100 Greatest WWE WrestleMania Moments
80. Hulk Beats Mr. McMahon (WrestleMania XIX)
It'll come as no shocker to most that Hulk Hogan's fab 2002 'Mania return ranks higher than his 2003 match. However, Hogan going toe to toe with the man who helped create his marketing might was some selling point for XIX. One of several. WWE pitched Hulk vs. Mr. McMahon as a fight almost 20 years in the making. It happened just shy of two full decades after McMahon had booked Hogan to win his WWF Title for the first time.
People knew what they'd be getting from a Vince match by the time '03 dawned, but he was taking a risk by working a featured bout with someone who couldn't move around a whole lot. Hulk's knees were already shot to pieces, so both men knew they'd have to lace their match with some bells and whistles. One of those "bells and whistles" was an invading Roddy Piper. He wasn't so much 'Team McMahon' as he was anti-Hogan, but even the 'Rowdy' one couldn't stop Hulkamania from putting Vince in his place.
This was also a rare occasion when the dreaded retirement gimmick actually made sense. It wasn't far-fetched to think Hogan was on his last legs (remember the bad knees!) by this stage in the game, and it did seem like a full circle moment to bow out against McMahon win or lose anyway.
Three big leg drops hammered home a victory for Hulk that had the live crowd leaping off their seats to cheer him on. It was a top example of two men who understood their limitations but played to their strengths.