Hulk Hogan

[JGlass]

So Hulk Hogan is our first Hall of Famer! It's an obvious choice in the eyes of most wrestling fans, but do you agree with him being the number one guy? How do you feel about Hulk Hogan? Has his recent fall from grace left you with mixed feelings regarding his induction?

Use this thread to voice your opinions on the Hulkster's Hall of Fame Induction.

 

[Tha Wolfpac]

You really can't look past Hogan. He has contributed too much to the business to not be considered the top hall of famer. Im going to just start stating things you already know, Hogan defined an era. He is undoubtedly the most recognised and well known superstar in the history of wrestling uh i mean sports entertainment. Hulk Hogan i synonymouse with wrestling, which not many superstars can claim. So Hulk Hogan is really the most logical choice even though he's run in TNA has been lacklustre at best.

 

[SavageTaker]

Say what you want about The Hulkster based on what we've seen from him and his family the last few years but there is no denying that he should be in not only the WZ HOF, but any other wrestling HOF there is. He has contributed to wrestling in many ways such as making it mainstream and bringing in a whole new audience to it. Furthermore, he is a multiple time world champion and helped start two of the biggest booms in wrestling ever (whether you liked it or not, had Hogan and WCW not kicked Vince's ass for so long and almost pushed him into bankruptcy we might not have seen the Attitude Era).

So yes, Hogan does deserve to be in the HOF. Does he deserve to be the first inductee? That's very debatable as I think many great cases for who should be the first inductee could be made for a plethora of other wrestlers.

 

[Mac Attack]

Personally I don't like the guy after going to TNA. However his accolades in wrestling have to make me change my attiude towards him. I think that if you were to judge from today's standpoint he does not HOF however when viewing this throughout history then he 100% deserves to be in the HOF. He slammed Andre the Giant, he is on the Wrestlemania poster all by himself for three years in a row. He has done so much for the company and people have to respect that. I think that should he be the first inductee? Debatable but should he be in the Hall of Fame definetly. The guy is a living legend and has earned the respect of many.

 

[iwinulose]

1)i disagree, hogan is no longer the #1 guy, far from it.
2)i think he is an old man, past his prime, who wont stop until he is dead. i once had lots of respect for hulk hogan but thats no longer the case.
3)past the point of mixed feelings, its more, why bother? his ego took over his mind and he fell, and when he hit the ground, he hit it hard. at this point he cant be saved. its over.

 

[SavageTaker]

1)i disagree, hogan is no longer the #1 guy, far from it.
2)i think he is an old man, past his prime, who wont stop until he is dead. i once had lots of respect for hulk hogan but thats no longer the case.
3)past the point of mixed feelings, its more, why bother? his ego took over his mind and he fell, and when he hit the ground, he hit it hard. at this point he cant be saved. its over.

So tell me again, what does any of what you said have to do with whether he should or shouldn't be in the HOF?

No matter from which way you look at it, Hogan has accomplished a lot and most certainly deserves to be in any sort of legit wrestling HOF. He helped revolutionize the industry and helped it become mainstream. Had it not been for him, who knows what we'd be watching every Monday night or Thursday night. Hell, if it wasn't for him many of the wrestler who he inspired to follow in his footsteps might not even be involved within this industry in any sort of way. I would love to debate anyone who thinks he shouldn't be inducted because I would gladly prove them wrong.

 

[Mac Attack]

1)i disagree, hogan is no longer the #1 guy, far from it.
2)i think he is an old man, past his prime, who wont stop until he is dead. i once had lots of respect for hulk hogan but thats no longer the case.
3)past the point of mixed feelings, its more, why bother? his ego took over his mind and he fell, and when he hit the ground, he hit it hard. at this point he cant be saved. its over.

You are clearly one of those people who feel it is necessary to judge the hall of fame by today's perspective. We are not discussing his current standpoint in TNA we are discussing his legacy as a whole. Clearly he is no longer the number one guy, but we aren't looking for the number one guy we are looking for the guy who deserves to be remembered for a career. In his career only about 10 different people were able to beat him. And some couldn't do it clean. Hall of Fame is not about what is now but celebrating the storied careers of people of the past.

 

[JGlass]

1)i disagree, hogan is no longer the #1 guy, far from it.
2)i think he is an old man, past his prime, who wont stop until he is dead. i once had lots of respect for hulk hogan but thats no longer the case.
3)past the point of mixed feelings, its more, why bother? his ego took over his mind and he fell, and when he hit the ground, he hit it hard. at this point he cant be saved. its over.

