Why I love Hulk Hogan matches...

[Guest Downhome]

Ok, first off, we all have to be honest and fess up to the obvious truths...

 

...Hulk Hogan sucks as an in ring worker, he has limited move-set, and as a heel he spends a good majority of his matches "running away". But Still...

 

...I love Hulk Hogan matches!

 

No, I do not love them for their in-ring work, they massive display of moves, and grada "A" chain wrestling. No, I do not love his matches for this reason. I love his matches for three reasons...

 

...the excitement, the emotion, and the meaning of them. Ok, fair enough, this doesn't apply to his every match, but it does apply to many of them. Let me explain...

 

1) Hulk Hogan Vs. Randy Savage

 

2) Hulk Hogan Vs. Andre the Giant

 

3) Hulk Hogan Vs. Ric Flair

 

4) Hulk Hogan Vs. The Ultimate Warrior

 

5) Hulk Hogan Vs. Sting

 

6) Hulk Hogan Vs. Goldberg

 

7) Hulk Hogan Vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper

 

8) Hulk Hogan Vs. Earthquake

 

9) Hulk Hogan Vs. Sgt. Slaughter

 

10) Hulk Hogan Vs. King Kong Bundy

 

11) Among others, you get the idea...

 

...yes, I love these matches, and obviously it isn't because of the ***** ring work. No, it's because of what the matches meant! These matches, in my eyes, all had true meaning to them, true excitement, and true EMOTION. Hulk Hogan matches aren't meant to be loved for their actuall in-ring work, oh no...

 

...they are meant to be loved for their emotion, excitement, and meaning.

 

Now with this said, I can't wait for him to arrive in the WWF once again this Sunday at No Way Out! There is more than one match that could have that very emotion, excitement, and meaning...

 

1) Hulk Hogan Vs. Steve Austin

 

2) Hulk Hogan Vs. The Rock

 

3) Hulk Hogan Vs. The Undertaker

 

4) Hulk Hogan Vs. HHH

 

5) More also, depending on how they build them up

 

...all of the above matches COULD possibly have true meaning, if built up the correct way, and all could be HUGE money makers. Buf of course, it's all in what the WWF decides to do with them.

 

Now, with the above said, here are two things I would LOVE to see the WWF do with Hulk Hogan. This is simply two "moments" that I would LOVE to see be played out...

 

1) This Sunday at No Way Out, or perhaps down the road against Austin. Now I REALLY think that Hogan should use the Piledriver as it would REALLY make it look like the nWo cares nothing for the WWF rules, as it is "banned". Imagine if you will...

 

Hogan should attack Austin at NWO, this Sunday in the main event or some other time. Hall and Nash beat Austin down, while Hogan slaps him. Hogan does the leg drop to taunt him, he cups his ears as the fans boo beyond controll. He picks him up, and PILEDRIVES him. They bill it as he has hurt Austin, and in comes the strecher. As Austin is being carried away. and as the PPV is going off, Hogan is in the ring, cupping his ears, the fans BOO him, as he cups his ears he goes...  

 

""What!? What are ya'll saying? You boo HULK HOGAN!? You worthless fans!!! What!? I said you are worthless!"

 

...then his attention goes to Austin...

 

""Austin, you disabled redneck!!!!! WHAT!!!!!!???? I said you disable redneck, the nWo is here in the WWF, and we have come to take YOU, and all the so called "superstars" out, to destroy you and the WWF! WHAT!???"  

 

"And you damn fans, we told you all along and you never believed us...WHAT!? "When you are nWo, you TRULY ARE, nWo...4-LIFE....."" WHAT!???? I said 4-life...BROTHER!"

 

...then fade to black.

 

2) Imagine if you will...

 

Hogan Vs. Rocky! The emotion is there! Hogan does the big boot and Rocky hits the mat! What is that Hogan is doing???? Oh my God....he's standing there in the people's elbow stance doing the motions....against one side of the ropes, he jumps over Rocky, against the OTHER ropes......here it comes, the Peoples Elbow!!!!! Oh, wait, nooooooooooo, it's the Leg Drop!!!!

 

...ok, I think you get my point. My POINT is that Hogan still has a lot to offer, he still will be able to draw, and more importantly...

 

...he STILL will be able to produce more than one of those emotional, exciting, and MEANINGFULL matches...

