Hulk Hogan

Real Name: Terry Bollea

Stage Name: Hulk Hogan, Holliwood Hogan, Sterling Golden

Date of Birth: 11 August 1953 Home Town:

Height: 6' 8" Weight: 275 pounds.

Brief Bio:

After studying business administration and music at the University of South Florida, Terry started body building in Tampa, Florida gym in 1967. Terry worked as a part time body builder, part time bouncer, very part time musician and full time bank teller.

During one of his bouncer jobs he met up with pro wrestler Jack Brisco, who immediately saw the potential of the big man. Brisco suggested that he should start to wrestle and gave him the phone number to Hiro Matsuda. Terry told himself - why not, and gave Matsuda a call. Matsuda agreed to train him and so a legend was born.

In 1978 Terry wrestled his first match under the guise of the Super Destroyer on the Florida independent scene. When other promoters saw the potential they were eager to sign him and he then started working in Alabama and the Memphis area as Terry Boulder, and was managed by Jmmy Hart. Here he met up with the late Andre the Giant, whom he befriended outside of the ring, and fought inside the ring.

In September 1979, Terry started working for the NWA Georgia, here he under the guise of Sterling Golden captured the NWA South Eastern Heavyweight Title, by defeating Bob Roop in December. Unfortunately his regain wasn't long, as he dropped the title to Bob Armstrong in January of 1980.

But Terry bounced back from the defeat, when the late Vincent McMahon Sr. then contacted Terry in the start of 1980 and the two agreed to a deal. Terry got the in-ring name Hulk Hogan and was managed by the legendary "Classy" Freddy Blassie.

During his first stint with the WWF Hogan worked as a heel and fought many handicap matches to prove his "giant" strength this lead to a feud with Andre the Giant, which resulted in some heated draws and wins to Andre by disqualification.

Hogan also got to shots at then WWF World Champion Bob Backlund, but failed to win the belt.
After his contract with the WWF expired, Hogan worked some matches for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he teamed up with Stan Hansen. Hogan returned to the States in the American Wrestling Association.

Hogan still worked as a heel at the beginning of his tenure with the AWA, but the fans responded good to him and he turned face and immediately started a feud with the biggest heel group in the AWA - the Heenan Family.

Hogan's popularity got actor Sylvester Stallone interested, and in 1982, Hogan played the wrestler Thunderlips in Sly's movie Rocky III. This really got the World to sit up and take notice. The WWF quickly came calling, but Hogan stayed truthful to the AWA.

Hulk continued his feud with the Heenan family and took on each and every member to get to the champion Nick Bockwinkel. Hogan won a battle royal in 1982 to gain the shot. During the match Hogan had Bockwinkel pinned, but Heenan distracted him and threw a foreign object to Bockwinkel, but Hogan intercepted and nailed Bockwinkel with it to put him down for the pin. Hulk celebrated as AWA champion, but the belt was taken from him as the commission reviewed the tape of the incident.

Hogan then went to the New Japan tournament to enter the IWPG tournament. It was a 10 man tournament to declare a new IWPG Heavyweight Champion. Hogan defeated Killer Khan, Big John Studd, Rusher Kimura, Canek, Enrique Vera, Otto Wanz, and Akira Maeda, Hulk fought to a draw with Antonio Inoki and Andre the Giant

Hogan and Inoki ended up with the same points so they clashed in a final. Inoki was scheduled to win, but during the bout he knocked himself silly, so Hogan had no choice than to pin him and win the tournament and the IWPG Heavyweight Title, June 2, 1983.

Hogan dropped the title to Inoki almost a year after, June 14, 1984, but at that time he was already a superstar in the WWF.

Vince McMahon lured him back to the WWF and made him the focal point of that federation's ability to survive and then thrive. Hogan made his re-debut in the WWF on January 7, 1984, where he helped Bob Backlund from the Samoans. On January 23, Hogan clashed with then WWF World Champion the Iron Sheik, during the bout Hulk was trapped in the Camel Clutch, but he then did his trademark Hulkup routine and then quickly nailed the Sheik with the Big Legdrop to capture the WWF World Title, and Hulkamania was born with the phrase Say your prayers, eat your vitamins and stay in shape..

Hulk took on all comers and feuded with Paul Orndorff for most of 1984, until Roddy Piper came along. This lead to WrestleMania, where Hulk teamed up with Mr. T. to take on Piper and Orndorff, this really put wrestling and Hogan on the map and of course Hogan and Mr. T. won the contest.

Piper and Hogan weren't through though, the Rowdy Scott sent his protectors Don Muraco and Cowboy Bob Orton after Hogan, but neither man could topple the Hulkster. Randy Savage also tried, but couldn't get the job done. King Kong Bundy also tried to get the Hulkster down, by repeatedly smashing Hogan into the ring post with his giant body. Hogan's ribs were hurt, due to the attack from Bundy, when the two clashed in a cage match at WrestleMania 2, but Hogan overcame the odds and bodyslammed and then followed it up with the Big Legdrop to take the win in their steel cage match.

Hogan continued to take on all the big men in the WWF and it drew monstrous crowds, most feuds started when the heels attacked Hogan in an interview segment, which lead to a match, where Hogan hulked up and won. This procedure followed Big John Studd, Kamala and Paul Orndorff, I personally think that Hogan's best matches in 85-87 were opposite Orndorff. They had a controversial cage match in January of 1987, here one referee claimed Hogan had escaped the cage first and the other one claimed it was Orndorff, but Hogan kept the title.

But then came the big shocker, in a Piper's pit segment, Andre the Giant came out with a new manager - Bobby Heenan. Andre stated that Hogan was afraid to meet him and demanded a title shot. Hogan then appeared and told him that they were friends and shouldn't be fighting, Andre didn't care and ripped off Hogan's chain and left. Hogan were devastated and so were the fans, who thought that Andre would end Hulkamania.