1) No shit he's not the number one guy, but this isn't an active wrestler hall of fame, that would be stupid and you'd have to change who's in it every couple of months with the way the wrestling industry works. Hall of Fame≠Power Rankings.

2) You think he's an old man? Congratulations, he is an old man. Past his prime? Yup. Won't stop until he's dead? Possibly, but Thesz wrestled until he was in his 70s. If you lost your respect for him that's fine, you're far from alone, but you have to at least respect his accomplishments and what he's done for wrestling.

3) Why bother... praising the man who did more than anyone else to revolutionize the professional wrestling industry? How about because without him we wouldn't have national wrestling programs? Vince McMahon succeeded in creating an international business empire because he had Hulk Hogan selling out arenas, getting television ratings, and selling PPVs. Without Hulk Hogan there is no Wrestlemania, there is no WWE, there is no TNA, there is no mainstream wrestling culture.

 

[Nate DaMac]

This is the easiest choice to make, no doubt. While I hate Hogan with an indescribable passion these days, there's do denying that without his presence, wrestling wouldn't be what it is today. He is the biggest star in the history of the business. Period. There is debate to be had as to who follows him in, but there is no questioning him being the first entry into the WZ Hall Of Fame.

 

[The Brain]

Of course Hogan should be the first inductee. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just a Hogan hater who’s not looking at things objectively. Hulk Hogan is by far the most famous name in wrestling history. People who have never seen a wrestling show in their lives know who Hulk Hogan is. Without him who knows what wrestling would be like today? Hogan made the WWF with his incredible popularity and when times were changing he made WCW by becoming the most hated villain. I doubt anyone can make a valid case for Hogan not being the first inductee in the HOF.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

I can't really argue against it. He might be a self-centred, ego-maniacal prick, but he's the self-centred, ego-maniacal prick who put wrestling on the map. He turned wrestling into a global juggernaut and is one of the two most instantly recognisable faces in wrestling history (the other being Steve Austin, who I have no doubts will also get in). The best choice for your first inductee.

 

[The Prodigal Anti-Lemming]

I've never been the biggest fan of Hulk Hogan, but it would be foolish to dismiss his contributions to the business. However, the best of the best? I hardly think so. That honor would most likely go to Ric Flair or Lou Thesz, in my humble opinion.

1)i disagree, hogan is no longer the #1 guy, far from it.
2)i think he is an old man, past his prime, who wont stop until he is dead. i once had lots of respect for hulk hogan but thats no longer the case.
3)past the point of mixed feelings, its more, why bother? his ego took over his mind and he fell, and when he hit the ground, he hit it hard. at this point he cant be saved. its over.

It's been said, but a hall of fame is not a listing of the top wrestlers in 2011. Some of the future inductees are guys you probably have never even heard of.

 

[ugotpwned999]

To be honest i've lost most respect I had for him since he's became an asshole in real life and destroyed a compny but theres no denying what he's done for the buisness. He was definetly the most popular wrestler of the 80's no doubt and it's hard to argue the most popular of ALL time.

IMO He is definetly a great first induction to the WZ hall of fame. Why not start with the most legendary/over wrestler ever? He's done so much for the buisness and single- handedly made wrestlemania a household name. Hogan IS wrestling.

This is coming from a person who dislikes Hulk.+=

But thats for a different thread. He's the most logical choice for first inductee...

 

[Jackal960]

Pick your favorite wrestler... If he is what he is today he owes Hogan for that. Not his accomplishments, not his talent, but his popularity! Simple as that!

You might have ended up not knowing your favorite wrestler at all if we didn't have all the media for Wrestling Entertainment. We might only have indy promotions who were organizing wrestling in their own states. I, someone from Australia would probably never hear any of them. That idea belongs to VKM, but if you don't have the right guy there is no point. If anyone else could have done it we wouldn't need to wait till 1984 for a worldwide Icon.

And that's right, he is past his prime and he isn't #1 wrestler anymore, so put Cena as the first HOF inductee. Next year put the Miz. Here is a HOF for you...

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

He may be an asshole in real life, be desperately clinging onto every scrap of fame and refusing to leave the spotlight.

