The Contentious Ten 02.01.10: Hulk Hogan Matches

Posted by Aaron Hubbard on 02.01.2010

From the biggest match in the history of wrestling with Andre, to his epic confrontation with Randy Savage, from passing the torch to The Ultimate Warrior, to running wild on Ric Flair in WCW, to his glorious return to the WWF against The Rock, and even winning the IWGP Championship from Antonio Inoki, relive the Hulkster's greatest matches and moments!

When I decided I was going to start doing this column, I found out my first column would be posted on the night when Bret Hart came back to the WWE and Hulk Hogan debuted on TNA. I debated in my head whether to do a Bret list or a Hogan list. I talked to a fellow writer and he said "I wonder what's harder, narrowing it down to ten matches for Bret or finding ten for Hogan." Well, I love a good challenge, and since I'm writing this before the Royal Rumble happens, I decided to see if I could find ten Hogan matches worth talking about.

Normally, this is the part of the column where I respond to comments that interest me, mention a match/performer that deserved mention, etc. However, I thought I would just say that I was very happy to see the amount of positive and thoughtful comments last week's article got. I'm not the type to say thank you for being nice to my column or whatever, but it was still cool. Now, of course, there are always a few specific comments that I feel warrant a response.

Told you last week. The rumble was Benoits PPV.

Posted By: JBL

Actually, if you go off of sheer volume of appearances on my list, the Royal Rumble was Shawn Michaels' PPV.

Yeah, Angle/Benoit all the way but damn Cactus/Hunter was fucking amazing as well.

Posted By: Guest#3632

The thing I hated most about last week's list was having to pick between those two. They are totally different matches and, in my opinion, the absolute best representation of the style they use. So how can you pick one? I have a feeling that I could have switched those two and most people would still agree with the list. Both are classics.

Jericho-Benoit is ranked #4? That wasn't even the best ladder match of the month! Benoit stopped being relevent 3 years ago! Get with the times man!

Posted By: Steve

Point 1: Benoit is absolutely relevant today. Don't kid yourself, Benoit is probably the only wrestler who actually was relevant at all in the last five years, at least when it comes to the world outside of wrestling.

Point 2: Ok, so thanks to you we now know that Benoit-Jericho wasn't the best ladder match of January 2001. So….what is? I really hope you're reading this so I can see the great ladder match that will top the best one-on-one ladder match ever.

Top Ten Hogan Matches? Top Ten? WTF?? Hogan's matches are ALL the same!! Hulk get beat...Hulk hulk up...Hulk point finger and shake head....Hulk no sell....Hulk punch....Hulk body slam (or boot to face) Hulk leg drop...Hulk pose for 5 billion minutes! There you go!

Posted By: Lord Keedik

Right, because Hulk was definitely a monster babyface who worked the exact same match he always worked when he was in the nWo.

Well, I hope you are reading and I hope you watch these matches, especially the ones from Japan. Ignorance isn't bliss my friend.

Now, Whatchya Gonna Do When List-A-Mania runs wild on you?

Yeah…that doesn't work…

Honorable Mentions

Hulk Hogan vs. The Iron Sheik, 1.21.1984: Wondering why a five minute match is in the honorable mentions? Read the criteria and it will all make sense. This was Hogan's first world championship victory and was pretty solid for its short length. A lot of wrestling historians consider this the B.C.E.-C.E. point in wrestling history.

Hulk Hogan vs. Nick Bockwinkel, 4.24.83: Before Hulkamania was running wild in the WWF, he was a hugely popular star in the AWA. This was Hogan's first stateside appearance as the top draw of a promotion, and his feud with Nick Bockwinkel was solid all around. Hogan still brought his workboots with him at this point and the result is a good match.

Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff, Wrestlemania: I think I would be remiss if I didn't mention the main event of the first Wrestlemania. This match is the epitome of style over substance, and Hogan works that very well. It's not an all-time classic, but it's a very special match that every wrestling fan should see for historical purposes.

Hulk Hogan vs. Shawn Michaels, Summer Slam 2005 There seem to be two opinions on this match. Some people love watching Shawn Michaels oversell for Hogan and drag his aging body to something entertaining. Others feel that HBK made a mockery of the business and was totally unprofessional. You can probably guess which group I'm in by the inclusion of this match.

Obviously, given that Hogan was an average at best in-ring worker when going for match quality, these matches are judged on a few other merits, here is the criteria.

