Do you know why the only part of Hulk Hogans 2002-2003 WWE run they talk about is his match with The Rock? I mean, they don't talk about any of it anymore thanks to the, uh, unpleasantness, but it wasn't a great run to begin with. After the loss to Rocky, Hogan feuded with Vince McMahon in a red-hot CONTRACT DISPUTE program, with the boss eventually electing to simply have his foe sit out his remaining contract dates at home. He was foiled, however, when Stephanie McMahon hired the hot new prospect, Mr. America, sight unseen. The Mr. America angle had all the classic hallmarks of the trope: completely inadequate disguise, continued use of signature moves, and repeated outright denials of identity. What sets this iteration apart is that it totally didn't work. Mr. Americamania ran wild for about a month before Vince McMahon caught Hogan unmasking on camera and terminated his contract, and that was it. He didn't come back as Mr. America II or whatever, leaving the company for real. He wouldn't be back for back for two years. Vinny Mac don't play that way.
