This question may have been asked before, but dammit, It's big enough to ask twice. It's quite simple. Who made the bigger impact on Pro Wrestling? I'm dieing to hear the replies on this one. Flair? or Hogan? IMO, Flair. Hogan may have sold money and made WWF popular, but when you think of who was the greatest Wrestler ever, it has to be Flair. Hogan used his creative control too many times and that ruined his legacy. Flair for me. You all go with?
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Pick Your Poison: Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair
- Thread starter Big Ace
- Start date
Your specific question is who had the bigger impact on professional wrestling. While Ric Flair is probably the best pure wrestler of all time (on second thought, he IS the best wrestling of all time, no ifs about it), I think his impact on the business as a whole is rather limited, at least when you compare him to Hulk Hogan. While Flair was huge in his backyard, I never really remember him being as popular as Hulk.
In the years Hulk Hogan was at the top of the WWE, he made himself a household name, a movie star, and he sold out arenas all over the world. While Flair sold out his fair share of arenas, I don't think his drawing impact was as substantial as Hulk's, and I think this is the main point we should be looking at here.
A lot of the stuff that's done in the WWE today is directly related to what Hulk Hogan did for the business in the 80s.... without Hulk Hogan there would be no wrestlemania, a lot of the young wrestlers who grew up in the 80s wouldn't have been wrestling fans and later wouldn't have entered the business if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan's influence (directly or indirectly through making the business as popular is it was, even)...
Heck, there might not have been any Monday Night Wars if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan!
I think that impact is much bigger than anything Ric was able to do for the business as a whole... despite the fact that I believe he is the greatest pure wrestler of all time. I just don't see that as being the only factor that comes into play here.
But in the end... it's like comparing apples and oranges. But that answers your specific question.
In the years Hulk Hogan was at the top of the WWE, he made himself a household name, a movie star, and he sold out arenas all over the world. While Flair sold out his fair share of arenas, I don't think his drawing impact was as substantial as Hulk's, and I think this is the main point we should be looking at here.
A lot of the stuff that's done in the WWE today is directly related to what Hulk Hogan did for the business in the 80s.... without Hulk Hogan there would be no wrestlemania, a lot of the young wrestlers who grew up in the 80s wouldn't have been wrestling fans and later wouldn't have entered the business if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan's influence (directly or indirectly through making the business as popular is it was, even)...
Heck, there might not have been any Monday Night Wars if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan!
I think that impact is much bigger than anything Ric was able to do for the business as a whole... despite the fact that I believe he is the greatest pure wrestler of all time. I just don't see that as being the only factor that comes into play here.
But in the end... it's like comparing apples and oranges. But that answers your specific question.
Comparing Hogan and Flair is kind of unfair. Sure they were the two biggest names of the 80's and much of the 90's, but like it has already been said it was comparing apples to oranges.
Flair held gold for much of the 1980s when the NWA was still a force. That title really was in a sense, "the real" world title. Flair went 60 minutes with many real legends like Steamboat and Funk just to name a few.
Hogan went 10 minutes with stiffs like Earthquake and D-Bo from Friday.
I think when people view their legacies, they view Flair and the 2nd place NWA vs. WWF, Wrestlemania, Vince McMahon, and Hulk Hogan.
If you seperate the success of the WWF from the success of Hulk Hogan, I ultimately think a guy like Randy Savage could have been the star that Hulk Hogan was.
If I fit Flair into Hogan's spot on the WWF roster, I also don't think the WWF takes a major hit.
Flair took a great legacy of the NWA and carried it on his back, while Hogan was kind of in the right place at the right time.
Flair held gold for much of the 1980s when the NWA was still a force. That title really was in a sense, "the real" world title. Flair went 60 minutes with many real legends like Steamboat and Funk just to name a few.
Hogan went 10 minutes with stiffs like Earthquake and D-Bo from Friday.
I think when people view their legacies, they view Flair and the 2nd place NWA vs. WWF, Wrestlemania, Vince McMahon, and Hulk Hogan.
If you seperate the success of the WWF from the success of Hulk Hogan, I ultimately think a guy like Randy Savage could have been the star that Hulk Hogan was.
If I fit Flair into Hogan's spot on the WWF roster, I also don't think the WWF takes a major hit.
Flair took a great legacy of the NWA and carried it on his back, while Hogan was kind of in the right place at the right time.