But lets think this through

Is there any single performer who did more than Hulk Hogan to move wrestling out of the smoky halls and into the big arenas? Is there any wrestler more recognisable to the public than the Hulkster. Is there any wrestler who have EVER been a bigger draw than Hulk Hogan

The answer is no. Hulk Hogan is the one performer who carried the WWE for years. He remained a HUGE draw for several decades and is correctly the 1st inductee into the HOF.

Good choice JGlass

 

[Trill Co$by]

Honestly, I've always felt that it was as simple as "Hogan beat Randy Polo and Ultimate Warrior to the punch" and until you can prove it otherwise, I will stand by my answer. Why is that?

It's simple Hogan, Savage, and Warrior are/were pro-wrestling's power of three (charmed anybody?). If Hogan hadn't made wrestling popular, then Savage and Warrior would have.

That said, I will agree that via luck of the draw, Hogan is indeed one of the people to put into the hall of fame and not only that, but he deserves the number one spot. He did take a regional "sport" and turned it into a global phenomenon and has out sold more numbers than anybody on the planet at that time... Including actors! Hogan's accolades speak for themselves. WCW and WWE... he's held both respective top titles and he will forever be recognized as the symbol of pro-wrestling just like John Madden will be for football, even though Madden was more a coach.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Of course Hogan deserves the accolade, people may insult his work in TNA but if they're honest with themselves they'll know that the reactions that the Rock and Stone Cold received when they made their returns preWM would be the equivalent of watching snooker fans compared to what would happen if 'Real American' followed by an immortal in Red & Yellow (although I'd hope he'd get rid of the feather boa, as that was SO Rip Rogers) was to blast out.

 

[Fizzy]

Hogan deserves this more than any wrestler. He is the biggest star in wrestling history by wide margins, and without him this forum probably wouldn't be here, and most of us wouldn't be interested in wrestling. He truly brought wrestling to the next level, and in doing this has become a household name. He is simply put the biggest star wrestling has ever had. After twenty some years when you ask people who don't follow the sport to name a wrestler, they will say Hogan. Nobody deserves the first induction more than Hogan.

 

[iwinulose]

So tell me again, what does any of what you said have to do with whether he should or shouldn't be in the HOF?

No matter from which way you look at it, Hogan has accomplished a lot and most certainly deserves to be in any sort of legit wrestling HOF. He helped revolutionize the industry and helped it become mainstream. Had it not been for him, who knows what we'd be watching every Monday night or Thursday night. Hell, if it wasn't for him many of the wrestler who he inspired to follow in his footsteps might not even be involved within this industry in any sort of way. I would love to debate anyone who thinks he shouldn't be inducted because I would gladly prove them wrong.

i was answering the questions dude so like calm yourself down. im not saying he didnt do alot but he has tarnished his name and i really dont care what any of you have to say about my opinion cause i dont overly care. sorry.

 

[khrissr10]

I think Hogan should not be inducted in the HOF wether it's the WWE HOF or Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and no offense to Hogan Fans but the thing is even though he contributed so many things, still we cannot erase the FACT that if it weren't for the script writers he's not big as what he is way back in 80's till early 00's! He even bite the hands that fed him and his family way back 90's during the "Steriods" issue and testify against McMahon proving that he's an a**hole and I guess he realize what he did and testify that McMahon never sold it (Steroid) to him or forced him to use it. He then transferred to WCW, what kind of a man he is? He committed countless pain in the a** moves and mistakes in his life and if ever that there's a chance that I can induct him to HOF it is gonna be the Hall of Fame for Ego-Maniac and Self-Centered No Hair Freakazoid!

p.s he even consulted a doctor after WWE HOF 2008 because of The Rock regarding the things that the Great One's said during the event.

 

[LSN80]

It's an obvious choice in the eyes of most wrestling fans, but do you agree with him being the number one guy?

As much as I have, and always will, detest Hulk Hogan as a wrestler and a human being, he's the obvious first, and deserving choice. Hogan is the first global icon of wrestling. Wrestling, despite its waning popularity, would not be what it is today if it weren't for Hulk Hogan. Noone understoodn how to do so much with so little. His ability to work a crowd was unparralled, and the man could still get the same reactions against the Rock and Shawn Michaels as he did against Randy Savage and the Iron Sheik. Noone's popularity, despite his recent dalliances into the wasteland of TNA, has ever transcended generations the way Hogan did. Couple this with him being the longest holder of the WCW championship for over 400 days, and anyone who believes it should be anyone but Hogan is just plain wrong. Put your personal feelings for the man aside, and recognize him for who he really is. The most deserving Wrestlezone HOF of all-time.

