Background: Long before Terry Bolea ever wore a do-rag to court, Hulkamania ran wild all over the world, laying the foundation for the WWE of today. After a long, arduous battle in front of thousands of fans in Madison Square Garden, Hogan hits The Iron Sheik with the big leg drop, the ref makes the 3-count and just like that he takes the World Heavyweight Title. Hulkamania was money in the bank for Vince McMahon but it spelled the death of territorial wrestling for many others. The regional promoters who hadn't sold out to McMahon before 1984 now found themselves unable to compete with the mass marketing of Hogan in TV and movies. But, and this is almost never a statement you'll read, if it weren't for The Iron Sheik being a really good person, Hulkamania would have never kicked off. What Could Have Been: A very old school solution to the Hulk/WWF problem was dreamed up by Verne Gagne before the title change. He offered the Heavyweight champ $100,000 to not drop the belt to Hogan, and as part of the deal, which was set to be backed by Crockett too, Sheik would break Hogan's leg in the ring. Ultimately, Sheik's allegiance to the McMahons won out and he squealed on Crockett and Gagne's plan. Aftermath: McMahon would have had the Sheik black-balled in the industry if not brought up on assault charges for breaking Hogan's leg. Hogan was on the gas hardcore, so even a broken leg - though painful - would not have been a long term deterrent. In terms of a replacement, McMahon could have jumped the gun on pushing someone like Andre the Giant or Macho Man Randy Savage to step into Hogan's spotlight.