Moon Knight
Original Prince of Darkness
In wrestling talent it is Flair all the way, but in overall impact I am sad to say Hogan. Hogan never could wrestle and all his matches were off of hype, but he made wrestling mainstream for some reason and was the biggest force is making it what it is today. Hogan also made WCW huge and without him some wrestlers may not be here.
This is actually more complex than what people have made it out to be thus far. Flair was just as big a name as Hogan during their prime. However, Flair was that big only within the small stranglehold boarders of the NWA. Although the NWA was still a force in the 80s it in no way had the scope and coverage at the level of the WWF. Hogan was the man on the bigger platform.
Its like comparing Edge and Christian at the moment. Both are great performers and both are incredibly popular. However, despite some argument that as an "all-rounder" Christian is the superior entertainer, he could never be at the saem level as Edge simply for the fact that TNA has a smaller audience. It doesn't matter what Christian accomplishes, so long as TNA remains as it is, he will always come off looking second best.
As far as Hogan taking the WWF mainstream. That is bullshit. Vince had that company primed and ready to go. It was just a question of who he would build the company around. If it wasn't Hogan it would have been someone else. Now perhaps they wouldn't have done as good a job as Hogan but the fact remains that it was Vince with the ideas and the networks - not Terry.
Also then you have to consider the impact that they had on the business by their association to others. How many stars did Flair make? Whom in turn then went out and made an impact of their own. By the same token, how many careers did Terry destroy? And thus prevent from ever making an impact of any shape, size or form.
IMO, its Flair by a long shot. Flair was able to make an impact off of his own talent, and his own blood and sweat. Hogan rode in on the big wave that already had all the momentum necessary to deliver him to shore. Hell, if you wanted to go crazy with it, you could even argue that Mr. T made Hulk Hogan. Seriously!!! Go back and think about the turning point for the WWF and Hulkamania. How did people learn who Hulk Hogan was? He was the guy in that wrestling match with Mr. T. BANG!! Hulkamania went prime time. Imagine if Flair was in a match with "Howling Mad" Murdoch.
Its like comparing Edge and Christian at the moment. Both are great performers and both are incredibly popular. However, despite some argument that as an "all-rounder" Christian is the superior entertainer, he could never be at the saem level as Edge simply for the fact that TNA has a smaller audience. It doesn't matter what Christian accomplishes, so long as TNA remains as it is, he will always come off looking second best.
As far as Hogan taking the WWF mainstream. That is bullshit. Vince had that company primed and ready to go. It was just a question of who he would build the company around. If it wasn't Hogan it would have been someone else. Now perhaps they wouldn't have done as good a job as Hogan but the fact remains that it was Vince with the ideas and the networks - not Terry.
Also then you have to consider the impact that they had on the business by their association to others. How many stars did Flair make? Whom in turn then went out and made an impact of their own. By the same token, how many careers did Terry destroy? And thus prevent from ever making an impact of any shape, size or form.
IMO, its Flair by a long shot. Flair was able to make an impact off of his own talent, and his own blood and sweat. Hogan rode in on the big wave that already had all the momentum necessary to deliver him to shore. Hell, if you wanted to go crazy with it, you could even argue that Mr. T made Hulk Hogan. Seriously!!! Go back and think about the turning point for the WWF and Hulkamania. How did people learn who Hulk Hogan was? He was the guy in that wrestling match with Mr. T. BANG!! Hulkamania went prime time. Imagine if Flair was in a match with "Howling Mad" Murdoch.
T
tmangamer
Guest
Ric Flair has put over so many great future wrestlers, I'm thinking of guys like Sting and basically all of the guys that ever started big time in WCW... He's still a decent wrestler at 58 years old and can put over the best of them these days... He's the greatest wrestler of all time without a doubt, and had the best mic skills of the 80s. Biggest impact for me does not mean biggest buyrates. Biggest impact means greatest matches, greatest memory kept, helping build a company. Hogan maybe built WWE, but Flair built WCW, paving the way for the rest, while Hogan never let go of his control over WWE or WCW.
I agree the thing that IMO makes flair better than hogan is flair is willing to an understands that it is necessary to put younger talent over Hogan has proven on multiple occasions he doesn't get it or doesn't want to get the only guys hogan ever put over were warrior and goldberg where are they now ? out of wrestling! hogan has had chances to put over Michaels (even though michaels is not young ) and orton and did not do it either time H ogan worries too much about himself
J
jcdrules
Guest
I go with Flair in the sense of overall body of work for the business. Let me explain in detail what I mean;
The arguement for Hogan:
Hogan is more main stream,
Hogan and Vince carried each other in the 80's - early 90's. Flair and Crockett if given the same plantform as the WWE had in 83,84,85 probably could not have done what Vince/Hogan did. Hogan had the awesome ability to control the crowd in the palm of his hand and tell his story in the ring, even though it was only for 10 minutes. This was due to his look and just overral charisma.
