More than any other instance mentioned, this single entry proves the point that just because someone hasn't "earned" it doesn't mean that awarding them a title shot isn't great for business. When Hulk Hogan returned to the then-WWF in December, 1983 after a successful stint in the AWA, Vince McMahon, Jr. already had him earmarked as the man to lead his revolution toward national expansion. Hulk possessed all the attributes the promoter was looking for in his posterboy, and it wasn't long before he was carrying the company with his 24-inch pythons. But Hulk Hogan didn't "earn" his title shot at all. His matches prior to his bout with The Iron Sheik consisted of squashing two jobbers - some guy named Bill Dixon and Gilbert Guerrero, NOT of the famous Guerrero wrestling family - and a tag match with Bob Backlund vs. Mr. Fuji and Tiger Chung Lee. Should Hulk Hogan have not been put in the match because he hadn't climbed his way up the ladder? History tells us that the idea is absurd, and while there's a big difference between a relatively youngish Hulk Hogan winning his first world title and a 56-year old Sting facing the hottest wrestler in the world, the principle remains the same. Basically the entire point is that Sting is awesome.
Brad Hamilton is a writer, musician and marketer/social media manager from Atlanta, Georgia. He's an undefeated freestyle rap battle champion, spends too little time being productive and defines himself as the literary version of Brock Lesnar.
