Hulk Hogan, WWE legend, dead at 71

[Halldan]

Hulk Hogan, WWE legend, dead at 71

Hulk Hogan, one of the most popular professional wrestlers of all time who helped make WWE a juggernaut, has died. Medical personnel were dispatched to his Clearwater just before 10 a.m. Thursday, …

nypost.com

 

[NYShoreGuy]

What a tragic week with Malcolm Jamal Warner ozzy and now this

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Ric Flair Breaks Down In Tears Remembering Hulk Hogan

Ric Flair spoke with TMZ about Hulk Hogan in the minutes after the wrestling legend's death ... and he got super emotional remembering his good friend.

www.tmz.com

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[HALL85]

And now Chuck Mangione…

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[Piratz]

RIP, brother.

Another legend and piece of Americana.

 

[Piratz]

What a tragic week with Malcolm Jamal Warner ozzy and now this

Crazy. MJW was part of cast that broke ground.

Ozzy was a legend and trailblazer.

 

[TheHall87]

As Ariel Helwani notes, a complicated legacy.

Professional wrestling would not be what it is today if not for Hulk Hogan and his tag-team partner Vince McMahon. No disrespect to the greats who came before Hogan -- Lou Thesz, Verne Gagne, Bruno Sammartino and others.

It was McMahon's vision to turn the WWE from a regional business (as all wrestling promotions were at the time) to a national business and Hogan was the front man to talk people into the building. Hogan was no great wrestler (although he could work in his younger days) but he didn't have to be, he could put on a show.

Hogan was pro wrestling's first true breakout mainstream star. Ironically, his role in Rocky III as Thunderlips came prior to his transformative WWF run. Before the business spawned stars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and John Cena, there was Hogan starring in films, television shows and his own reality series.

For most of two decades, across three promotions WWF/E, WCW and TNA, the Hulkster was a top guy. When Hulkamania had largely run its course, he crafted the Hollywood Hulk Hogan persona and returned to his heel roots as the head of the NWO. His final act began with a return to WWE where the fans would essentially turn him back into a good guy though McMahon's intention had been to run with the Hollywood character.

As is often the case, there was a dark side though. We came to find out the vitamins Hogan preached about in his promos were steroids. His larger than life status and close friendship with McMahon meant he had enormous power back stage -- power his wielded as a weapon rather than for the betterment of the company. Then, there was the sex tape and the racist rants caught on tape that led to WWE erasing him from its history for a time.

Sadly, Hogan's last appearance in a WWE ring, earlier this year, was met with a chorus of boos.

Not all will remember Hulk Hogan fondly but few can deny the impact that he had on the business.

RIP.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

The Mortal Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan, the biggest star the pro wrestling industry has ever known, died Thursday at 71 years old. The Reagan-era superhero lived long enough to become a villain, become a hero again, and become a villain again.

www.theringer.com

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

An American icon: Hulk Hogan was the heartbeat of a generation

Terry Bollea, known as Hulk Hogan, passed away at 71 due to cardiac arrest, leaving a legacy as a wrestling icon. Hulk Hogan, a cultural phenomenon in the 1980s, was remembered for his larger-than-life persona and impact on the industry.

www.postandcourier.com

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[BoscoBellFan]

HallDan-
Hogan is one of the only Wrestlers to have had icon careers as both a heel and a face.
Which one did he perform better “Hulk” Hogan or “Hollywood” Hogan?
I think that he was equally amazing as both characters.

 

[Halldan]

Hogan had such a long and distinguished wrestling career that you had to mix it up. Otherwise the character gets stale.

Young fans love the 'good guys' so that played well for Hogan once he came to the WWWF. Then with the advent of the NWO Hogan played the heel. That was something he was suited for and the 'Black' Hogan took on that persona with ease.

I agree with you, he was a boon for wrestling as a hero and a villain.

 

[BoscoBellFan]

Hogan had such a long and distinguished wrestling career that you had to mix it up. Otherwise the character gets stale.

Young fans love the 'good guys' so that played well for Hogan once he came to the WWWF. Then with the advent of the NWO Hogan played the heel. That was something he was suited for and the 'Black' Hogan took on that persona with ease.

I agree with you, he was a boon for wrestling as a hero and a villain.

And then he went back to WWE to face the Rock as a heel at mania except the crowd wanted the “yellow” Hogan and they ended up getting it in of the most classic and memorable mania matches of all time.
Dan you have great knowledge of not only SHU hoops but also of pro wrestling.

 

[HALL85]

Bruno Samartino also played the good guy and villain.

 

[BoscoBellFan]

Bruno Samartino also played the good guy and villain.

I don’t remember Bruno as a heel?

I know Backland was a heel at the end of his run.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Hogan had such a long and distinguished wrestling career that you had to mix it up. Otherwise the character gets stale.

