10 Misconceptions About Hulk Hogan You Probably Believe

Every serious fan of any sort of wrestling besides thumb can take a look at any Hulk Hogan match and conclude that he was a terrible technical wrestler. Lou Thesz said he couldn’t tell a wristlock from a wrist watch, which seemed a fair assessment given that Hulk rarely used either one in his matches, instead relying on a limited arsenal of punches, kicks, and body slams.

It’s true that in North America, Hogan exhibited little to no wrestling technique, as WWF fans were quite content to watch the Hulkster clobber his way through matches before finally deciding to stop selling his opponent’s offense. A series of punches, a big boot, and a leg drop then led to a Hulk victory. It was a winning formula.

But in Japan, being a gaijin with something to prove, Hogan needed to display more finesse and scientific wrestling to win over the discerning crowds - which he did, with tremendous success. As if some hacker had swapped out his moveset for Bob Backlund’s, while wrestling abroad, Hogan used toe holds, go-arounds, cross arm breakers, hammerlocks, and wristlocks (and not one wrist watch). He wouldn't win any amateur competitions, but Hogan put on respectable performances in the Land of the Rising Sun.

In 1993, Hogan told the Japanese press that he preferred working in that country, where he could “wrestle, and not bulls**t”. But of course, the reason this last myth endures is that Hulk went right back to his old habits as soon as he returned to the States.