Hulk Hogan & Ric Flair

[Guest The Fuckin Show]

I remember when both of these wrestlers were the best in the world. No one can touch Flair or Hogan back then. Hogan ruled WWE while Flair ruled NWA later knowen as WCW. I enjoyed this time and both men worked so hard and still love wrestling today. Both superstars still get huge pops for what they did for the wrestling world, belive it or not but both did a huge part for wrestling.

 

What was a shame we never get to see a Hogan vs Flair match around Wrestlemania, that main event was so big it could had sold out any building in the country. Each time Flair wrestled he made the fans go happy and saying that match was worth paying for. Hogan did the same until he joined WCW cause then it was just about the money and he knew how much he was making.

 

I reaspect both men with all my heart and im sure many other wrestlers fans do.

[TheFranchise 0]

that main event was so big it could had sold out any building in the country

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It didn't sell out arena's though.. that's why the Main Event didn't happen. The house-show 'buys' were very poor.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

They have match dated 11/30/91 at the Gardens. Have yet to see it.

[KingPK 0]

Honestly, I liked how things worked out in the end. The Savage-Flair match with its "Elizabeth was mine before she was yours!" angle added to it most likely would be better than any Hogan-Flair match that would have happened.

[Guest JerichosHi-Lite]

Hogan > Flair

 

 

I don't care what Flair says, if you surveyed a million non-wrestling fans, the vast majority of them would've heard of Hulk Hogan. Most people I know have heard of Hulk Hogan. I think you'd be hard-pressed to get anywhere close to the same amount that have heard of Flair.

 

IMO, there's no comparison. The only wrestling icon who even comes close to Hogan is Stone Cold

[Jericholic82 0]

They have match dated 11/30/91 at the Gardens.  Have yet to see it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was there! It was a decent match IIRC, Hogan won by dq after Flair used brass knux.

 

What a main event for my first live wrestling show ever huh?

[Guest The Fuckin Show]

Hogan vs Flair was a huge match for a house show. At the time you were apart of history, If Hogan / Flair could not sell out MSG then they should have not main evented Wrestlemania! I cant see why fans would pay to see Sid vs Hogan rather then see Flair vs Hogan which could have been the biggest match of all time, in that era.

[Guest *KNK*]

Hogan > Flair

 

 

I don't care what Flair says, if you surveyed a million non-wrestling fans, the vast majority of them would've heard of Hulk Hogan. Most people I know have heard of Hulk Hogan. I think you'd be hard-pressed to get anywhere close to the same amount that have heard of Flair.

 

IMO, there's no comparison. The only wrestling icon who even comes close to Hogan is Stone Cold

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah and the Maivia kid right?

[zyn081 0]

Hogan > Flair

 

I don't care what Flair says, if you surveyed a million non-wrestling fans, the vast majority of them would've heard of Hulk Hogan. Most people I know have heard of Hulk Hogan. I think you'd be hard-pressed to get anywhere close to the same amount that have heard of Flair.

 

IMO, there's no comparison. The only wrestling icon who even comes close to Hogan is Stone Cold

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah and the Maivia kid right?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

A couple will know a think or 2 about the UT, IMHO.

[Guest JerichosHi-Lite]

Hogan > Flair

 

 

I don't care what Flair says, if you surveyed a million non-wrestling fans, the vast majority of them would've heard of Hulk Hogan. Most people I know have heard of Hulk Hogan. I think you'd be hard-pressed to get anywhere close to the same amount that have heard of Flair.

 

IMO, there's no comparison. The only wrestling icon who even comes close to Hogan is Stone Cold

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah and the Maivia kid right?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No, not "that Maivia kid". I've never thought the Rock was anywhere near Austin's league. I mentioned it in a long rant in another topic a while ago, but basically I don't think they're in the same calibre. The Rock was a huge star in his day, and at one point was bigger than Stone Cold, pre-WrestleMania X7. He's definitely one of the biggest stars in wrestling history but in terms of impact and longevity, I don't think the Rock's in the same breath as Stone Cold. The only one who has had anything close to the impact Hogan had is Stone Cold.

 

Taker and the Rock and Shawn (for example) are and were huge stars, but non-wrestling fans have heard of Hogan and Stone Cold. IMO there's nobody touching those two in terms of wrestling impact.

