14 Wrestlers With Winning Records Over Hulk Hogan

9. Lanny Poffo

The Mountie Hulk Hogan
WWE Network

It was somewhat difficult, paying tribute to work of Lanny Poffo when he passed away in February 2023.

Best remembered for his work as the 'Genius', Poffo was memorable in a role that shouldn't be glorified through a modern lens. Bluntly, the Genius character traded in gay panic, and you were meant to find it a stitch when, faced with the strength of a real man, he pulled excessively cowardly faces. It's probably better to remember Poffo for his key role in the inter-promotional Memphis programme of the '80s and for popularising the moonsault press in the US (he was good value, too, on the old shoot interview circuit).

There once was a wrestling poet, with a Johnson so big he could blow it, and that poet's most memorable match was against Hulk Hogan on a late 1989 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. Hogan doing pure comedy was a novelty, and the match was widely praised at the time. Again, through modern eyes, not so much.

In an incidental trivia note, that match was Kenny Omega's favourite growing up.

Hogan had the better of the Genius overall, but in televised singles matches, Poffo had Hulk's number.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!