 

...but as always, it all depends on how the WWF BOOKS everything, and THAT is the key to this Hogan/Hall/Nash/nWo thing being a success!

[Guest nwawildsidemark]

do you honestly think if vince let hogan use the piledriver-that AUSTIN would be the 1 to take it of all people??He's the reason it was banned in the 1st place

[Guest snowfan]

I think you missed your calling booking for WCW.....

 

I mean *who wouldn't want to see* a non-athletic 50 year old squash and destroy the credibility of every 30 something WWF star?

 

snowfan

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

I think you missed your calling booking for WCW.....

 

I mean *who wouldn't want to see* a non-athletic 50 year old squash and destroy the credibility of every 30 something WWF star?

 

snowfan

If they booked it correctly and the announcers sold the fact that it took the 3 old guys to squash him, I don't think that would ruin the credibility. As long as down the line, the payoff was that one on one, Austin kicked Hogan's arse.

 

Two things we don't need to see are (1) the younger guys (SCSA, Rock, HHH, Angle) getting squashed one on one, and (2) there being no proper payoff down the line.

[Guest TheHulkster]

I hear ya man. Drama is what makes wrestling matches great. I've seen some great technical wrestling matches totally devoid of drama and it made all the hard work that the two people put in look pointless, because the crowd didnt care in the least bit, because they were given nothing to care about. Thats one key element of a Hogan match, Drama. Which is why he was so insanely over, he knows how to make the crowd give a shit.

[Guest Some Guy]

Hogan matches just don't have the same drame that they used to.  However the staredown and fist fight between Hogan and Austin at the start of their inevitable match will have the crowd popping like crazy.  But then the reality of Hogan's age will set in and the match will go down hill from there.

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Yeah the match seems like it'll be exciting during the staredown but then it turns out to suck.

I can't get into a wrestling match if it sucks. No matter how high the freakin drama or excitement is I still can't get into it if it's a crappy match.

And as for some of those matches:

 

1) Hulk Hogan Vs. Randy Savage

Savage is an infinite better worker than Hogan and at the time most of everyone in the WWF. There WM5 match was because Hogan was willing to work hard and Savage was a god.

 

2) Hulk Hogan Vs. Andre the Giant

Umm....yeah it was exciting during the staredown and when Hogan made the cover....about it.

 

3) Hulk Hogan Vs. Ric Flair

Flair+Broomstick= 3-stars Flair+Hogan= 2-stars hmmm........

 

4) Hulk Hogan Vs. The Ultimate Warrior

Same as Andre match.

 

5) Hulk Hogan Vs. Sting

Sting is a pretty good worker. When he is on in the match it's good. But when Hogan's crappy offense takes over.....

 

6) Hulk Hogan Vs. Goldberg

This was what? 5 minutes? And it sucked.

 

7) Hulk Hogan Vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper

Umm.....yeah......that sucked to.

 

8) Hulk Hogan Vs. Earthquake

Why are you listing this as a good match? It didn't even have excitement!

 

9) Hulk Hogan Vs. Sgt. Slaughter

Wow you've really dropped off in match quality here.

 

10) Hulk Hogan Vs. King Kong Bundy

Umm.....no.....

 

11) Among others, you get the idea...

What others? Hogan sucks. You get the idea.....

[Guest dreamer420]

I was a Hogan fan during his WWF run but not much of his WCW run.  It just wasn't the same but I am still looking forward to him coming back.  I'm a mark for the legdrop.

 

Also I know Austin will never take a piledriver again.  I believe he said so on Off The Record.

[Guest Cataclysm911]

Now, with the above said, here are two things I would LOVE to see the WWF do with Hulk Hogan. This is simply two "moments" that I would LOVE to see be played out...

 

1) This Sunday at No Way Out, or perhaps down the road against Austin. Now I REALLY think that Hogan should use the Piledriver as it would REALLY make it look like the nWo cares nothing for the WWF rules, as it is "banned". Imagine if you will...

 

Hogan should attack Austin at NWO, this Sunday in the main event or some other time. Hall and Nash beat Austin down, while Hogan slaps him. Hogan does the leg drop to taunt him, he cups his ears as the fans boo beyond controll. He picks him up, and PILEDRIVES him. They bill it as he has hurt Austin, and in comes the strecher. As Austin is being carried away. and as the PPV is going off, Hogan is in the ring, cupping his ears, the fans BOO him, as he cups his ears he goes...  