How do you feel about Hulk Hogan?

I can't stand the man, and I never could. His "eat your vitamins and say your prayers" schtick both annoyed me and pissed me off, because Hogan was the biggest hypocrite in the business, as he tried to portray himself as such away from the ring as well. While he was a master of in-ring psychology, he wasn't a good wrestler, make no mistake. I hated Hogan Knows Best, as it was just another way to feed his already inflated ego. But this has nothing to do, in my opinion, of whether or not he belongs in the HOF as your top choice.

Has his recent fall from grace left you with mixed feelings regarding his induction?

No, and while I might sound like a hypocrite here, its not the same as Ric Flair. While I say one must consider a wrestler's entire body of work, Ric Flair has continued to wrestle on a semi-frequent basis. Hulk Hogan, while a cancer to TNA, has not ruined his in-ring legacy by getting into the ring much. Correct me if Im wrong, but he's wrestled once since joining TNA. While Ric Flair wrestles the likes of Jay Lethal, Hulk Hogan stepped in the ring against another icon in Ric Flair. While it wasn't a masterpiece, he preserved his iconic status by only stepping into the ring on a special occasion, and against another Icon.

The bottom line is this. Ill never like, or respect, Hulk Hogan the human being. But he was the first global icon of wrestling, and he deserves to be recognized as such. His dalliances in TNA are irrelevan here, and Hogan deserves to be recognized as such. As the first inductee into the Wrestlezone HOF.

 

[jaceynightheat]

Of course The Hulkster should be in this & any wrestling Hall of Fame. I don't know him personally & that's fine this isn't a "Nice people Hall of Fame", it's a pro-wrestling hall of fame.

I see a lot of people saying he's a hypocrite for his Hulkamania days. You know he like other wrestlers are just actors right? He's playing a character. The Undertaker isn't really a dead guy. Kevin Nash doesn't drive a mac truck.

Why is everyone mad he's still working today? You know that wrestlers are in fact real people & have to pay bills too. Not sure how Hogan is a "cancer" to TNA either.

 

[Mustang Sally]

You know that wrestlers are in fact real people & have to pay bills too.

Yes, which leads one to the conclusion that his divorce and situation with his son's car accident are the only reasons we're seeing him today. His financial status has been seriously compromised and he needed to go back to work. Before that, he was content to keep himself busy with his stupid reality show. He managed to stay in the spotlight, but at least the wrestling world was free of him.

There's no question about Hogan's status as the #1 Hall of Famer.....and I don't like revisionist thinkers who try to say that Hulk's impact in the 80's wasn't as all-encompassing as we previously believed. The fact is, he led pro wrestling to unparalleled heights in that era, and nothing should take away from those memories.

The problem, though, is that they are memories. By apparently thinking he still has the same influence today, Hogan has seriously tarnished his overall image.

Not sure how Hogan is a "cancer" to TNA either.

By featuring himself and friends he brings to TNA, thereby pushing down deserving young talent in matches and storylines. I don't know how much actual "control" he has over management matters, but by casting himself as an expert in running a wrestling company ("I taught Vince McMahon the business") and using his influence to effect changes, he's had a massive effect on how they do business. Surely, that whole mess in January, 2010 with TNA deciding they were going head-to-head with WWE in an effort to take over as the #1 sports entertainment company had Hogan's fingerprints all over it. I don't know whether he sold them a bill of goods about his effect on the entire industry or whether the TNA Creative people thought of it themselves, but I seriously doubt such a foolish maneuver would have been attempted if Hogan wasn't a part of the company.

And now, he wants to wrestle again....... and still more storylines and people will be shoved down several notches because of him. That's how he's a cancer.


Still, no one can take away what he accomplished back in the day. If anyone is a Hall of Famer, Hogan is.

What he's done since only shows that there's no fool like an old fool.

 

[Mekelle]

So Hulk Hogan is our first Hall of Famer! It's an obvious choice in the eyes of most wrestling fans, but do you agree with him being the number one guy? How do you feel about Hulk Hogan? Has his recent fall from grace left you with mixed feelings regarding his induction?

