10 Wrestlers We Had To Love Before We Could Hate

1. Hulk Hogan

Who could hate Hulk Hogan in the '80s? He had muscles on top of muscles, had a great rap that encouraged kids to stay in school, say their prayers and take their vitamins, and he always came out on top. Hulkamania, and its focal point, was the kind of heroic movement that made people feel good about their lives.

Opinions started to soften in the '90s, however. By then, Hulk's usual performance was starting to play before boos, and it was obvious to anyone watching that he didn't know how to stop them. That's when Eric Bischoff suggested a heel turn that'd alter Hogan's life and career forever.

That's when the nWo and 'Hollywood' Hogan were born.

Many wrestling fans were so sick of Hogan's whiter-than-white approach by 1996 that anything seemed interesting by comparison. Even so, trash rained down on the ring when he joined forces with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall that year, told his peeps to stick their support, traded red and yellow for monochrome and kickstarted his own Order.

The very same folks who had catcalled Hulk's old act were very much into the idea of hating on him as a born-again heel.

-

Which other wrestlers did fans have to learn to love before they could truly hate? Let us know down in the comments section below!