Sadly these are the only arguements for Hogan.
The arguement for Flair:
Flair made a boat load of careers. (Sting, Lugar, Anderson, ect ect.) No Flair, none of these guys. He single handly at the first ever Clash of Champions carried a very green Sting for 60 minutes. Hogan could NEVER do that. Flair's feuds with Lugar/Sting were classic in the sense that no matter how bad they had him beat he still snuck out with the title, and as a classic heel the people would hate that. (Only Flair would escape the torture rack due to a large amount of blood from Lugar's head). Look at Flairs feuds during the late 80's-early 90's compared to Hogans. Flair feuded with Race, Rhodes, Garvin, Sting, Steamboat, Lugar, Piper, Magnum T.A., Funk, who are all legit hall of famers. Hogan feuded with Piper, Savage, Orndorff, Bundy, Earthquake, Zeus, Bossman, Studd, Andre, Bravo. Sadly if 50% of that list at best can compare to Flairs. Flair would go 60 minutes with Steamboat or Sting, while Hogan would barely go 15 with Earthquake or Bossman. Flair has given more back to the business espically in the last 3-4 years than Hogan ever has. Flair would put over Umaga, Kenny, eventually Carlito, while Hogan comes in once a year and demands to go over guys like HBK and Randy Orton. Flair has made a who's who list of names, while Hogan has tried to destroy a who's who list of careers. If I got one pick to pick one guy as a role model and ICON of the business hands down I take RIC FLAIR WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
The arguement for Hogan:
Hogan is more main stream,
Hogan and Vince carried each other in the 80's - early 90's. Flair and Crockett if given the same plantform as the WWE had in 83,84,85 probably could not have done what Vince/Hogan did. Hogan had the awesome ability to control the crowd in the palm of his hand and tell his story in the ring, even though it was only for 10 minutes. This was due to his look and just overral charisma.
Sadly these are the only arguements for Hogan.
The arguement for Flair:
Flair made a boat load of careers. (Sting, Lugar, Anderson, ect ect.) No Flair, none of these guys. He single handly at the first ever Clash of Champions carried a very green Sting for 60 minutes. Hogan could NEVER do that. Flair's feuds with Lugar/Sting were classic in the sense that no matter how bad they had him beat he still snuck out with the title, and as a classic heel the people would hate that. (Only Flair would escape the torture rack due to a large amount of blood from Lugar's head). Look at Flairs feuds during the late 80's-early 90's compared to Hogans. Flair feuded with Race, Rhodes, Garvin, Sting, Steamboat, Lugar, Piper, Magnum T.A., Funk, who are all legit hall of famers. Hogan feuded with Piper, Savage, Orndorff, Bundy, Earthquake, Zeus, Bossman, Studd, Andre, Bravo. Sadly if 50% of that list at best can compare to Flairs. Flair would go 60 minutes with Steamboat or Sting, while Hogan would barely go 15 with Earthquake or Bossman. Flair has given more back to the business espically in the last 3-4 years than Hogan ever has. Flair would put over Umaga, Kenny, eventually Carlito, while Hogan comes in once a year and demands to go over guys like HBK and Randy Orton. Flair has made a who's who list of names, while Hogan has tried to destroy a who's who list of careers. If I got one pick to pick one guy as a role model and ICON of the business hands down I take RIC FLAIR WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
The only reason more people know people know Hogan is because of the movies and the merchandise. Nobody on line right now can name one classic match Hogan had or how many guys he's put over or carried in a match (The Ulitimate Warrior?). I don't have the time to go through the classic matches or name the guys Ric Flair's made or carried over the years. The best thing that makes the Nature Boy so great is that he stepped aside so guys like Sting, Luger, Windham, Bagwell, Pillman, Benoit, etc. can get there time to shine. Hulk Hogan never has and never will be able to hold a candle to The Nature Boy. So what if Hulkamania is "Immortal", DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER AND SO IS RIC FLAIR WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Jeez, how the hell do you begin wiht this one.
In Ring Ability.
