The Immortal Hulk Hogan is arguably the most famous professional wrestler of all time. Sure, The Rock ultimately transcended the wrestling business, but if you were alive in the 1980s, you couldnt find anyone who hadnt heard of The Hulkster. HulkaMania was running wild. It is often debated that there would be no HulkaMania without Vince McMahon, but I beg to differ. After being initially fired from the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) by Vince McMahon Sr. for taking the role of Thunderlips in Rocky 3, Hogan took his talents to Verne Gagnes American Wrestling Association (AWA). In the AWA, the 67, 300 lb. beast quickly became the hottest thing on two legs. While feuding with AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel, Hogan had custom t-shirts made and whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his convulsions between the ropes. Prior to his Hulking Up routine, very few wrestlers used such tactics to get over with the crowd. Once he realized it worked, there was no looking back. Soon, Hogan would return to the WWF now under the rule of Vince McMahon Jr. The rest is history. While Vince gave Hogan the platform, it was Hogan who had to deliver the goods. His act took the business to heights it had never seen, while simultaneously eradicating the territory system and unseating the NWA as the top dog. Had Hogan not come up with the persona that made him famous, Vince McMahon would have tried to achieve success with Jimmy Snuka and Greg The Hammer Valentine as his top guys. It just wouldnt have been the same.
Eric Delgado has been writing about professional wrestling for five years and has been involved in the professional wrestling business as a performer for ten. He is also the former host of Steel Cage Radio and has an irrational love for The Ryback.