- Big Match Feel
- Historical Significance
- Match Quality
- Personal Preference





X
Hulk Hogan vs. Mr. McMahon
Street Fight, Wrestlemania XIX

I'm sure that including this match over some of the ones that I put in the honorable mentions isn't going to be the most popular decision, but I stand by it for three reasons. Reason #1: My number one criteria for this list is big match feel, and this match has that in spades. You have the most successful wrestler of all time against the most successful promoter of all time. That's something special. Reason #2: The match, while not resembling anything remotely close to a technical classic, it is quality sports entertainment and I don't really think they could have gotten a better match between them. Vince in particular gave some amazing facial reactions that put this match over the top. And Reason #3: As far as I'm concerned, this is the end of Hulk Hogan for me. The Shawn Michaels match was entertaining and the Hall of Fame ceremony is great, but this was the last time I cared about the character of Hulk Hogan.

One of my favorite statements I've ever made about pro wrestling is that Hulkamania is a drug and Vince McMahon is the ultimate pusher. I stand by that, and that is why this match is so special. At this point, Hogan had already found redemption in the acceptance of WWE fans, and this was simply to prove a point. The point is that Hulk Hogan, for all his faults, is the biggest name in pro wrestling, a one of a kind performer who will never be replaced. There was Austin, there was Rock, and now there is Cena, but they don't match up to Hogan in terms of star power or impact on the business. Hogan doesn't need McMahon, but McMahon will never get over Hogan. The relationship between those two make this match special.




IX
Hulk Hogan vs. The Great Muta
Japan, 1993

I've always considered Muta and Hogan to be kindred spirits. Both guys are solid workers with a fantastic grasp of psychology, tremendous charisma, and over-the-top superhero characters that made them huge stars. And both men were smart…and lazy. Both men figured out early that if you can get the crowd to react to formula and signature offense, then you don't have to have a **** match every night. So, both careers are marked by thousands of average matches that are exactly the same, and a handful of absolute classics, which happened when the atmosphere was big enough and they decided to perform at their very best. And they've had long, successful careers and huge stars. So hey, who am I to criticize them? Ultimately, wrestling isn't about having the best match, it's about making the fans cheer the loudest for the longest.

Fortunately, both men recognized the magnitude of this match and put on a really good match. This match has a degree of infamy because it is one of the first matches shown in response to the phrase "Hogan can't wrestle." And when Hogan starts doing cross armbreakers, STFs, and even an enzugiri, their jaws drop. Don't believe me? Go back up and watch the video. There is a huge difference between "can't wrestle" and "didn't wrestle". And while this is often Exhibit A for Hogan's hidden technical abilities, it's not the best example. It's still a terrific outing from Hogan and much different from the "typical" Hulk Hogan babyface match.

VIII
Hulk Hogan vs. Harley Race
Saturday Night's Main Event, 03/12/88

Some people put in more effort when they are champion. Ric Flair did that in his prime, and Shawn Michaels did that in 1996. John Cena does that in the modern day. They step up their games because they know they are in the top position and are expected to deliver. And then there are people that become champion and kind of…well, get comfortable in the top spot and lose their motivation (coughTriple Hcough). Hulk Hogan is one of the latter. Seriously, he puts on better matches when he's about to lose the title and when he has just lost it. It's like he actually *gasp* wants to prove that he is the real star and the one the fans paid to see! That phenomenon was on full display in this match with Harley Race. Hogan had just lost the WWE Championship to Andre, a title which would soon go to Randy Savage, and he was motivated and his character was angry. Harley was managed by Bobby Heenan, so it was a perfect opportunity to get revenge on the Weasel.

Hogan showed a side of him that he had rarely shown in the WWF up to this point, one that was aggressive and not willing to give his opponent an inch instead of the man who would take tons of punishment before making a miraculous comeback. Once again, I love watching desperate or angry babyfaces who are teetering on the edge of heeldom, because of the intrigue and the psychology. Harley Race though, is no push over, and got a good deal of offense in before Hogan defeated him. The biggest spot of the match is Race missing a diving headbutt from the apron and breaking a table, but the highlight is Hogan leaving the goody two-shoes act in the locker room and just fighting it out.



VII
Hulk Hogan vs. Stan Hansen
Japan, 4.13.90

Hogan is usually regarded as a one-dimensional power wrestler, but this match shows that you can't overlook his brawling. Stan Hansen has a well-earned reputation as one of the toughest and stiffest brawlers in wrestling history, and Hogan had to bring his A-Game for this match. While Hansen would have been a "challenger of the month" in America, he's a bonafide legend in Japan, so this was a dream match between two of the most popular gaijin in that country. What we got was a wild mish-mash with Hogan doing a little bit of his technical wrestling, some wild brawling, and a traditional Hogan match-up.