Hogan. The big knock on Hogan, he can't wrestle. Well in the WWE 80's, he edidn't have to. The program was changed and redirected towards children almost exclusively. No Blood, no sex, no violence, taht was the WWF of the 80's. This is what people today don't understand when they compare Cena to Hogan, totally different era and mindset of people. What Hogan lacks in skill in the ring, he more then made up for with crowd control. Hogan knew exactly how to read the crowd and perform towards that reaction.
Flair: The NWA/WCW of the 80's was the real wrestling program at the time. Flair without a doubt, is one of the best in ring technicians of all time. Stamina was insane. Flair could make people in one match. Hogan couldn't do that. Flair never seemed to have a real problem with putting over the younger guy. Hogan it seems only did that once, with the Warrior. Flairs technical skills were just amazing. I give the edge in this category to Flair.
Booking Value:
Hogan: For the better part of 15 years, Hogan owned the business. He was the main event of 7 of the first 9 Wrestlemanias, plus two huge marquee matches later against the Rock and McMahon. Hulk Hogan for better or worse, is the face of professional wrestling.
Ric Flair: While probably a huge draw to wrestling marks, Flair never had that mainstream achievment like the Hulkster. Flair couldn't even headline WM 8 in a championship match with Hogan on the card. Hogan takes this.
Legacy.
Hogan: Hogan simply doesn't get the business in this aspect. Hogan has lived off of his legacy for the better part of a decade now. Hogan seems like a very different man since Bash at the Beach 2000 with Russo. I think Russo's words got to him, and he will never admit it. Hogan deserved his spot on the top while in WWE inthe 80's and WCW in the 90's, like it or not. Hogan was the reason most people watched, as much as wrestlers want to bitch about it. The WCW guys have no arguement with Hogan. I'm talking the Benoits and Jerichos, which I love. They didn't deserve to get Hogan's spot, because people wanted to see Hogan, plain and simple.
This attitude Hogan has now with wanting to make the most at WM 23, is just bullshit. Ya, Hogan outdraws anyone in the current WWE, and that's a safe and fair assesment, but that's not the point. Hogan has never given back to the company that has made him who he was. He won't job without a power struggle, ask HBK. His ego won't let him deal with his age.
Flair: Flair gets it. People bitch about a 58 year old Flair wrestling every week. I say, why not. Flair is a big name, and if he helps to get someone over, then use his name. The problem is, and i'll get shit on for it, the younger guys in the WWE can't scratch Ric Flairs nutsack in the ring. I've said it once, I'll say it again, 58 year old Flair is more entertaining to watch in the ring then 75% of the WWE roster. Flair is willing to do the JOB, so he can stay as long as he likes. Flair takes this category.
So, imo, Flair means more to the business from a wrestling standpoint, but in entertainment, Hogan takes the cake. The main legacy will be of guys that come that have molded themselves in their images. Flair gives you two big guns right away with Triple H and HBK, who absolutley model themselves after the Nature Boy, whereas Hulk Hogan has left us with John Cena...
In Ring Ability.
Hogan. The big knock on Hogan, he can't wrestle. Well in the WWE 80's, he edidn't have to. The program was changed and redirected towards children almost exclusively. No Blood, no sex, no violence, taht was the WWF of the 80's. This is what people today don't understand when they compare Cena to Hogan, totally different era and mindset of people. What Hogan lacks in skill in the ring, he more then made up for with crowd control. Hogan knew exactly how to read the crowd and perform towards that reaction.
Flair: The NWA/WCW of the 80's was the real wrestling program at the time. Flair without a doubt, is one of the best in ring technicians of all time. Stamina was insane. Flair could make people in one match. Hogan couldn't do that. Flair never seemed to have a real problem with putting over the younger guy. Hogan it seems only did that once, with the Warrior. Flairs technical skills were just amazing. I give the edge in this category to Flair.
Booking Value:
Hogan: For the better part of 15 years, Hogan owned the business. He was the main event of 7 of the first 9 Wrestlemanias, plus two huge marquee matches later against the Rock and McMahon. Hulk Hogan for better or worse, is the face of professional wrestling.
Ric Flair: While probably a huge draw to wrestling marks, Flair never had that mainstream achievment like the Hulkster. Flair couldn't even headline WM 8 in a championship match with Hogan on the card. Hogan takes this.
Legacy.