Young fans love the 'good guys' so that played well for Hogan once he came to the WWWF. Then with the advent of the NWO Hogan played the heel. That was something he was suited for and the 'Black' Hogan took on that persona with ease.

I agree with you, he was a boon for wrestling as a hero and a villain.

Red and yellow hogan fell flat in WCW pretty fast imho

 

[SHUSource]

As Ariel Helwani notes, a complicated legacy.

Professional wrestling would not be what it is today if not for Hulk Hogan and his tag-team partner Vince McMahon. No disrespect to the greats who came before Hogan -- Lou Thesz, Verne Gagne, Bruno Sammartino and others.

It was McMahon's vision to turn the WWE from a regional business (as all wrestling promotions were at the time) to a national business and Hogan was the front man to talk people into the building. Hogan was no great wrestler (although he could work in his younger days) but he didn't have to be, he could put on a show.

Hogan was pro wrestling's first true breakout mainstream star. Ironically, his role in Rocky III as Thunderlips came prior to his transformative WWF run. Before the business spawned stars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and John Cena, there was Hogan starring in films, television shows and his own reality series.

For most of two decades, across three promotions WWF/E, WCW and TNA, the Hulkster was a top guy. When Hulkamania had largely run its course, he crafted the Hollywood Hulk Hogan persona and returned to his heel roots as the head of the NWO. His final act began with a return to WWE where the fans would essentially turn him back into a good guy though McMahon's intention had been to run with the Hollywood character.

As is often the case, there was a dark side though. We came to find out the vitamins Hogan preached about in his promos were steroids. His larger than life status and close friendship with McMahon meant he had enormous power back stage -- power his wielded as a weapon rather than for the betterment of the company. Then, there was the sex tape and the racist rants caught on tape that led to WWE erasing him from its history for a time.

Sadly, Hogan's last appearance in a WWE ring, earlier this year, was met with a chorus of boos.

Not all will remember Hulk Hogan fondly but few can deny the impact that he had on the business.

RIP.

This was very well said. I was not a fan at any time in my life, but this reflects my understanding of him pretty well, whether for good or for bad.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Hogan had such a long and distinguished wrestling career that you had to mix it up. Otherwise the character gets stale.

Young fans love the 'good guys' so that played well for Hogan once he came to the WWWF. Then with the advent of the NWO Hogan played the heel. That was something he was suited for and the 'Black' Hogan took on that persona with ease.

I agree with you, he was a boon for wrestling as a hero and a villain.

Red and yellow hogan fell flat in wcw

 

[NYShoreGuy]

First ppv wcw 94 bash at beach

 

[HALL85]

I don’t remember Bruno as a heel?

I know Backland was a heel at the end of his run.

You are correct. It was Backland.

 

[BoscoBellFan]

Red and yellow hogan fell flat in wcw

It started ok with his feud with Flair.
It did run out of steam. Hall and Nash sign with Bischoff and the rest is history.

 

[TheHall87]

I don’t remember Bruno as a heel?

I know Backland was a heel at the end of his run.

You are correct. It was Backland.

Vince McMahon wanted a Bob Backlund heel turn around the time Hogan originally won the WWF title.

If you recall, Backlund lost the title to the Iron Sheik at MSG in December 1983 when Backlund's manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel when Backlund refused to submit to Sheik's Camel Clutch finishing move. This has been set up on TV when Sheik attacked Backlund and injured him prior to the MSG match.

In real life, Hogan was being set up to be the face of the company with McMahon beginning his push to go national. In storyline, Hogan was brought in to have Backlund's back (no pun intended) while he was out injured. The plan was to have Backlund return to feud with Hogan believing he had been betrayed. It never happened because Backlund didn't want to turn heel believing it would set a bad example and hurt his image (he was apparently as nice IRL as he was portrayed) and he would soon leave the company never have received a title rematch.

It wasn't until nearly a decade later that Backlund would return to the WWF full time and during that run turned heel. He would eventually win the WWF title for a second time ironically when Bret Hart's mother threw in the towel when Backlund had Hart locked in his Crossface Chicken Wing submission. Unlike Backlund's more than 2,000 day first title reign, this one was brief -- just three days.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Flair joined in first hour

 

[JD Walker]

I’m not even a big wrestling fan but it always amazes me just how knowledgeable many of the regulars on this board are of decades of pro wrestling. I learn so much every time.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Hulk Hogan Was the Myth

We Weren’t Cheering Terry Bollea

allancheapshot.substack.com

 

[MBryantFan88]

Hogan was an incredible entertainer and a horrible human being...

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Hulk Hogan’s daughter Brooke offers to pay for autopsy after widow reveals cremation delay

Brooke Hogan, the daughter of the late Hulk Hogan, wants answers concerning the WWE icon’s death.

nypost.com