
Hulk Hogan: From Wrestling Icon to Real-Life Heel
Back in the mid-90s and early 2000s, there was no bigger name in wrestling than Hulk Hogan. The Hulkster, sporting his iconic red and yellow gear and flaunting his legendary 24-inch pythons, never failed to get fans out of their seats. While his matches often followed a predictable script, they were met with eager anticipation. The Hulk-Up, the signature point, a flurry of punches, the body slam, and finally… The leg drop to seal the deal—1, 2, 3.
Hogan would leave WWE in 1993 to pursue a career in Hollywood. Fans assumed his wrestling days were behind him. But surprisingly, he signed with WCW, the WWE’s biggest rival at the time. Winning the WCW title was not the highlight of his career with the promotion though. At Bash at the Beach on July 7, 1996, Hogan revealed himself as the mystery partner of Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. There he proclaimed the birth of a new world order in professional wrestling. The New World Order (NWO) was born and is arguably the most historic faction in wrestling history.
The NWO was so big, Hogan stepped away from the group to run for President of the United States. But his bid for president, another fake retirement, stepping away from the NWO again, were all ruses. They had fans believe he was turning babyface to challenge Kevin Nash for WCW title. Hogan duped fans again by staying a heel and merging NWO Wolfpac and NWO Hollywood into one super faction.
Hogan would eventually return to the where it all started. After the downfall of WCW, and his much-maligned time with TNA, he made his way back to WWE. The fans once again loved the red and yellow of the Hulkster.
20 years later, his original fans are now adults, and the majority are not as accepting as they may have once been. Raw’s debut on Netflix was a resounding success by all measures. The Rock and John Cena tore the house down with their in-ring promos. But Hulk Hogan, who played a pivotal role in turning WWE into the mega company it is today, faced a cold reception.
In the old days, Hogan’s music would hit and the roof would come off the building. These days, not so much. The feeling is more jeers and boos. In this day of documentaries and social media, Hulk Hogan is viewed as a heel in real life.
While fans were cheering him, behind the scenes his fellow wrestlers didn’t like him. He was known to hold stars back, or in wrestling terms, refuse to put a talent over. Many legends, including Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Scott Steiner, and Jesse Ventura, have openly expressed their disdain with him.
Hogan is no stranger to controversy. He became embroiled in a racism scandal during his Gawker libel case. Recordings revealed him repeatedly using the ‘N-word’ while discussing his daughter Brooke Hogan’s relationship with her Black boyfriend. The comments were so offensive that WWE was compelled to terminate his contract, despite his public apology.
Recently, many fans have turned on him due to his political views. Hogan is an outward supporter of Donald Trump. Hulk riled up a rowdy crowd, asking “Do you want me to body slam Kamala Harris? Do you want me to drop the leg on Kamala?” Furthermore, he would then question the former Vice President’s racial identity. Once again showing a side of him that is unacceptable by many today.
Fans barely cheer their childhood hero decked in his always present red and yellow. The character will get a pop here and there, but never the man himself. Young fans no longer resonate with the Hulk Hogan character. If WWE were smart, they would never put him in front of a live audience again.
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