Hogan: Hogan simply doesn't get the business in this aspect. Hogan has lived off of his legacy for the better part of a decade now. Hogan seems like a very different man since Bash at the Beach 2000 with Russo. I think Russo's words got to him, and he will never admit it. Hogan deserved his spot on the top while in WWE inthe 80's and WCW in the 90's, like it or not. Hogan was the reason most people watched, as much as wrestlers want to bitch about it. The WCW guys have no arguement with Hogan. I'm talking the Benoits and Jerichos, which I love. They didn't deserve to get Hogan's spot, because people wanted to see Hogan, plain and simple.
This attitude Hogan has now with wanting to make the most at WM 23, is just bullshit. Ya, Hogan outdraws anyone in the current WWE, and that's a safe and fair assesment, but that's not the point. Hogan has never given back to the company that has made him who he was. He won't job without a power struggle, ask HBK. His ego won't let him deal with his age.
Flair: Flair gets it. People bitch about a 58 year old Flair wrestling every week. I say, why not. Flair is a big name, and if he helps to get someone over, then use his name. The problem is, and i'll get shit on for it, the younger guys in the WWE can't scratch Ric Flairs nutsack in the ring. I've said it once, I'll say it again, 58 year old Flair is more entertaining to watch in the ring then 75% of the WWE roster. Flair is willing to do the JOB, so he can stay as long as he likes. Flair takes this category.
So, imo, Flair means more to the business from a wrestling standpoint, but in entertainment, Hogan takes the cake. The main legacy will be of guys that come that have molded themselves in their images. Flair gives you two big guns right away with Triple H and HBK, who absolutley model themselves after the Nature Boy, whereas Hulk Hogan has left us with John Cena...
Damn I hate how this poll was worded mate. I mean, nobody can deny the impact Hogan made on wrestling. He easily wins that one. If you had asked who the better man/wrestler was, then jesus Ric Flair destroys Hogan by about 35972972 votes to 2.
Ric Flair was and always will be the better performer IMO. But Hogan's impact cannot be denied. That's why I voted for Hogan, despite my loathing of him.
Ric Flair was and always will be the better performer IMO. But Hogan's impact cannot be denied. That's why I voted for Hogan, despite my loathing of him.
To be honest, Flair is the better Wrestler. I couldn't name this thread that because it wouldn't get many replies. Flair would obviously be the winner. But if I put who sold more money, Hogan would win. So I split it in the middle. I love what Shockmaster said. It's so true. Flair made guys like HHH and HBK want to become wrestlers and Hogan made guys like Cena what they are. Just compare them now. Flair takes it for me, once again.
True but also don't forget one of the most important talents in wrestling history initially took his inspiration from Hogan--- Stone Cold Steve Austin.
He was initially a ripoff gimmick of Hogan, and honestly I don't think he ever would of gotten the attention and time he got to shine in the early 90s if it wasn't for that gimmick. Nobody else was stepping up to take the role as the next Hogan, so when he did it made alot of people pay attention to his matches, whether it be for geniune interest of the guy or just curiousity on how he worked his character.
Of course, he always could of been recognized and elevated anyways, but IMO he never would of hit the WWF big time if it wasn't for that gimmick.
On a side note, I wish now I could take back my vote for Hogan and give it to Flair. Thinking about it and reading over some of the posts in this thread has led me to think I misinterpreted the question. When I think of impact, I think of who changed the face and effected the business the largest of the two, and thus immediately Hogan came to mind as the winner. I failed to even think about the actual wrestling impact of Flair, as if it were not for him we wouldn't see half of the legends over the last ten years ever make anything of themselves without that good ol' Flair push.
He was initially a ripoff gimmick of Hogan, and honestly I don't think he ever would of gotten the attention and time he got to shine in the early 90s if it wasn't for that gimmick. Nobody else was stepping up to take the role as the next Hogan, so when he did it made alot of people pay attention to his matches, whether it be for geniune interest of the guy or just curiousity on how he worked his character.
Of course, he always could of been recognized and elevated anyways, but IMO he never would of hit the WWF big time if it wasn't for that gimmick.
On a side note, I wish now I could take back my vote for Hogan and give it to Flair. Thinking about it and reading over some of the posts in this thread has led me to think I misinterpreted the question. When I think of impact, I think of who changed the face and effected the business the largest of the two, and thus immediately Hogan came to mind as the winner. I failed to even think about the actual wrestling impact of Flair, as if it were not for him we wouldn't see half of the legends over the last ten years ever make anything of themselves without that good ol' Flair push.