[zyn081 0]

Hogan > Flair

 

 

I don't care what Flair says, if you surveyed a million non-wrestling fans, the vast majority of them would've heard of Hulk Hogan. Most people I know have heard of Hulk Hogan. I think you'd be hard-pressed to get anywhere close to the same amount that have heard of Flair.

 

IMO, there's no comparison. The only wrestling icon who even comes close to Hogan is Stone Cold

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah and the Maivia kid right?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No, not "that Maivia kid". I've never thought the Rock was anywhere near Austin's league. I mentioned it in a long rant in another topic a while ago, but basically I don't think they're in the same calibre. The Rock was a huge star in his day, and at one point was bigger than Stone Cold, pre-WrestleMania X7. He's definitely one of the biggest stars in wrestling history but in terms of impact and longevity, I don't think the Rock's in the same breath as Stone Cold. The only one who has had anything close to the impact Hogan had is Stone Cold.

 

Taker and the Rock and Shawn (for example) are and were huge stars, but non-wrestling fans have heard of Hogan and Stone Cold. IMO there's nobody touching those two in terms of wrestling impact.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think people will have heard about The Rock because of Hollywood and UT because of his longetivity. I agree that the UT would be less well known. I agree that it would be Hogan and then Stone Cold, followed by The Rock. A little gap between Hogan and Stone Cold but a larger one between SCSA and The Rock.

[Papacita 0]

Taker and the Rock and Shawn (for example) are and were huge stars, but non-wrestling fans have heard of Hogan and Stone Cold. IMO there's nobody touching those two in terms of wrestling impact.

Non-fans haven't heard of Rock? The man has just as much if not more mainstream recognition than Austin had. If we were strictly talking wrestling fans, I'd definitely give Austin the nod, but in terms of the mainstream, those two are definitely on par.

[Guest The Fuckin Show]

Austin & Rock were just like Hogan & Flair were in the 80s / 90s

[Dangerous A 0]

Rock is more of a mainstream star and Austin is more a wrestling star. Not to say Rock isn't a wrestling star, but in the wrestling world, Austin's drawing power was second to none. Rock is more marketable and versatile from a Hollywood standpoint.

 

Hogan will always be more popular than Flair from a marks standpoint. However, amongst historian types, Flair will be remembered as greater for the fact that he could work better.

[snuffbox 0]

The Rock is constantly on talk shows and commercials for his movies. He has had several starring and co-starring roles, and even if the movie tanked it still got the Rock's names in the ears of mainstream America. He also hosted Saturday Night Live.

 

Austin was a bigger wrestling drawing card...but Rock has far more mainstream recognition.

[Cheex Incarnate 0]

My take on the "Flair>Hogan/Hogan>Flair" situation goes a little something like this;

 

It's a given that Hogan is going to be a more popular name among people who don't follow wrestling. When anyone mentions wrestling to a non-fan, they're gunna think Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, or the Rock. These are the types that get over huge with non-fans because of the undeniable appeal.

 

Then we take your Flairs, your Bret Harts, your Triple H, your Benoit. All people that are more respected (for lack of a better term) by the actual fans. They're the wrestler's wrestlers, whereas Hogan and Rocky and such are the faces that the E put forward because of the cross-over appeal.

 

-drunken cheex

[Shanghai Kid 0]

Rock right now is EASILY more recognizable than Austin has ever been. The reason is, all the wrestling fans know the Rock, and now everybody mainstream knows him because of the movies, talk shows, awards shows, and all the media stuff he does. Austin was on Nash Bridges a few years ago, and is in the Longest Yard, but he's not in demand in Hollywood and the wrestling fans stopped caring about him a couple years ago. Nobody is touching Hogan or Austin as a wrestling draw, but Rock is definetly as well known as Austin. Hosting SNL solidified him as the biggest mainstream wrestling star since Hogan.

 

I look at it like 3 eras-

 

Hogan/Flair era

Bret/HBK era

Rock/Austin era

 

...Now we're in the HHH era, sadly enough.

[iggymcfly 0]

Actually, if the rumors are true, and he really comes back full time, I think this era might be known as the HHH/Brock era. When Lesnar was wrestling, he was built up stronger than anyone in the company including HHH.

