Hulk Hogan: The Rise & Fall Of Hulkamania In Pop Culture, Explained (2024)

Whether you love or hate him, Hulk Hogan is the Babe Ruth of professional wrestling. Many fans will likely disagree with that notion and come up with their own opinions and views as to why Hulk Hogan doesn't deserve that honor based on his personal issues and comments over the years regarding his own life, and racism accusations, among other details. From a professional point of view, "The Hulkster" is responsible for the rise of WWE just as much as the birth of WrestleMania. In WCW, Hogan picked up the organization and helped turn WCW into the #1 organization between 1994 through 1998.

Hulkamania has run wild over the years, but will it live forever?

The Birth Of Hulkamania Began WWE's Rise In Popularity

The Rise Of Hulkamania Led To WrestleMania

• Hulkamania started on January 23, 1984, after Hulk Hogan captured his first WWE World Championship by defeating The Iron Sheik.
• Hulk Hogan's rise in popularity was a big factor in the birth of WrestleMania.
• Hulk Hogan dominated the WWE as its megastar between 1984 and 1993.

Hulk Hogan came over from AWA to WWE to begin his second stint with the company, this time as a clean-cut babyface. Hogan earned a WWE World Championship match against The Iron Sheik on January 23, 1984, at Madison Square Garden. The Hulkster defeated The Iron Sheik to capture his first WWE World Championship. The late Gorilla Monsoon, who was doing the play-by-play for the match, stated that "Hulkamania is here". This marked the official beginning of Hulk Hogan's surge in popularity as the all-American good guy who stood for what was right and fought the evils of the WWE.

WWE began to rise in popularity throughout the world and became a pop-cultural phenomenon, especially in the world of music. Vince McMahon capitalized on Hogan's popularity, along with the idea of combining the world of pro wrestling with the world of Hollywood and music to create the global juggernaut, "WrestleMania", beginning in March 1985.

Hulk Hogan dominated the wrestling industry in terms of popularity and became a household name with millions of young Hulkamaniac fans across the world. Hogan's tenure with WWE reached its zenith by early 1993. He wrestled his final WWE match at the time against Yokozuna at King of the Ring. Hogan departed WWE and took a year off from the wrestling industry to spend time with his family and film Thunder in Paradise.

Hulkamania Was Reborn Upon Hulk Hogan's Arrival To WCW

Hulkamania In WCW Led To A Historic Heel Turn

• Hulk Hogan signed a contract with WCW in 1994.
• Hogan's babyface act began to grow stale for wrestling fans by 1996.
• Hulk Hogan joined forces with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in the creation of the n.W.o.

Hulk Hogan signed a contract with WCW officially in June 1994 after concluding a brief stint with NJPW and filming Thunder in Paradise. Hogan wrestled WCW World Heavyweight Champion, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, at Bast at the Beach, where he defeated Flair for the title. Hogan and his legion of Hulkamaniacs ran wild throughout WCW, as Hogan became the centerpiece of WCW over the next couple of years.

In 1996, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash returned to WCW in the summer of 1996 after successful runs in WWE. They portrayed themselves as "Outsiders" coming from WWE to takeover WCW.

At WCW Bash at the Beach, The Outsiders were on the brink of defeat against the WCW all-star team featuring Sting, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and Lex Luger. Hulk Hogan came down to ringside, as fans expected Hogan to aid his WCW comrades. The Hulkster dropped the Leg Drop on Randy Savage. Hogan turned heel for the first time in over a decade, joining Hall and Nash to officially form the New World Order.

Hogan became the number one heel in the wrestling industry for the next couple of years. By August 1999, as the n.W.o. began to fade away, Hogan decided it was time to bring back the red-and-yellow one more time. Hulkamania made its return to WCW, and remained as such until Hogan's controversial departure from the company in July 2000.

Hulkamania Was Tarnished Due To Hulk Hogan's Personal Problems

Will Hulkamania Live Forever?

• Hulk Hogan brought back his red-and-yellow "Hulkamania" gimmick in WCW, WWE, and TNA.
• Hulk Hogan lost a lot of popularity due to controversial comments and personal issues.
• Hulk Hogan is arguably the greatest name in all of professional wrestling.

Hulk Hogan sat out the rest of his contract and returned to WWE in February 2002 as part of the n.W.o. alongside Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. This was short-lived, after Hogan's match with The Rock at WrestleMania 18, when the fans in Toronto, Canada cheered Hogan on, revitalizing his Hulkamania gimmick once more in WWE.

Hogan had sporadic runs with WWE throughout the 2000s and 2010s, and also a run with TNA Wrestling between 2010 through 2012. Personal issues which included a sex tape with Bubba "The Love" Sponge's wife, Heather Clem, a controversial divorce with Linda Bollea in 2007, and racial comments made on social media, among other factors have tarnished Hogan's public image with wrestling fans.

Despite his issues, Hulk Hogan still remains arguably)the greatest name in all of pro wrestling. Without Hogan's influence and the rise of Hulkamania, the wrestling world may not be as popular as we know it today.