Well Stone Cold mocked Hogan because he felt Hogan was the reason he wasn't in WCW anymore. Between Hogan and Bischoff, Austin doesn't like both of them that well. Stone Cold is definetly a Flair guy. Watch the Horseman DVD, he idolizes Flair. It's amazing to see how he talks about Flair in that video. Even Flair himself said that Austin deserved to be the man in WCW, and was ready to put Austin over before Hogan showed up.
This is the problem with Hogan/Flair. Flair recognizes talent, Hogan recognizes friends or people that he has already worked with.. Look at some of the names he said should be in the HOF this year, (before he got bitch slapped by McMahon). Savage, Bossman, Perfect, i don't have the whole list he said, but most of them are guys that Hogan feuded with and he thinks he helped made. This is the saddest thing with the Big Show, because he is too star struck to see that Hogan is using him as a crutch to do their circus side show.
Flair on the ohter hand recognizes talent. He decided to help get Luger over, he recognized Austin as a main eventer. He put HBK over in his return in 2002. Flair knows the business, and hell, he's jobbed to all of them.
The only match you can put as a real example is using Shawn Michaels as the opponent.
Watch Flairs match against Michaels from Badd Blood 03, that was a 54 year old Flair. Not the best match, but a very entertaining match nonetheless.
Then you watch Summerslam 05 with Hogan v. Michaels, and it's the complete opposite. HBK jobbed to both Flair and Michaels, but at least Flair pulls his weight in the Bad Blood match, and Flair was older then Hogan at the time of his match with HBK.
You can go back and forth all day on this topic though.
This is the problem with Hogan/Flair. Flair recognizes talent, Hogan recognizes friends or people that he has already worked with.. Look at some of the names he said should be in the HOF this year, (before he got bitch slapped by McMahon). Savage, Bossman, Perfect, i don't have the whole list he said, but most of them are guys that Hogan feuded with and he thinks he helped made. This is the saddest thing with the Big Show, because he is too star struck to see that Hogan is using him as a crutch to do their circus side show.
Flair on the ohter hand recognizes talent. He decided to help get Luger over, he recognized Austin as a main eventer. He put HBK over in his return in 2002. Flair knows the business, and hell, he's jobbed to all of them.
The only match you can put as a real example is using Shawn Michaels as the opponent.
Watch Flairs match against Michaels from Badd Blood 03, that was a 54 year old Flair. Not the best match, but a very entertaining match nonetheless.
Then you watch Summerslam 05 with Hogan v. Michaels, and it's the complete opposite. HBK jobbed to both Flair and Michaels, but at least Flair pulls his weight in the Bad Blood match, and Flair was older then Hogan at the time of his match with HBK.
You can go back and forth all day on this topic though.
J
jcdrules
Guest
Remeber when Flair went over HBK at BB 03, it was more so to help Randy Orton get over due to his run-in. That statement right there alone says more about HBK and FLAIR then Hogan. Look at Flair's WWE return in 02, he put over Austin on RAW, put over Lesnar on Raw and at MSG, went over Guerrero, but only because Buh Buh Ray Dudley did a run in, which gave BBRD a rub off Flair for his singles run he was having at the time. Look at Hogan in 05, Went over HBK in the middle of the god damn ring at SummerSlam, had the gaul to use his creative controll card to get the pin at Backlash to end the HBk-Hassan feud. Pinned Orton in the middle of the ring at Summerslam 06. Again I said it before I would take Flair hands down.
Not to mention that Hogan was supposed to go against HBK at Unforgiven the month after summerslam. HBK was supposed to go over in a steel cage, which would have been bad ass. Even leading into the program with Hogan, HBK wanted it to be face vs. face, but Hogan insisted that HBK take on more of a heel role. Its that kinda crap that pisses people off when it comes to Hogan.
T
Triple H 2773
Guest
And gentlemen, let us not forget that Flair was apart of THE MOST POWERFUL and influential group of ALL TIME: THE FOUR HORSEMEN! Without Flair and the Horsemen, Barry Windham doesn't have the career he had. There is no nWo, no DX, no Evolution. And the mic skills that Flair possess, both now and back in the day, is far superior than Hogan's. Who else but Flair could make "Space Mountain" work but Flair. IMO, this is what makes Flair better than Hogan
Shining Wizard
Gregory Helms > You
I'm going for Ric Flair. He has more talent in his pinky that Hogan has in his whole body. Besides that he is more charasmatic and had a bigger impact on the wrestling industry. Not just one company but the whole industry. Ric Flair made the NWA famous. When you think about the NWA you think of Ric Flair and how much work he put into it. He made Sting the man he is today. Stings best match and the match that overall made Sting a icon is Ric Flair vs. Sting- World Title match. The first one that ever happened in WCW.
