8 Most Powerful Backstage Politicians In Wrestling History

2. Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan was a scizzarecrow: outstanding in the field of carny pro wrestling politics.

Unlike Triple H, who as the tippy-top star in the early 2000s presided over an enterprise in commercial decline, the “boys” loved working the same shows as Hogan. Their cheques were never bigger, and, during an era in which the World title barely changed hands, they were grateful for his presence. Even Bret Hart was a Hulkster of sorts throughout the 1980s.

Hogan developed his toxic reputation a decade later, starting the 1990s as he meant to go on. At WrestleMania 6, he was asked to pass the torch to the Ultimate Warrior. The match was actually very good by the standards of the time, but Hogan knew what he was doing at the finish. He kicked out at 3.1 and threw his hands up towards the sky, hysterically, as if to question God himself for the result. Hogan technically did the job, but framed it as a cruel trick of fate as opposed to a decisive loss he had to accept. A year later, with his star power on the wane and threatened by emerging, heavily-pushed rivals, he tried to destroy the confidence of the Undertaker. Hogan claimed Taker had hurt his neck during the Tombstone onto a steel chair with which ‘Taker took the belt from him.

Hulkamania ran wild in the WWF. In WCW, emboldened by the creative control clause inserted into his contract, Terry Bollea’s ego ran wild.

Hogan displaced Ric Flair as the company’s top star in record, immediate time; thought nothing of casting Flair as one of eight men he defeated in a single match to cling desperately onto his babyface run; allegedly implied to referee Nick Patrick that he shouldn’t count fast when Hogan was to pin Sting in the reversed finish of Starrcade 1997…

Hogan was a ruthless narcissist who, you could argue, politicked a company out of business to satisfy his ego.