[Guest JerichosHi-Lite]

Rock right now is EASILY more recognizable than Austin has ever been.  The reason is, all the wrestling fans know the Rock, and now everybody mainstream knows him because of the movies, talk shows,  awards shows, and all the media stuff he does.  Austin was on Nash Bridges a few years ago, and is in the Longest Yard, but he's not in demand in Hollywood and the wrestling fans stopped caring about him a couple years ago. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wrestling fans stopped caring about Austin a couple of years ago? Seriously? Maybe I'm going crazy, but didn't he get like thunderous ovations at his No Way Out 2003 and WrestleMania 21 returns? Didn't he get massive pops at Survivor Series 2003? WrestleMania 20? Even during his worst ever era since Austin 3:16 began, he got some of the biggest responses of the night, week in, week out. Sure, they weren't exactly the same pops as he used to get, but neither are Hogan's and his legend's not exactly eroding, is it?

 

And while Rock is more well-known mainstream, that's not the issue here. I have a theory about it and while I've yet to be proven wrong, I'm sticking by it: if it had been Austin/Hogan at WrestleMania 18, as it always should've been, I honestly do not think Austin would've been booed the way the Rock was. Rock getting booed didn't surprise me in the least because Rock couldn't rival Hogan. Never could. Austin easily could've. I think Austin's the only man in the industry who can rival Hogan in the "could never be booed against anybody" reign.

 

Another point is that the Rock got booed and jeered for being an alleged "sell-out" when he gave notice, still jobbed for anybody and everybody and left on good terms. Yeah he got good pops as a heel, but he still got booed before he ever turned, even before Hogan came back. Austin, left on bad terms, walked out on the company, which is a cardinal sin that got Brock Lesnar booed out of MSG. When he returns, he gets a hero's welcome. You've got to be pretty well adored by wrestling fans to get the welcome Austin got, considering how much worse Austin's situation was.

 

It's nothing against the Rock- I've been a fan of his for years. But the way I see it, Austin > the Rock as far as legendhood goes.

 

 

/rant

[Guest Rex Cutter]

In my view Flair doesn't get enough credit fof being what he is. Maybe that is because he wrestled for the NWA, if you switched Hogan and Flair, would we be talking about Flairmania instead of Hulkamainia?

 

To me Flair was more entertaining because he could work, with Hogan you know you were always going to get the boot/legdrop ending. Which sucked in my opinion.

 

Hogan helped make wrestling mainstream with McMahon's help but does anyone believe Flair could not do the same?

[snuffbox 0]

I dont think Flair couldve ever been a huge mainstream star...

 

But it should mean something that he kept NWA/WCW successful throughout the 80's, despite the huge mainstream explosion of the WWF. Hulkamania was so huge at that time, and the supporting cast of DiBiase, Andre, Warrior, Savage, and Roberts was such a major draw, completely unparalleled at the time...and for Flair, to main event the NWA/WCW the entire time, with such monstous competition, and oftentimes inept booking by Fatty Rhodes, is really remarkable. Without Ric Flair it wouldve been Dusty, Rick Steiner, Big Bubba, Barbarian, Warlord, Nikita, and Ron Garvin headlining Starrcades and Bunkhouse Stampedes in high schools all through the South.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

To me Flair was more entertaining because he could work, with Hogan you know you were always going to get the boot/legdrop ending. Which sucked in my opinion.

 

Both were formula character wrestlers unless the other worker was calling it(Funk, Race....etc.). The biggest difference being that Hogan was a more limited worker than Flair and obviously couldn't play pinball.

 

Not to mention Flair isn't exactly innocent when it comes to repeat endings.

[Shanghai Kid 0]

Rock right now is EASILY more recognizable than Austin has ever been.  The reason is, all the wrestling fans know the Rock, and now everybody mainstream knows him because of the movies, talk shows,  awards shows, and all the media stuff he does.  Austin was on Nash Bridges a few years ago, and is in the Longest Yard, but he's not in demand in Hollywood and the wrestling fans stopped caring about him a couple years ago. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wrestling fans stopped caring about Austin a couple of years ago? Seriously? Maybe I'm going crazy, but didn't he get like thunderous ovations at his No Way Out 2003 and WrestleMania 21 returns? Didn't he get massive pops at Survivor Series 2003? WrestleMania 20? Even during his worst ever era since Austin 3:16 began, he got some of the biggest responses of the night, week in, week out. Sure, they weren't exactly the same pops as he used to get, but neither are Hogan's and his legend's not exactly eroding, is it?