The 4 Horsemen, a good group of good wrestlers back in the day. I wasn't around for that but I have downloaded the movie off of somewhere and I got to tell you that The 4 Horsemen set a wrestling trend. It made wrestling promoters like Vince Mcmahon and Eric Bischoff create stables like Vince made DX, Evolution and etc. Bischoff created NWO, Wolfpac and etc. If you compare the 4 horsemen to Evolution. 4 Horsemen had every title in there postion at times. Same goes for Evolution. They had all the titles from RAW in there position at a certain time.
My official answer is Flair is better. I'm just sad at the way he is being jobbed out of RAW. I feel Flair jobbing is needed since he is old and will be leaving soon but I rather see him job to Main Eventers than him job to mid carders. At least than he has more lime light before he leaves and is remembered for everything he has done for the company.
The 4 Horsemen, a good group of good wrestlers back in the day. I wasn't around for that but I have downloaded the movie off of somewhere and I got to tell you that The 4 Horsemen set a wrestling trend. It made wrestling promoters like Vince Mcmahon and Eric Bischoff create stables like Vince made DX, Evolution and etc. Bischoff created NWO, Wolfpac and etc. If you compare the 4 horsemen to Evolution. 4 Horsemen had every title in there postion at times. Same goes for Evolution. They had all the titles from RAW in there position at a certain time.
My official answer is Flair is better. I'm just sad at the way he is being jobbed out of RAW. I feel Flair jobbing is needed since he is old and will be leaving soon but I rather see him job to Main Eventers than him job to mid carders. At least than he has more lime light before he leaves and is remembered for everything he has done for the company.
K
kirby05
Guest
flair without a doubt was and still is the best wrestler ever.flair has always been about helping the up and coming wrestlers.hogan has and always will be about hulk hogan. if you want to wrestle do just that, like flair.if you want to act go to hollywood.........hogan
You guys don't understand the question. It's not who was the better wrestler or even the better entertainer. The first one would hands down go to Flair, there's no reason to even make a thread about it. The second one is more arguable, but it's not even the question.
The question is who brought more /did more for the business (and this is why I think the results are skewed... people don't understand the question). Flair inspired a lot of the greats, and he was BIG in his territories, but Hogan made WWF and Hulk Hogan a household name with everything that he did. It's something you have to consider before saying the answer is Ric Flair hands down.
The question is who brought more /did more for the business (and this is why I think the results are skewed... people don't understand the question). Flair inspired a lot of the greats, and he was BIG in his territories, but Hogan made WWF and Hulk Hogan a household name with everything that he did. It's something you have to consider before saying the answer is Ric Flair hands down.
Yes Prax people understand that, but I don't think you're getting why people are voting for Flair. Although at first I voted for Hogan as well, I wish I could reverse it to Flair after some thought. Hogan undoubtedly had a huge impact on wrestling in terms of popularity. But you seem to be forgetting wrestling skills. Sure the question isn't who's the better wrestler, it's who's had the biggest impact, and if you think about it Flair undoubtedly had a much larger one on the business as a whole. How you say? By being the best damn wrestler in the history of this biz arguably, directly influencing just about every single major star of the last ten years, and virtually making some of the biggest stars of the 90s by putting them over.
Hogan's impact has been huge in terms of popularity, drawing power, and ratings. However when it comes to influence on the business, Flair wins hands down. Flair built WCW single handedly in the 80s and early 90s, and not off of a gimmick, but off of his excellence as a performer.
I understand why people would vote for Hogan, hell I did myself at first. But after some thought, I have to go with Flair.
One major reason being, though everyone talks about Hogan's positive impact on the business, how about his negative impact? He just about single-handedly destroyed WCW, he put a black eye on the business forever during the steroid trial, he refused to job or put over any of the younger talent, and he has been nothing but a cancer to the business and an absolute complete douchebag for the last fifteen years.
Overall though Hogan made a very positive impact, his negative impact cancels anything positive he did to me.
Hogan's impact has been huge in terms of popularity, drawing power, and ratings. However when it comes to influence on the business, Flair wins hands down. Flair built WCW single handedly in the 80s and early 90s, and not off of a gimmick, but off of his excellence as a performer.
I understand why people would vote for Hogan, hell I did myself at first. But after some thought, I have to go with Flair.
