How popular was Hulk Hogan in the 1980's?

[Lebron23]

I only started watching wrestling when Bret Hart was the WWF Champion.

[Stephonit]

I only started watching wrestling when Bret Hart was the WWF Champion.

Hogan was the face of the franchise. He was the primary "good" guy. Don't know how much that translated to popularity really but he was at the top of the totem pole.

[rawimpact]

Hogan to WWF was the MJ to the NBA

Macho Man was up there too with the nostalgic slim jim commercials

Wrestling was cool in the 90s, but we all grow up at some point... or atleast should.

[BigKobeFan]

Hogan to WWF was the MJ to the NBA

Macho Man was up there too with the nostalgic slim jim commercials

Wrestling was cool in the 90s, but we all grow up at some point... or atleast should.

OP still hasn't grown up and still watches wrestling to today. Virgin.

[warriorfan]

5 star thread.

[JohnnySic]

Like Cena was.

[hateraid]

Hulk Hogan's popularity exceeded anyone's in their prime. Even to the point of being a cultural icon outside of the WWF. Just like MJ. He exceeded the popularity of even his own sport

[Street Hunger]

I think Hulk Hogan was the most popular wrestler in the world

[EagleFang]

Hulk Hogan was the greatest until he met the Ultimate Warrior.

Then he went WCW and became 'the bad guy'. Hulk Hogan is awesome

[Wally450]

He was popular because of Vince creating WM and pushing the popularity of WWF at the time. Honestly, anyone with an ounce of charisma would have succeeded in that spot.

[EagleFang]

He was popular because of Vince creating WM and pushing the popularity of WWF at the time. Honestly, anyone with an ounce of charisma would have succeeded in that spot.

I'm not sure. And what you said proves how good Vince was at building the WWF. People like Jim Cornette, Honky(and I think Pat Partterson) told Vince there is nothing special in Ultimate Warrior, but he stole the crowd from Hulk Hogan.

Hulk Hogan went over to WCW and stole that crowd also.

Not a lot of guys are 6'5 275lbs, and he was entertaining.

[Wally450]

I'm not sure. And what you said proves how good Vince was at building the WWF. People like Jim Cornette, Honky(and I think Pat Partterson) told Vince there is nothing special in Ultimate Warrior, but he stole the crowd from Hulk Hogan.

Hulk Hogan went over to WCW and stole that crowd also.

Not a lot of guys are 6'5 275lbs, and he was entertaining.

He was entertaining because of the character he was given. He wasn’t a great wrestler, but was charismatic and good at promoting the eat your vitamins bit. I recently listened to Jim Cornettes podcast and he spoke about Hulk Hogans legacy and he says that other guys could have filled in Hulks role in the 80s, which is kind of why I took the same approach.

Hulk was good, but he became so big it lead to his own demise. He had full creative control in WCW and lead to the downfall of the company and later on TNA.

[Street Hunger]

Not sure but I think the most famous wrestlers back in those days were Sergeant Slaughter, Andre the Giant, hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.

Not sure about which era is which though.

[LAL]

He was entertaining because of the character he was given. He wasn’t a great wrestler, but was charismatic and good at promoting the eat your vitamins bit. I recently listened to Jim Cornettes podcast and he spoke about Hulk Hogans legacy and he says that other guys could have filled in Hulks role in the 80s, which is kind of why I took the same approach.

Hulk was good, but he became so big it lead to his own demise. He had full creative control in WCW and lead to the downfall of the company and later on TNA.

Ultimate warrior couldn't carry the company after beating hogan in WM 6, Hogan was the main event and champion in WM 7, 8 and 9 basically. No one could've done what Hogan did for that business simple as that. Wasn't a great wrestler but that's a different subject. Jim Cornette is pure wrestling nerd stuff. entertaining and smart guy though.

[SATAN]

Great gimmick for the kids, almost genius in that it kind of tried to indoctrinate them lol... but what a clown when you look back now. Sounds like he was a douche bag in real life. Ultimate Warrior's intensity and promos were awesome.

[EagleFang]

Hacksaw Jim Duggan and lots of others played the real American gimmick but they didn't have the look, size or ability of Hogan. He wasn't a great wrestler or anything but he played the role amazingly. And he showed he can change his gimmick to be the bad guy and he was still loved. Like Triple H with DX.

