2. Hulk Hogan To Hollywood Hogan
Hulk Hogan was the archetypal all-American good guy of the 1980s. He was the clean cut hero who fought off evil challengers to his WWF World title, while telling kids to train, say their prayers and take their vitamins. By the 1990s, the routine was wearing a little thin, especially after the steroid scandal that resulted in Vince McMahon standing trial. Hulkamania had a revival in WCW when Hogan jumped to Atlanta in 1994, but the 80s nostalgia had a limited shelf life and by the mid 1990s, fans didnt want to cheer an all-American good guy any more. They liked their heroes to have more of an edge to them. Hulk Hogan was yesterdays news. And then it happened. Hulk Hogan turned heel. The red and yellow was ditched in favour of an all-black outfit. Hulk Hogan was dead and buried, and Hollywood Hogan was born. The trademark moustache was now accompanied by a dyed jet-black beard and the cheers that Hogan always received were replaced by boos. One month after turning heel and forming the NWO, Hogan won the WCW World Heavyweight title for the second time, pinning The Giant at Hog Wild. Hogan held the belt for over a year, but his new heel persona meant that he could keep the belt by dastardly means or via technicalities. Hogans entire routine had been given a complete makeover, and, similar to Sting, his career was given a new lease of life. Hogan, in his Hollywood guise, returned to the WWE in 2002, headlining WrestleMania X-8 in an all-time classic match against The Rock. But the fans once again dictated the future direction of Hogans character. Hogan was now nostalgia, and he returned to the familiar red and yellow colours that hed made his own in the 80s. But if it wasnt for his all-black Hollywood phase, Hogan could very well have faded into obscurity, rejected by the fans.