Something I really liked about doing this list was looking up Hogan's matches from Japan, something which I'd never bothered to do before, and seeing him do moves that you don't expect. In this match, he hits a running crossbody on Stan. I see that and wonder why he never busted that out on guys like Earthquake and Big John Studd, because it's very impressive for a guy his size to do that move. Hogan had so much more than what he gave American fans, and as a fan of the character, I wish he would have given it.

VI
Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair
WCW Championship Match, Bash at the Beach 1994

I've been watching this match since I was five. Me and my brothers would go to the local Dillions or Blockbuster and we rented Bash at the Beach 1994 about two dozen times. While this isn't my first wrestling match per se, it was the first one that I remembered with any clarity. I'm too young to have seen Hogan in his glory days without the help of those old "Hulkamania" tapes. For me, Hogan vs. Flair wasn't a dream match that people never thought would happen. For me, Hogan vs. Flair was the match between the two biggest stars in wrestling. For me, Hogan was the definitive good guy and Flair was the definitive bad guy and they were better than everyone, and this was their big match where Hogan beat Flair. That was what professional wrestling was to me in my youth. With this match having such a huge impact on my life and being the reason I became a fan in the first place, I had to list this.

This match is definitely one with historical significance, as it was Hogan's first WCW match and the first televised encounter between Hogan and Flair. The two biggest icons in this business of the last thirty years (yes, I know Austin and Rock are bigger than Flair, but work with me here). This was the match that helped get WCW back in the game. It's pretty average for a Flair match and pretty good for a Hogan match, but it's Hogan vs. Flair, for the first time on television. This definitely belongs on the list.




V
Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior
WWF Championship Match, Wrestlemania VI

The match is a spectacle with great big-match feel. Hogan puts in one of his best efforts ever and drags Warrior's worthless body to something that is not only watchable, but very good. Sometimes I put him over for that effort because it showed that Hogan does care about delivering a memorable match for his fans. But there's a voice nagging in the back of my head, saying that he's working his butt off so that he can show how much better he is than Warrior. Warrior gets the big win and the title, but Hogan steals the show and becomes "immortal" due to his sportsmanship. So…who's the real winner here? Is this Hogan putting over the future of the business due to his selflessness? Perhaps, but look how well that turned out.

While Hulk did put a ton of effort into this and did a good job carrying the match, the match is made better because they play to their strengths. For both men, that's being really strong and really popular. A test of strength isn't exactly the most incredible display of technical acumen, but the crowd goes nuts for it. Hogan's heat segment is hardly revolutionary, but it's a heat segment on Warrior, who rarely ever took any offense from his opponents. Kicking out of a finisher is passé now, but it was rather unbelievable that anyone, even Hogan, could survive Warrior's press slam and splash combo. I don't think match is worth watching over and over again, but it is a very good match with a wild crowd and a historic title change.




IV
Hulk Hogan vs. Antonio Inoki
IWGP Championship, June 2, 1983

I want you to picture the big-match atmosphere of Hogan vs. Andre, Hogan vs. Rock, or Hogan vs. Warrior. Now I want you to imagine that the guy on the other side of ring to Hogan is a very sound technical wrestler, like Bret Hart or Kurt Angle. And then imagine that Hogan can't get over with the crowd by posing and throwing a billion punches, so instead, he wrestles. That would be this match. Inoki is one of the biggest names in Japanese wrestling, to the point where I hope most of you readers at least know the name. Hogan first got over big in Japan, not America. I know that seems blasphemous considering that Hogan is the Real American who fights evil foreigners, but it's the truth. Now, part of that is Hogan apparently bears a resemblance to "The Japanese Elvis", according to his book, but hey, he got big in America because he was Thunderlips, so whatever.

For those of you who like to stand on your high-horse and say that nothing outside of WWE matters, I have a question for you. Are you sick of hearing people say that Hogan can't wrestle? Well, here's your argument. This is a terrific match up with a man that smart fans respect. This match should put an end to the bogus theory that Hogan couldn't wrestle. This is probably the best pure wrestling match on this list, but that's not the only thing I'm considering for Hogan. It is in the top five, not just for it's quality, because Hogan beat Inoki by knock-out to win the IWGP championship, so it's historic as well as high-quality.



III
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
WWF Championship Match, Wrestlemania III

I tend to respect people's opinions and try not to tell them they are stupid when I present my argument. That said, so much has been written about this match that I disagree with, that I'm going to just come out and say it. Anyone who says this is a bad match is wrong. People say it has no psychology. Right, because Andre doesn't target the back on almost every move to set up for the bearhug. Right, because Hogan spends the whole match fighting from underneath until he finally knocks the Giant down a vicious clothesline. Right, because the story isn't inspiring, compelling and perfectly told. Well folks, that's exactly what psychology is. I'm not going to pretend that the offense is cutting edge and some of it isn't sloppy, but the match is not lacking in storytelling.

