Did Hogan really put wrestling on the map?

[kiddsmash]

Wanna talk Flamboyant? Look up Adrian Street now that's Flamboyant.
On the matter of the subject everyone knows Hogan is a rip off of Superstar Billy Graham. lol
Gorgeous George is before Hogan in my book but in being Flamboyant Adrain Street beats him. lol Plus wasn't Supstar Billy Graham Flamboyant a bit?
Oh and Jesse The Body Ventura with that Bola and those sunglasses. Too many Flamboyant guys at the time but Adrian Street wins hands down. He actuslly dressed in drag and had the make-up. God this takes me way back to the World Class Championship Days and Southwets wtrestling days.

You know where Kerry VonErich rode the horse and was called the Modern Day warrior? Those were the days.

 

[excellence of execution]

on the subject of riding a horse in the 80s vince wanted to make bret hart ride a horse to the ring and endorse the gimmick of cowboy bret hart:thank god someone on the creative team thought otherwise.

 

[Flair for The Gold]

A lot of people have brought up some good points about exactly who put wrestling on the map. Georgous George, I would certainly agree with to an extent. But I'm not exactly sure he put it on a national stage like Hogan did.

But then again, it was Vince who, in essence created Hulk Hogan, so was it really Hogan at all?

I guess I've always though of Hogan's national drawing power like this. Hogan's just kind of the lovable oaf that brings in fans. Yeah, sure he does his whole Hulkamania bit, goes crazy in the ring, Hulks up and all that. And your enthralled by it when you first start watching wrestling, what could possibly be better than this, you ask?

Then you watch a 4 Horsemen promo, and for many people, this is when you decide to be just a casual fan, or a hardcore fan of wrestling, and if you want to delve as deep into the buisiness as possible.

Thats how I think Hogan's drawing power worked throughout the 80's and 90's while he was in WWE.

 

[kiddsmash]

But in all essence Hogan just said what was scripted for him While Flair did what he did and so did others outside WWF.

Again Vince made Hogan and the writting team gave him good lines and everyone he faced sold his actions in the ring. Come on a leg drop as a finisher? when the piledriver was more devasting? Also The Figure fourleglock was way more effective and still is. Hell,even the RKO can't sell anymore. Did you see how Cena didn't even sell it. Leg drop? Please? Hogan was made by the WWF and the other wrestlers around him and the one who REALLY made him in the wrestling ringe was Andre "The Giant". Let's not forget had it not been for Andre Hogan would have been a flop. Another point made. lol

BTW sorry for putting RKO in there just something that got in my thoughts. It had nothing to do with this or did it? Maybe to prove how much more effective the figure four leg lock is? lol

 

[Viva La Luke]

Hogan brought wrestling to the mainstream not a shadow of a dought in my mind, you just blabbered on about how other people could have done it, completely ignoring the question.

 

[kiddsmash]

It wasn't blabber if you paid attetntion there were points to why he didn't make wrestling period and Fliar made wrestling. Vince put wrestling in the mainstream and Hogan was the stooge that fit on Vince's hand. Anyways you prolly don't know much of what I even said. I know you didn't read most of it. You're just part of the herd of sheep that believ Hogan made wrestling and brought it out when he didn't. He was just the puppet as I stated prolly many times already.

 

[Y2Jasmine]

I think Vince initially brought Hulk Hogan in because he was already in the public eye having done the Rocky movie, and when people saw him they stopped to see what was up beacause they recognized him from a big movie. I dont know how much he contributed to wrestling itself but I think he definitely helped get it into the mainstream as much as it is today and thats why they have WWE pictures starring WWE superstars now to try to recapture the publics attention again.

 

[chavoheat]

The WWF made him a marketing ploy and they could have doen this with anyone at the time. Jesse "The Body" Ventura could have easily been better then Hogan.

I wouldn't say "easily". Hogan played a big part in making his character work.

Ventura was more natural as a heel. I don't think he could have been a big babyface in the same mold Hogan was.

 

[Matthew Edwards]

I think Hulk Hogan did put wrestling on the map. Well mainstream that is!:bounce:

 

[SnackZ]

Very good topic. A lot of ifs, ands, buts and ors going on though. The questing is "did Hulk Hogan put wrestling on the map?" not "who could have been put in Hogan's place to bring wrestling to the forefront?"

Hogan is the man. You may not want to admit it but he is. Flair is the GREATEST wrestler ever imo. He had it all, except for the money and company behind him.

Vince gave Hogan the opportunity to carry the WWE on his back and Hogan ran with it. Sure there could have been otheres who could have done the same but the fact remains that Hogan DID it. He captured the imaginations of millions of fans, whether they were actual wrestling fans or if they watched only because others were talking about it. He entertained the masses and sold out arena after arena. He was the BEST face ever to be in wrestling. So much that his HEEL turn is what brought about the revitalization of wrestling. The NWO not only sparked the Monday Night Wars but also sparked the WWE's Attitude Era - Austin, DX, The Rock - all brought upon us by Vince in an effort to take down Hogan and WCW.

I have more but I see this as a pointless argument. I'm 28 years old and I've been watching Wrestling since 1982. I've seen alot of guys come and go and still haven't seen someone who brings in an audience like Hogan and thats a fact. When Hogan was headlining Manias the crowds were always in excess of 60 to 70 thousand fans (except for MSG with doesn't have that capacity).

Love or hate Hogan but HE is the reason you all watch wrestling as it is today, not RIC FLAIR, not DUSTY RHODES. Vince was and is a very smart man.

 

[Nobody]

I think Hogan is was the face of the pro-wrestling.When i say wrestling, in my mind appears Hulk Hogan.I never say that he was an good wrestler but, he was the man who make this sport so known!!and i respect him for this.

 

[n00b]

no, becuase hogans an ass.

 

[Superfluous Idealist]

Vince is the puppet master and Hogan is the puppet. Except the puppet got a ego and well just turned into the biggest asshole in wrestling history.