Would Hulk Hogan Have Been As Big Without The "Self-Destruction" Of Ultimate Warrior?

[MrMojoRisin]

I recently watched the WWE's "Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior" dvd, and whether you believe WWE's or Warrior's side of the events that led to his career demise, the fact is that his career blew up in a hurry. But upon my view of it, I noticed something interesting: it appeared that Vince and the company were very much behind building up Warrior. They had big plans for him, he was over, and they obviously wanted him to be a top guy in the company for some time to come. But, for numerous reasons, it didn't unfold that way.

At Wrestlemania VI, Hulk Hogan put Warrior over clean. Warrior pinned Hogan clean during the height of Hulkamania. He retained his IC Championship and won the WWE Championship simultaneously. Championship-wise, it was billed as the biggest match thusfar in WWE history, as it was a winner-takes-all match. The winner would be victorious over the other face of the company, would have both top titles, and won have the victory in front of millions in the main event of the main venue of the year, arguably of all time up to that point. And they went with Warrior.

I think this clearly shows that the WWE wanted Warrior to become almost an equal of Hogan's, maybe even his eventual successor, as the Warrior was 6 years younger. The WWE wanted to establish another top face as a title contender besides Hogan, and they pushed Warrior to that spot. But then, Warrior began to run into backstage trouble, and after his reign, his career went on the decline. Although a few career revivals were tried, he never got back to his old spot.

But here's my theory: I think that since the Ultimate Warrior experiment exploded in the WWE's face, they immediately went back to Hogan as the clear face of the company and perennial title holder. In other words, I firmly believe that if Warrior never imploded, he would have taken away some of the spotlight (title reigns, popularity, attention) from Hogan during the early 90's, and Hogan would've never become as big as he eventually became. Now, I'm not saying Hogan wouldn't have become big. He would've found a way for sure, of course. But I think Warrior's exit really thrust Hogan into the driver's seat of the WWE as their focal point. After Warrior left, the only one who was really put over Hogan in a big way, Hogan took the WWE ball and ran, becoming a multi-time WWE Champion and the clear face of the company. But what if Warrior had still been there to stand in his way? Surely Warrior would have been given the belt a few more times if he had just been able to keep cool backstage and out of controversy. It could've very well been Warrior headlining some of those later Wrestlemanias, not Hogan.

So what do you think? Do you think Hogan got HUGE because Warrior didn't stick around? (And again, I'm not saying Hogan wouldn't have become big with the Warrior around, just maybe not as big.)

Umm... it's not like Hogan was some guy still making his name at that point.

If he'd never wrestled another match after WM6, he still would have gone down as arguably the biggest name in wrestling history. There was absolutely nothing he did in the WWF after that match that made him a bigger name than he already was.

Yeah if Warrior hadn't been... well himself, McMahon never would have gone back to Hogan as his #1 face. He was already fazing him out at this point, and only went back to Hogan because Warrior couldn't help being Warrior.

But if Warrior had worked out and McMahon stuck with him as the new face of the company, Hogan wouldn't have even stuck around the WWF much longer. Don't underestimate the fact that Hogan's ego would not have allowed him to remain in the WWF without being the top guy. He would have taken the same shitty acting jobs he did during that time... probably done some tours of Japan where he was still insanely over, and eventually still would have got the WCW contract that cemented the next faze of his career. Probably would have even got it sooner and we might have even seen the first big Hogan/Flair match headlining Starrcade. Who knows? Maybe with what was THE dream match of the time, WCW never would have let Flair get away?

The only thing that would have happened is Hogan wouldn't have 3 extra WWF title reigns to his credit today (and remember only one of those was even decent... #4 was a one day reign, and #5 was something even Hogan probably wishes he could forget).

 

[FlairFan2003]

Hogan was already established as the biggest drawing star the industry ever had before UW's self implosion. If Warrior manages to not alienate himself from the whole roster & Vince he would have had a better career but Hogan's legacy was already pretty much set. If anything the steroid trial ended Hogan's run in WWE & UW had nothing to do with that.

Savage also had pretty much carved out his niche and would have been unchanged I think. Brett Hart did benefit from UW falling out with Vince. WWE was building a Flair-Warrior feud, they were feuding on TV & main eventing house shows fairly soon after he regained the title from Savage. It was clear they were building to a Flair-Warrior match at Survivor Series and UW likely would have gone over. Warrior's failings, not too mention him injuring Flair forcing him indefinately necessitating a title switch really opened the door for Brett.

In closing, Hogan was already a legend, Warrior did little to undermine that and if he stayed that wouldnt have changed. His firing and falling out with Vince did benefit Hart, but you cant fault a guy for taking the ball & running with it when given the chance

 

[TheExceLLenceOfExecution]

Let me start by saying how dissapointed I was in that DVD. Sure the title kind of insinuated that it was going to not be the most flattering tribute to the Warrior, but holy crap it was just an absolute bash-fest! I really expected the DVD to go over how amazing his run was in the WWF(E) and then at the end explain what he did wrong and whatnot. But that whole DVD from beginning to end was just a complete and utter bash-fest!!! Nobody had anything good to say about the guy or even gave him credit for the things he did!

On to your question, Hulk was already extremely successful at that point, Warrior left in what 1991 I think? Late 91 I believe. Hulkamania already peaked at that point! Hogan was gone by mid 1993 and that wasn't his best year by far! Hulk really only benefited in 1992 by not having the warrior around, if he did at all! If the Warrior never left, I am sure him and the Hulk would keep swapping the title back and forth until Hulk went to WCW..

 

[lowandmighty]

Hulk Hogan was already a really big name, basically the only big name worldwide. People who didn't watch wrestling still had never heard of the warrior after he'd beaten Hogan at wrestlemania.
It wouldn't have mattered. Hogan was already a major star before Warrior came along. Warrior didn't really have anything to do with Hogans success. If anything he hindered it by winning that wrestlemania match.