More importantly, the match is entertaining. Talk about your Flair-Steamboat, your Angle-Benoit, your Bret-Perfect, and your HBK-Jericho all you want (and I talk about them a lot). Show your non-wrestling fans those matches and see how long it holds their attention. Then, show them this match and watch as they can't take their eyes off of it, watch them go "Wow!" when Hogan slams Andre. The match is a spectacle. I've heard people say it's a 1/4* wrestling and ***** entertainment. Well, wrestling IS entertainment. It's not a terrible match, it's not a great match, it's just a good match. BUT, it's also the biggest match in the history or pro wrestling. Say whatever you want about it, you can't take that away from it.




II
Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock
Wrestlemania X-8

If redemption through wrestling is possible, Hulk Hogan most assuredly found redemption in this match. Hogan was the WWF's golden boy in the early days of Wrestlemania, the biggest star pro wrestling had ever seen. But steroid scandals, repetitive booking, carbon copy matches, and the nWo storyline had made Hogan into one of the most hated men in wrestling. In 2000, Hogan was made a mockery of by Vince Russo and WCW and fired. The greatest superstar in the history of wrestling could have had his mainstream legacy ended with Jarrett laying down and Russo calling him a racist. But in this dream match to end all dream matches, this spectacle to end all spectacles, Hogan found redemption in the form of 60,000+ cheering him and welcoming him back to WWE. It was a baptism of fan support worship and Hogan came out of it an even bigger legend than he was.

In my opinion, this match has more big fight feel than every match except for Hogan-Andre. This is the biggest wrestling star of the 1980's (and arguably the ‘90's as well) versus one of the two biggest icons in the WWF at that time. I really don't think I can do justice to the atmosphere of this match, and I'm not even sure the English language has enough superlatives to describe it anyway. All you need to hear to understand how big, how important, and how historic this match is, is the audience in the Toronto Skydome watching it. The cheers for the match, and for Hogan are deafening, and speak volumes about the respect they have for Hogan. The match was a collection of Hogan and Rock's biggest hits and did exactly what it was supposed to do. The only fault I can find with this match is that Hogan couldn't really take bumps anymore and it looks awkward when he does. But man, what a fantastic effort by both men and what a special match.




I
Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage
WWF Championship Match, Wrestlemania V

Every year around Wrestlemania season, I have a tradition of going through all of the great Wrestlemania matches of the past to prepare for the big event. Since 2006, this has been the first match I watch, and to me is the quintessential Wrestlemania main event. You have the megastar babyface, the megastar heel, the compelling storyline that was set up throughout the entire year, and a great match with fantastic storytelling. I'm not saying it's best Wrestlemania main event or the biggest, but it is, in the words of Jesse Ventura, "what the words ‘main event' was meant for." When I have the occasional need for a Hulk Hogan fix, this is the match I throw in my DVD player, and when I wanted to make this list, it was an easy choice for number one. This isn't as big or as historic as the previous two, but it's a far better match-up.

A lot of people attribute the quality of this match to Randy Savage, and for the most part that is a fair assessment. Savage was a great worker who could drag classics out of far lesser men (like Warrior two years after this one), and he brought his best into this match. But Hogan gave one of his better performances as well, selling Savage's offense, helping to tell the story, and working harder than usual. The remarkable chemistry between these two, and the storyline with Elizabeth, make this one of my favorite Wrestlemania matches, and it is my favorite Hogan match. This is also a pretty big deal as Hogan won his second WWF Title on this night, so I feel comfortable putting it here at the top.

*****
Well, hopefully you enjoyed this trip down memory lane, and picked up a few new memories as well. I also hope you step out of your smarkiness for just a moment and remember Hogan for the legend that he was, and still is. I love watching great matches as much as the next guy, but I was born and bred with Hogan. I cried when he joined the Outsiders and formed the nWo (shut up, I was six). When Hogan came back to face The Rock, I was screaming just like everyone in Chicago when they made the match and Toronto when they had the match. And I wanted to see one more match when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. And if he came back today to wrestle John Cena, as awful as the match may be, I'd be begging, borrowing, and maybe stealing for a ticket. I am, always have been, and always will be, a fan of the Hulk Hogan character.

But enough archeology, next week we will look at the top ten matches of the 2010 Royal Rumble Winner (and former tag team champion with Hulk Hogan), Edge!