Celebrating 40 years of Hulkamania: The Top 5 Hulk Hogan Moments

Hulk Hogan had many legendary moments, but we’ll focus on his time rocking the famous red and yellow for this list. We’ll save the black and white for another time because that era was just too sweet.

This also means that Hogan’s iconic WrestleMania X8 match with The Rock is not featured on this list.

Hulk Hogan Wins WWE Championship in 2002

This will be the most modern entry on this list, and it was a feel-good moment for longtime fans of the Hulkster. Hogan had a tumultuous split from WCW following a shoot promo by the promotion’s creative writer at the time, Vince Russo, at the 2000 Bash at the Beach PPV. In the storyline, Jeff Jarrett took a dive for Hulk, who got on the microphone and called the segment “bullsh*t.” This was all part of the plan until Hogan left the building, and Russo cut a scathing promotion on him, vowing that the “bald-headed son of a b**ch” would never return to WCW. Well, Russo was right, as Hogan was caught off-guard by the promo and ended up suing WCW.

Two years later, Hogan returned to WWE, initially in the nWo black and white, but it wouldn’t take long for him to don the classic yellow and red once again. Fans rallied behind Hogan enough to convince the WWE decision-makers to give him a short title run in 2002 when he defeated Triple H in an upset to become the WWE Undisputed Champion at the Backlash pay-per-view.

Mega Powers Are Formed

On the October 3, 1987 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, “Macho Man,” Randy Savage was robbed of an Intercontinental Championship win over Honky Tonk Man. Savage had the title won after landing his famous elbow drop, but The Hart Foundation attacked Savage, allowing Honky Tonk Man to keep the title via DQ. Miss Elizabeth, Savage’s manager and then-wife, ran backstage to get Hogan to help Savage, which he did. After Hogan cleaned house, he and Savage shook hands in another legendary moment in WWE history.

The July 30, 1988 episode of WWE Superstars is one that wrestling fans of that era have never forgotten. At this time, Randy Savage was the WWE Champion. During the episode, Savage said he had a very special tag team partner to face Andre the Giant and Ted Dibiase. Hulk Hogan’s music hit, and fans inside the LaCrosse Center in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, were on their feet.

Hogan’s promo planted the seeds for the eventual downfall of the Mega Powers. Hogan said that now he and Savage would be fighting for Miss Elizabeth’s honor. Commentators Vince McMahon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura agreed that the line from Hogan might come back to haunt him. It eventually did after Savage turned on Hogan in 1989, thus ending the Mega Powers.

Hulk Hogan Wins WWE Championship For The First Time

This entry can easily be number one or two on this list. You can’t talk about the red and yellow era of Hulk Hogan without mentioning his first WWE Championship win. Hogan was actually released by WWE back in 1981 for appearing in the Rocky III movie against Vince McMahon Sr.’s wishes. Once Vince McMahon Jr. purchased WWE from his father, Hogan found his way back to the promotion in an effort for the company to go nationwide.

The Iron Shiek had been a transitional champion after defeating Bob Backlund in late 1983. Shiek’s win was to set Hulk Hogan up for success. Hogan powered out of the camel clutch and landed the big leg drop for the three-count to win the WWE Championship. Hogan’s reign would last for 1,474 days.

Hulk Hogan Signs With WCW

In March 1994, WCW began hyping up the possibility of Hulk Hogan signing a deal with the promotion. While crowd support for Hogan was waning, he was still a massive star during this time. WCW began teasing that Hogan would leave the Thunder in Paradise show to return to wrestling.

June 11, 1994, was a massive day in wrestling history. Hogan signed a lucrative contract with WCW, which had been moving towards becoming a nationwide competitor opposite WWE. Hogan would defeat Ric Flair at Bash at the Beach the following month to become the WCW World Heavyweight Champion.

He also helped change the future of wrestling for years to come after he turned heel and joined the nWo, but again, we’ll save that for another day.

Hulk Hogan Slams Andre The Giant At WrestleMania III

If you were watching WrestleMania III live on March 29, 1987, you witnessed history right as it was happening. A WWE Championship match between Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant headlined the massive event. The two had been close friends in the storyline, but Andre turned on Hogan in favor of aligning with Bobby Heenan.

The question of how Hogan could get Andre down to the mat loomed on WWE TV. Early on in the match, Hogan tried slamming Andre but to no avail. Eventually, Hogan weathered the storm and was able to bodyslam Andre, who was billed as being over 500 pounds. Hogan then hit the leg drop for the three-count in what is widely considered to be the most iconic moment in WrestleMania history.