One major reason being, though everyone talks about Hogan's positive impact on the business, how about his negative impact? He just about single-handedly destroyed WCW, he put a black eye on the business forever during the steroid trial, he refused to job or put over any of the younger talent, and he has been nothing but a cancer to the business and an absolute complete douchebag for the last fifteen years.
Overall though Hogan made a very positive impact, his negative impact cancels anything positive he did to me.
R
rockersmmj
Guest
the nature boy ric flair as he had great matches with many of the legands in this buissness many of which went an hour with guys like ricky steamboat dusty rhodes and bret hart but too name a few while when youve seen one hogan match youve seen them all where he gets beat up for between 5 to ten muinets then makes his comeback always winning with that damn legdrop there was no variation in hogans matches which made them boring for me.
Hogan without a doubt had the biggest impact on Pro Wrestling in the US. You can't argue against that. The pros out way the cons here.
The question is the biggest impact on wrestling, NOT the better wrestler. If that was the question than the answer is Flair. And I do understand why some of you chose Flair.
Wrestling was always popular, but Hogan made it huge. I agree Flair was the one who may of inspired people to be good wrestlers, but Hogan was the one that made people want to be a wrestler. He was everywhere. Hogan was very marketable and the media & everyone ate up Hulkamania. Hulkamania was huge. Everyone was a Hulk Hogan fan. Everyone copied Hogan as a child. Hogan made the WWF (along with Vince) what it is today.
Flair made an impact on wrestling in general. He HELPED make careers. He didn't actually make anyone. To have a good heel you actually need a good face. Flair is also considered one of if not the best wrestler in the US.
But the impact on the pro wrestling world was Hogan (w/ Vince). The WWE is the biggest promotion in the world (bar none), and it got that way thanks to Hogan's world wide popularity.
1.) Hulk Hogan was the reason merchandising became an important part in wrestling. The WWE makes a shit load of money thanks to merchandise sales. Hogan started it all.
2.) Vince was able to us Hogan for PPVs. Before Hogan no one attempted PPV. Hogan's popularity gave Vince that opportunity. PPVs are a must now a days.
3.) Hogan was the first wrestler with a theme song. Every wrestler has a theme song. You can't not have one.
4.) I watched WCW back in the early 90's, but WCW was no where near the level of the WWF. Then Hogan jumped to WCW and that is when WCW became a major player.
5.) Hogan and the NWO carried Nitro past RAW for 80+ weeks. People tuned into WCW Nitro because of the NWO, not Flair and the Horsemen.
6.) Hogan was and IS the biggest name in pro wrestling.
My vote goes to Hogan. Hands down. Flair put on good matches, but those matches didn't leave a big impact on the wrestling world. They left an impact on Flair.
The question is the biggest impact on wrestling, NOT the better wrestler. If that was the question than the answer is Flair. And I do understand why some of you chose Flair.
Wrestling was always popular, but Hogan made it huge. I agree Flair was the one who may of inspired people to be good wrestlers, but Hogan was the one that made people want to be a wrestler. He was everywhere. Hogan was very marketable and the media & everyone ate up Hulkamania. Hulkamania was huge. Everyone was a Hulk Hogan fan. Everyone copied Hogan as a child. Hogan made the WWF (along with Vince) what it is today.
Flair made an impact on wrestling in general. He HELPED make careers. He didn't actually make anyone. To have a good heel you actually need a good face. Flair is also considered one of if not the best wrestler in the US.
But the impact on the pro wrestling world was Hogan (w/ Vince). The WWE is the biggest promotion in the world (bar none), and it got that way thanks to Hogan's world wide popularity.
1.) Hulk Hogan was the reason merchandising became an important part in wrestling. The WWE makes a shit load of money thanks to merchandise sales. Hogan started it all.
2.) Vince was able to us Hogan for PPVs. Before Hogan no one attempted PPV. Hogan's popularity gave Vince that opportunity. PPVs are a must now a days.
3.) Hogan was the first wrestler with a theme song. Every wrestler has a theme song. You can't not have one.
4.) I watched WCW back in the early 90's, but WCW was no where near the level of the WWF. Then Hogan jumped to WCW and that is when WCW became a major player.
5.) Hogan and the NWO carried Nitro past RAW for 80+ weeks. People tuned into WCW Nitro because of the NWO, not Flair and the Horsemen.
6.) Hogan was and IS the biggest name in pro wrestling.
My vote goes to Hogan. Hands down. Flair put on good matches, but those matches didn't leave a big impact on the wrestling world. They left an impact on Flair.
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