I never considered DX or Nwo bad, they were my favorites. I hated The Rock, Stone Cold, Sting, Goldberg.


I enjoy Stone Cold podcasts and Rocks tv shows/movies. I just hated them as compared to DX and Nwo. Hogan was the face of the NWO and he did it so well that he didn't come off looking like the bad guy at all. He came off looking like the awesome guy.

[EagleFang]

RVD was my guy in ECW with Sabu. Justin Credible with Lance Storm. Shane Douglas.

[EagleFang]

Just to bump this thread, I checked out before some of the newer stars.

I know nothing about John Cena other than he seems like a w!her Stone Cold copycat. Randy Orton and Sheamus looked pretty cool. Batista seemed dumb.


The last time I ever saw clips of wrestling, I think Sheamus was the champ? Those new groups like the shield I think I saw their name was on a youtube video?


I haven't watched wrestling since around 2003 or 2004.


I will still watch wrestling shoots from past wrestlers, so I'm recommended newer stuff but I haven't watched wrestling since like 2004 at the latest. Maybe 2002.

[EagleFang]

Hearing a bunch of giant steroid freaks... and athletic steroid freaks.... all constantly drunk and on cocaine. Its entertaining.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XYABKd5UGo

[Code Breaker]

He's not even close to the GOAT, Stone Cold, The Rock, Undertaker and Rick Flair all have better claims at the GOAT.

[EagleFang]

He's not even close to the GOAT, Stone Cold, The Rock, Undertaker and Rick Flair all have better claims at the GOAT.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S84rAnYDo-U

[Derka]

Before Vince Jr took over the WWF from Vince Sr, wrestling was territorial and promotions rarely crossed into another promotion’s territory. WWF was the northeastern promotion for years (Vince Jr’s WWF was founded right here on Cape Cod, MA btw). Wrestlers would move between promotions now and then chasing money but very few of them had national repute.

Vince said screw that, took the WWF to television and went national with it. He needed a guy to sell the whole package to the country and Hogan was that guy. Hogan’s character and Wrestlemania are the reasons wrestling jumped into the mainstream. Now to even think of competing with WWE, any promotion has to go national right from the jump.

[EagleFang]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHqBPw5HYDU

[Derka]

RVD was my guy in ECW with Sabu. Justin Credible with Lance Storm. Shane Douglas.

The last wrestling show I attended was an ECW house show at a gym in Fall River, MA. I wasn't in college yet so it was like...1998 or 1999? My buddies that went with me had no idea what they were in for and nearly shat themselves when New Jack jumped from a 20' high balcony onto a guy splayed out on a table.

If you saw ECW in its prime, you should just retire. You've seen pro wrestling at its best. The three-hour male soap operas WWE hosts now just don't measure up.

[EagleFang]

The last wrestling show I attended was an ECW house show at a gym in Fall River, MA. I wasn't in college yet so it was like...1998 or 1999? My buddies that went with me had no idea what they were in for and nearly shat themselves when New Jack jumped from a 20' high balcony onto a guy splayed out on a table.

If you saw ECW in its prime, you should just retire. You've seen pro wrestling at its best. The three-hour male soap operas WWE hosts now just don't measure up.



New Jack is a legit psychopath. The mass transit murder and what seemed to be intentionally throwing Spike Dudley from like 30 feet up to miss the tables. Spike was supposed to go through the tables to break the fall obviously but New Jack decided he is just going to toss this man off the roof of a two story house. New Jack is scary lol

[EagleFang]

This also brings back the memory of barbed wire ropes . Mick Foley, Sabu, Sandman. Badass

[EagleFang]

I'm not sure why I thought it was Spike Dudley. I think he took a terrible fall in one of his table matches, so might be why I thought of him getting chucked off to his death.

This was the incident I was talking about though. New Jsck clearly didn't give a shit. At least when Undertaker and Triple H were throwing Mick Foley off the cage they were professional and made sure to put him where he was supposed to go. New Jack simply didn't care lol. I think he probably wanted that guy to miss the ring entirely

Skip to 14 minute mark if you don't want to watch full match

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mqg0F3APuo

[EagleFang]

Oh, this is why I thought of Spike Dudley being involved.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RbIIIhokJs