 

""What!? What are ya'll saying? You boo HULK HOGAN!? You worthless fans!!! What!? I said you are worthless!"

 

...then his attention goes to Austin...

 

""Austin, you disabled redneck!!!!! WHAT!!!!!!???? I said you disable redneck, the nWo is here in the WWF, and we have come to take YOU, and all the so called "superstars" out, to destroy you and the WWF! WHAT!???"  

 

"And you damn fans, we told you all along and you never believed us...WHAT!? "When you are nWo, you TRULY ARE, nWo...4-LIFE....."" WHAT!???? I said 4-life...BROTHER!"

 

...then fade to black.

 

2) Imagine if you will...

 

Hogan Vs. Rocky! The emotion is there! Hogan does the big boot and Rocky hits the mat! What is that Hogan is doing???? Oh my God....he's standing there in the people's elbow stance doing the motions....against one side of the ropes, he jumps over Rocky, against the OTHER ropes......here it comes, the Peoples Elbow!!!!! Oh, wait, nooooooooooo, it's the Leg Drop!!!!

 

...ok, I think you get my point. My POINT is that Hogan still has a lot to offer, he still will be able to draw, and more importantly...

 

...he STILL will be able to produce more than one of those emotional, exciting, and MEANINGFULL matches...

 

...but as always, it all depends on how the WWF BOOKS everything, and THAT is the key to this Hogan/Hall/Nash/nWo thing being a success!

I already said all this. At least give me credit next time.

 

I still think that they would make for good tv though.

[Guest howthedevil]

Agreed - technical expertise isn't everything...

Drama's a big thing - and the Hulkster's got it in spades...

 

 

The only thing that can top that is Oprah pinning Flair....ahem.

 

htd xxx

[Guest Anorak]

What about the possible Hogan vs Rock clash at Wrestlemania? With the charisma of those two guys i'm sure we could see a passable match between them.

[Guest dreamer420]

What about the possible Hogan vs Rock clash at Wrestlemania? With the charisma of those two guys i'm sure we could see a passable match between them.

I'd love to see it.  But who would do the J-O-B?

[Guest Cataclysm911]

What about the possible Hogan vs Rock clash at Wrestlemania? With the charisma of those two guys i'm sure we could see a passable match between them.

I'd love to see it.  But who would do the J-O-B?

Well, seeing as how the nWo would have only been in the WWF for a month at the time of Wrestlemania, I saw make Hogan go over to establish the nWo as an actual threat. Of course, he couldn't do it one on one, so there would have to be repeated run-ins and cheating.

 

I don't want the nWo angle to fail like the Invasion angle. The nWo must be played up as a strong force. In the end, Flair will have to reform the IV Horsemen to drive the Cancer out.

 

That's the way I see it anyway.

[Guest Galactic Gigolo]

The last time I enjoyed a Hogan match, minus the Goldberg/Hogan one, was his battles with Ric Flair in 1992.  Sure, Hogan was a bastard and never wanted to job, but with Flair's selling, it was an entertaining match.

 

Personally, the only reason I'm the glad the nWo is coming in is for two reasons.

 

1)  For the semi-shoot comments I'm sure will be thrown around.  Sort of like Edge talking about "Billy Gunning the crown."

2) Mike F'n Sanders.

[Guest Kaoz]

i like pubes.

[Guest goodhelmet]

emotion doesn't translate into good matches. That's been stated. I don't buy PPVs and watch wrestling shows to hear the crowd pop. I want a good match dammit. the only good thing that can happen with the NWO's arrival is if Nash, Hogan, and Hall lay down for the WWF guys and finally pass the torch and then disappear forever!

[Guest theWCWRaider]

My ideal matches, are matches that are interesting in the ring, and have the drama and excitment as well.

 

Of course if a match is built up well, then I will watch it, even if its not that good.

Take Hogan Vs. Andre for instance, not a good match, but the build up was such that I wanted to see this match more than anything. The slam is a memory of a life time.

 

But, even a match that doesn't have the drama, of the build up, can be good provided its exciting. Most WCW Cruiserweight matches fit this catagory. Most were not that well built up, but the ring product carried it.

