As far as I'm concerned, what you do in front of our TV screens is what matters to me. We all know that Cena - before being corrupted by limitations - could actually put on a decent match if a great wrestler was put in front of him. Before he came to the WWE, Cena actually had move-set. But guess what? OVW is not on TV...WWE is. If you have the ability to put on a good match but limitations are put on you, I will boo you and fans of actual wrestling will to.
Onto Hogan...Japan will boo you out of the building if you can't wrestle. There is no question that Hogan was a competent wrestler in Japan (for American standards). But guess what? As a wrestler, he's sucked for the past twenty years. Not like a few decent years in Japan cancel out two decades of a move set that makes Cena enjoyable.
Beyond sucking as a wrestler, Hogan's ego is way too big for his own good. He's not talented where it matters (in the ring) and it is his fault that many deserving wrestlers have been held back. I will boo Hogan forever...unless he suddenly has at least a dozen moves.
As an entertainer though, Hogan is fantastic. I really don't like him but his mic work was entertaining. Much like everyone else in the ring, I feel the electricity when he enters. I do respect Hogan as a performer, but he epitomizes sports entertainment. I was always into the "wrestling" aspect.
I don't care for the fact that Benoit, Shelton Benjamin, and Charlie Haas can't really put on a great promo. It's a shame that promos are relied on as much as they are. In Japan, wrestlers are judged by their ability to put on a good match as opposed to a good promo. I mean, most Japanese interviews are shoot interviews where we see the real character of a wrestler as opposed to some gimmick.
Was Hogan's gimmick good? No. Honestly, it was great. Even at his prime, could he put on a five star wrestling match? I honestly don't think so. I like wrestling...I don't like sports entertainment. That's why I embrace puroresu and ROH.
