise. 

In fact, name any top babyface of any era, and Hulk's the perfect adversary. Hollywood Hogan was an all-time villain who could main event WrestleMania against everyone from prime John Cena to NWA-era Dusty Rhodes. His mic skills as a heel would still translate into boos that could be heard in the next town. He was never Will Ospreay athletic, but he was undoubtedly capable of working main event-calibre matches against contemporary opponents.

The trademark crooked finishes would cause the IWC to melt like a chocolate bar on the beach. Pair him with Paul Heyman or Don Callis instead of Eric Bischoff and it would translate to 2026 perfectly. Fill the nWo with Drew McIntyre, Gunther and Trick Williams, and Hogan would still work as the 'Bastard In Chief' of the most malevolent stable in town.

You don't have to like the man himself to give him his flowers. After all, doesn't it lend itself to booing him with your whole chest that you know he's actually, undeniably a real piece of work?

9/10