 

But, like I said, I'd like to have matches where there is both drama, and a good match.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

The crowd doesn't interest me too much.  I pay to see good wrestling.

[Guest goodhelmet]

"The crowd doesn't interest me too much.  I pay to see good wrestling.'

 

Exactly! Take the Benoit-Malenko match from Hog Wild '96. Those idiots had a perfect match right in front of their face and booed. Screw the ignorant ones. Give me good wrestling and let guys like Hogan and Nash disappear.

[Guest 5_moves_of_doom]

I agree with pretty much everything you said except that you said Hogan's matches with Earthquake and King Kong Bundy were good. Maybe you saw a different match then me. Or maybe, you were trying to spell Paul Orndoff or Vader and accidentally put Earthquake. That's what I'm hoping at least.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

I loved that Benoit/Malenko match.  They never should have had a PPV like that.  That was where the bikers were about to riot just because Harlem Heat were black.

[Guest goodhelmet]

"That was where the bikers were about to riot just because Harlem Heat were black."

 

exactly. and they cheered Hogan winning the belt from Giant. Idiots. Any watchable match Hogan has had is because of a better worker carrying him there (Savage, Flair, Orndorff). His shtick is old and anyone who wants to see him wrestle is not a WRESTLING fan.

[Guest Downhome]

I already said all this. At least give me credit next time.

 

I still think that they would make for good tv though.

I'm sorry if you have posted something like this before, but I assure you I didn't "copy" it. I've had these thoughts for, well...quite some time...

 

...we simply must think somewhat alike. :-)

[Guest DaddyRecklessEric]

Here are a few things I would like to see happen in the next couple months:

 

1)Hulk Hogan getting a stunnner.

2)Hulk Hogan getting a Van Daminator

3)Hulk Hogan getting a crossface. And 10 german suplexes

4)Scott Hall and Kevin Nash publicly fired.

5)Hulk Hogan losing cleanly to Ric Flair

6)Hulk Hogan getting the People's Elbow

7)Hulk Hogan on Jakked...just once

8)Hulk Hogan getting a 3-D

 

Can you tell I'm excited about this angle?? Well, I am really.

[Guest AustinHeadbanger]

I was a HUGE hogan fan as a kid. i enjoyed the begining of his nWo period, but soon siad angle got tired. i must agree though, that Hogan matches are very emtional. His best work is not best tech wrestling, but he some how always adds a lot of emtional power to his matches. The thing is Hoagn needs a good worker to help the match be better. the matches with guys like earthquke sucked beacuse said wrestler was pretty miserable. But then again look at Slaughter vs. Hogan. The match itself was not that great, but emtionally that matchj ranked as one of the best. Slaughter played such a disapicable heel that Hoagn emerged as a great hero, and the audience could not help but into it.

I'm dying to see the Hogan fight guys like the Rock, Austin, HHH, etc. Shit, the promos would be alone worth the price of admission. Yeah, brother!

[Guest the BURNHAM]

His shtick is old and anyone who wants to see him wrestle is not a WRESTLING fan.

GOd that's so ignorant to say.  I want to see the nWo return and I am a wrestling fan...my favorite wrestler has always been scott hall.  And i think it would be interesting for hogan vs. austin down the line.  so therefore i do want to see hogan wrestle austin.  but i guess i'm not a wrestling fan so i don't deserve to see it...what to do...

[Guest RickyB]

"His shtick is old and anyone who wants to see him wrestle is not a WRESTLING fan."

 

Hulk Hogan isn't the greatest Wrestler of all time but anyone who doesn't recognise what he did for Wrestling isn't a Wrestling fan.  If it wasn't for Hulk Hogan then all of the Wrestlers (Savage, Orndorff) that you lot seem to love from that time would never have made the kind of money that they made, if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan then Vince McMahon would never have took the WWF to the heights that they got to in the late 80's and beyond, if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan then Eric Bischoff would still be selling meat from the back of a truck in minniapolis... sorry, thought I was typing out an nWo promo there... but my point is, although he isn't a great Wrestler, he has done so much for Pro Wrestling through the 80's that he deserves respect for it, and he deserves this last run in the WWF so that he can end his career in the company that he helped make into a giant.  And if you can't understand that then you're not as much of a Wrestling fan as you think you are.

