Hulk Hogan’s Most Iconic Moments of the 80s and 90s

Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time as well as the most popular wrestler of the 1980s and 1990s. Trained by Hiro Matsuda, Hogan made his professional wrestling debut on August 10, 1977, against Brian Blair. Hogan initially wrestled under the name “The Super Destroyer.”

Joining WWF: Hogan joined Vincent J. McMahon’s WWF in 1980, where he was initially billed as a villain before turning face by saving then-WWF Champion Bob Backlund in 1981.

Birth of Hulkamania: Hogan’s popularity soared by 1984, culminating in a pivotal match against Iron Sheik on January 23, 1984, at Madison Square Garden, which marked the birth of Hulkamania and established Hogan as the industry’s biggest star.

Rivalry with Andre the Giant: The rivalry between Hogan and Andre the Giant began in 1980 and culminated in a historic main event at WrestleMania III, where Hogan body slammed the nearly 500-pound Andre, showcasing immense strength.

Formation of the Mega Powers: Hogan helped Randy Savage win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania IV. Their partnership was formalized on July 30, 1988, when they teamed up to defeat Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase at the first SummerSlam.

Joining WCW: Hulk Hogan began appearing on WCW television in March 1994 and officially signed with WCW on June 11, 1994, after tearing up his Thunder in Paradise contract.

Debut Match: Hogan won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in his debut match at Bash at the Beach by defeating Ric Flair.

Hulk Hogan turned heel for the first time in nearly fifteen years at Bash at the Beach on July 7, 1996, by attacking Randy Savage and announcing the formation of the New World Order (nWo), which gained significant prominence in the subsequent months.

Hogan won his second WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Hog Wild on August 10, 1996, but lost it to Lex Luger on August 4, 1997, before regaining it just five days later at Road Wild.

Hogan lost the title to Sting at Starrcade on December 28, 1997, after a controversial match where Bret Hart accused the referee of fast-counting. This led to a series of events that resulted in the title becoming vacant.

Following Hogan’s betrayal of Kevin Nash, the nWo split into two factions: nWo Hollywood, led by Hogan, and nWo Wolfpac, led by Nash. This division marked a significant storyline development in WCW’s narrative.