 

And while Rock is more well-known mainstream, that's not the issue here. I have a theory about it and while I've yet to be proven wrong, I'm sticking by it: if it had been Austin/Hogan at WrestleMania 18, as it always should've been, I honestly do not think Austin would've been booed the way the Rock was. Rock getting booed didn't surprise me in the least because Rock couldn't rival Hogan. Never could. Austin easily could've. I think Austin's the only man in the industry who can rival Hogan in the "could never be booed against anybody" reign.

 

Another point is that the Rock got booed and jeered for being an alleged "sell-out" when he gave notice, still jobbed for anybody and everybody and left on good terms. Yeah he got good pops as a heel, but he still got booed before he ever turned, even before Hogan came back. Austin, left on bad terms, walked out on the company, which is a cardinal sin that got Brock Lesnar booed out of MSG. When he returns, he gets a hero's welcome. You've got to be pretty well adored by wrestling fans to get the welcome Austin got, considering how much worse Austin's situation was.

 

It's nothing against the Rock- I've been a fan of his for years. But the way I see it, Austin > the Rock as far as legendhood goes.

 

 

/rant

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Funny that most of your examples come from 2003, which was a couple years ago. Yes, I stand by the fact that the fans right now do not really care about Austin. Nobody watches Raw to see Austin, when he leaves for months the people don't really care. He's become a caricature of his former self, he's been beyond stale for a long time. The Rock left in his prime, never became a caricature of himself. Would the fans of cheered Austin over Hogan? HA, hellllllllll no. Hogan has a legend status that Austin cannot touch, and a big part of Hogan being cheered was because it was in Canada where they LOVE him. Does Austin raise the ratings when he makes an appereance? NO. Does the Rock raise the ratings when he makes an appereance? YES. Whats a bigger deal, Rock coming back or Austin coming back? Rock. The reason is because Rock guarantees entertainment whenever he appears, Austin does the same old thing and bores or irritates alot of fans who are watching it on TV. Isn't Rock's This Is Your Life the highest rated segment of all time? I agree with what your saying, from a wrestling fans and legend perspective, nobody can touch Hogan and Austin. Those two are the biggest draws and biggest superstars or their eras. Nobody is deying the legendhood thing. Personally, I can honestly say that Rock at his peak was more entertaining than Austin has ever been, and I think his catchphrases will be eternal just like Austins.

 

But, the Rock is as much if not more of a household name than Stone Cold has ever been it's true. Rock is making legit movies , he's making a legit transistion into a Hollywood superstar that Hogan nor Austin has ever done. Rock is present at every big awards show, has hosted SNL twice he STILL has many loyal wrestling fans who will see his movie and follow him, and his career is far, far from over. I just guarantee that as of now Rocks every once in a while appereances would get MUCH, MUCH, MUCH bigger pops and get MUCH, better ratings than Austins every once in a while apperance. It's because Austin is so stale that the fans don't miss him, but I guarantee they miss Rocks promos.

[Slickster 0]

Actually, if the rumors are true, and he really comes back full time, I think this era might be known as the HHH/Brock era. When Lesnar was wrestling, he was built up stronger than anyone in the company including HHH.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This is definitely the HHH era (2002-present), but there really hasn't been a constant #2 guy during that whole time. Brock was big, yes, but his time ended 18 months ago and at his peak he was never seen to be as dominant as HHH has been. Angle, Brock, Taker, HBK...they've all had runs at the top, but have always dropped down for significant amounts of time too.

 

Is that due to the booking? Yes, but the fact remains that HHH has been the only wrestler to have constant dominance over the last 4 years.

[snuffbox 0]

Actually, if the rumors are true, and he really comes back full time, I think this era might be known as the HHH/Brock era. When Lesnar was wrestling, he was built up stronger than anyone in the company including HHH.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This is definitely the HHH era (2002-present), but there really hasn't been a constant #2 guy during that whole time. Brock was big, yes, but his time ended 18 months ago and at his peak he was never seen to be as dominant as HHH has been. Angle, Brock, Taker, HBK...they've all had runs at the top, but have always dropped down for significant amounts of time too.

 

Is that due to the booking? Yes, but the fact remains that HHH has been the only wrestler to have constant dominance over the last 4 years.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

And business has been none the worse for it.