Use this thread to voice your opinions on the Hulkster's Hall of Fame Induction.

hi classy jglassy, sorry i don't know. I didn't really believe the article but i read that that story line that Hulk Hogan gave his ring to Abyss had some truth to it. Of course he didn't give he ring to abyss for real, but apparantly he really did get rid of his WWE Hall of Fame ring for whatever reason. It was just a rumor but does anybody know if he really did throw away his ring? I know he didn't like vince all that well, but i mean he did get his big start in WWF/WWE that would be real slap in the face if he did. can anybody confirm the rumor if he did or didn't?

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

I think Hogan should not be inducted in the HOF wether it's the WWE HOF or Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and no offense to Hogan Fans but the thing is even though he contributed so many things, still we cannot erase the FACT that if it weren't for the script writers he's not big as what he is way back in 80's till early 00's!

You have got to be one of the lamest individuals attempting to troll on these forums if ever I have seen one. This statement makes absolute no sense and you sound like a complete moron for having conceived it let alone posting it.

He even bite the hands that fed him and his family way back 90's during the "Steriods" issue and testify against McMahon proving that he's an a**hole and I guess he realize what he did and testify that McMahon never sold it (Steroid) to him or forced him to use it.

Were you even alive when the McMahon steroid trial went down?

New York Times Article - Hulk Hogan On Witness Stand (1994) - Click Here

Read that to get a clearer perspective you twit.

He then transferred to WCW, what kind of a man he is? He committed countless pain in the a** moves and mistakes in his life and if ever that there's a chance that I can induct him to HOF it is gonna be the Hall of Fame for Ego-Maniac and Self-Centered No Hair Freakazoid!

So I suppose that because Steve Austin went to court for domestic abuse charges there should be a motion to have his membership in WWE's Hall Of Fame revoked then if we are going by your logic. Because whether or not Hogan's controversies backstage in wrestling are true none of that holds a candle to Austin actually going to court and being prosecuted for spousal battery. Yes, Hogan put his foot so far in his mouth that it probably went through his backside about saying how he could see why "OJ Did It" but just the same he never acted on any of that and I don't remember him actually ever having to go to court over anything relating to his wife other than the divorce.

p.s he even consulted a doctor after WWE HOF 2008 because of The Rock regarding the things that the Great One's said during the event.

Yeah I should be careful feeding the trolls I suppose, but then again I got nothing better to do at the moment, what in the fuck are you talking about, you moron?

Bottom line is this, obviously I'm a Hogan mark read a good percentage of my postings on here and you are obviously going to see that, there is no disputing this. Therefore people might roll their eyes at me making an umpteenth defense for Hulk Hogan but so what? I am going to do it, I think I'm more or less as close to being a fair minded fan on the good and bad points of The Hulkster, period. Again I cite the John Graziano statements and the stuff he said about his wife in that Rolling Stone interview to be rather stupid and inappropriate, however I've heard people say worse things than that in my life and the only reason those statements are so offensive to most people is because we are talking about a celebrity saying such things. And of course there are higher expectations put on them than the average person...especially with someone like Hogan who for years has been looked at as a role model, unfortunately we learn through situations like this that guys like Hogan are all too human when you look beneath their exteriors.

Do I think Hogan necessarily should be the first inductee for WrestleZone's Hall Of Fame? Well there are plenty of other candidates that you could discuss too though, while I obviously won't argue Hogan's placement...you really could make great cases for other individuals. Performers like Andre The Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Gorgeous George, Ric Flair, Lou Thesz and Steve Austin are other candidates strike me as people you could just as easily fit into that distinction.

However, Hogan is just as good a pick as any because he's Hulk Hogan. Although I do wonder why WrestleZone just didn't do a Hall Of Fame Class and had a multitude of individuals thrown in at once. Again not my call but just curious.

Anyway, I'm open to debate with anyone who does not think Hogan deserves to be the first inductee to WZ's Hall Of Fame if we are discussing things based on professional wrestling. That's why if someone says Andre The Giant and Steve Austin might be better choices , I'd be hard pressed to disagree considering that they too are icons of professional wrestling.

But if there are any more bullshit posts like the troll I've just quoted that are trying to use every detail of Hogan's personal life to predicate and determine his eligibility then we have to be fair about that and use that standard for everyone else too. However at that rate you'd have a hard time finding any inductees if we are basing criteria here on one's level of morality.