 

Also Hulk Hogan's match with the Warrior was a very good match (Wrestlemania VI, not Halloween Havoc 98!), in fact in that match Hogan carried Warrior, since Jim Hellwig blew up at the entryway and to those of you that say that Hogan never passed the torch, watch that match... oh and watch Goldberg Vs Hogan.

[Guest Downhome]

"His shtick is old and anyone who wants to see him wrestle is not a WRESTLING fan."

 

Hulk Hogan isn't the greatest Wrestler of all time but anyone who doesn't recognise what he did for Wrestling isn't a Wrestling fan.  If it wasn't for Hulk Hogan then all of the Wrestlers (Savage, Orndorff) that you lot seem to love from that time would never have made the kind of money that they made, if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan then Vince McMahon would never have took the WWF to the heights that they got to in the late 80's and beyond, if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan then Eric Bischoff would still be selling meat from the back of a truck in minniapolis... sorry, thought I was typing out an nWo promo there... but my point is, although he isn't a great Wrestler, he has done so much for Pro Wrestling through the 80's that he deserves respect for it, and he deserves this last run in the WWF so that he can end his career in the company that he helped make into a giant.  And if you can't understand that then you're not as much of a Wrestling fan as you think you are.

 

Also Hulk Hogan's match with the Warrior was a very good match (Wrestlemania VI, not Halloween Havoc 98!), in fact in that match Hogan carried Warrior, since Jim Hellwig blew up at the entryway and to those of you that say that Hogan never passed the torch, watch that match... oh and watch Goldberg Vs Hogan.

Very well said! I agree with everything you said 100%. The thing about Earthquake, let me varify that, lol. Yes, the match sucked, but I personaly thought it had quite a bit of emotion. The whole angle where Hogan was out for so long after Earthquake did the dreaded "but drop of doom", lol. Trust me, I wasn't the only one back in the day who was caught up in the emotion of that match, albeit not a great encounter.

 

Here is one thing you said that I loved...

 

...and he deserves this last run in the WWF so that he can end his career in the company that he helped make into a giant.

 

...that is one thing that in my eyes makes this angle so great. The very man that helped the WWF become as huge as it became, is coming back to "kill" it! That is yet another thing that the WWF should work on mentioning, over and over...

 

...that is one thing that is going to help create the prementioned "emotion, excitement, and MEANING".

[Guest goodhelmet]

OK, you guys are huge fans of Hogans and are fans of the Pro Wrestling Industry, not actual wrestling. Hogan has not had a watchable match in 5-6 years. with Kidman, nope. With Sting, nope. Nash, nope. Piper, nope.

 

OK wrestling fans, Why would you want Hogan to return to the ring? To see the excellent exhibition on hand? No, you are caught up in nostalgia. Maybe (a big maybe) Austin could carry Hogan to a ** match but Hogan does not care about the industy or fans or his legacy. He cares about the cash. I don't blame him for that but I don't have to sit here and get excited over someone who is past their prime and simply does not entertain me anymore, in or out of the ring.

[Guest Downhome]

OK, you guys are huge fans of Hogans and are fans of the Pro Wrestling Industry, not actual wrestling. Hogan has not had a watchable match in 5-6 years. with Kidman, nope. With Sting, nope. Nash, nope. Piper, nope.

 

OK wrestling fans, Why would you want Hogan to return to the ring? To see the excellent exhibition on hand? No, you are caught up in nostalgia. Maybe (a big maybe) Austin could carry Hogan to a ** match but Hogan does not care about the industy or fans or his legacy. He cares about the cash. I don't blame him for that but I don't have to sit here and get excited over someone who is past their prime and simply does not entertain me anymore, in or out of the ring.

Actually you are wrong, at least when it comes to me. Yes, I am a fan of "the Pro. Wrestling industry", but it doesn't stop there. I'm a fan of both, the wrestling, and all other aspects.

 

You really think you can't be a WRESTLING fan and still like Hogan? That is totally insane...

 

...I can enjoy watching what COULD be a classic match in Hogan Vs. Austin, etc... just as I can enjoy a one hour battle between two technical marvel, and just as I can enjoy Puroresu even though I do not know Japanese...

 

...I mark for Pro. Wrestling...PERIOD. :-)