Loaded with extraordinary matches, Wrestlemania III set a indoor attendance record as more than 92,000 fans crowded the Pontiac Silverdome for the event. On that day, the Main Event, and the match which spawned the huge attention to the arena was the battle between Hulk Hogan and the previously unbeaten Andre the Giant. After suffering an injury early on, Hogan astounded viewers arounds the world as he not only defeated Andre, but lifted the 500 pound Frenchman off of the ground and slammed him to the Ring canvas to retain his title.

Hogan saved Randy Savage from an attack from Honky Tonk Man at an episode of Saturday Night Main Event, when Elizabeth (Savage's valet) asked for his help, and a friendship developed. Ted DiBiase entered the WWF and tried to buy the WWF World Title from Hogan, but Hulk wouldn't sell it. At Survivor Series 1987, Andre got the better of Hogan. This lead to their encounter on February 5, 1988, here the referee was supposed to be Earl Hebner, but instead it was his brother Dave, who had been paid off by Ted DiBiase, who also had bought Andre's contract. During the match Andre got Hogan down for the pin, Dave then counted a quick three even though Hogan kicked out. Andre got the title, but gave it to DiBiase and the title got declared vacant.

At WrestleMania IV a tournament for the vacant WWF World Title was held, Hogan and Andre clashed in the second round, when both got a bye in the first round. The two tore into each other, but the match ended in a double disqualification, when both men used a chair. Randy Savage made it to the final, where he faced Ted DiBiase, who brought Andre to the ring, but Hogan came and to even the odds and he made sure Savage won, after he smacked DiBiase with a chair.

The Mega-Powers were born and together they ran rampage on all the heel groups in the WWF. At Summer Slam the team took on Andre and DiBiase, and won after Elizabeth had distracted the heel team, when she dropped her skirt. Hogan and Savage continued their dominant role, but Savage became jealous of Hogan's relationship with Elizabeth.

Hogan feuded with the Big Boss Man after Summer Slam, when the Boss Man used maze on Hogan and beat him senseless with a night-stick. But Hogan eventually got the better of the prison guard.

At the Royal Rumble 1989 both men were participating in the battle royal, during the course of the bout, Hogan was going to eliminate Bad News Brown, but he held on to Randy Savage, who also got eliminated in the process. This didn't sit well with Savage, who claimed Hogan eliminated him with full purpose.

But it didn't stop there - at a televised matchup against the Big Boss Man and Akeem, Savage was hurled out of the ring and hit Elizabeth, knocking her senseless. Randy didn't care and jumped back into the ring, while Hogan carried her back to the medics. After the match Savage accused Hogan of only being in it because of Liz and attacked him.

This lead to their confrontation at WrestleMania V, which was one of the most heated contests. Elizabeth was standing in neutral corner, but soon showed her allegiance towards Hogan. Hulk won the match after Savage had nailed him with the big elbow, but he got up and nailed Savage with the Big Legdrop to take the victory and the WWF World Title for a second time. Elizabeth continued as Hogan's manager until Summer Slam.

Earlier in the year, Hogan had finished a movie called No Holds Barred, where he portrayed a wrestler called Rip, who went up against a big guy named Zeus. Zeus came to the WWF and claimed he could take Hogan down, but without success. Hogan was on a roll and dropped one heel after another, he even won the Royal Rumble in 1990.

But there was one guy, that the Immortal Hulk Hogan hadn't faced, namely the Ultimate Warrior, who was the WWF Intercontinental Champion at the time, the two settled for a match at WrestleMania VI, April 1, 1990, where both titles were up for grasp. The two delivered a good match, but in the end it was the energetic Ultimate Warrior, who came out on top, cleanly.
Shortly after Hogan was brutally attacked by Earthquake, who was out for Hogan's blood. Earthquake was managed by Jimmy Hart, who also had Dino Bravo under his wings, and the two became a thorn in Hogan's side.At Summer Slam Hogan and Earthquake clashed, but Bravo continued to interfere, this brought out the Big Boss Man, who helped Hogan.

At the Royal Rumble, January 19, 1991. Hulk brought himself back as the number one contender, when he for the second year in a row won the Royal Rumble. Hogan was set to go up against the Iraq sympathiser Sgt. Slaughter, who put more petroleum on the feud, when he blasted Hogan with a fireball. Their matchup at WrestleMania VII were rather unforgettable, but Hogan won the match and gained the WWF World Title for a third time

Hogan and Slaughter continued their rather pathetic feud over the summer, where Hogan teamed up with various partners to take on Slaughter and his entourage. But then Hogan took on one of the most sadistic heels at the time the Undertaker, who attacked Hogan on a segment called the Funeral Parlour. Their match took place at Survivor Series 1991, where Hogan used every move in his repertoire to get the Undertaker down, but the Undertaker, with a little help from Ric Flair who slid a chair in the ring, finished Hogan off with the tombstone on the chair.

Neither the WWF or Hogan were satisfied in how the match ended, so a rematch was set-up six days later at a pay-per-view called Tuesday in Texas. The match was just as controversial as the first and Ric Flair again showed his face, Hogan wanted to nail him with a chair, but instead hit President Jack Tunney. Flair then tried his scheme from the first match, but this time it backfired for the Undertaker, who got his head rammed into the chair and was rolled up by Hogan to win his fourth WWF World Title.

But the regain didn't last long though, Jack Tunney declared the belt vacant a few days later, due to the controversial ending. Hogan then feuded a little with Ric Flair, but not many of their matches or antics gained much TV time. At the Royal Rumble 1992, the WWF World Title was up for grasp, but Hulk didn't succeed in gaining the trophy, but instead he started feuding with his friend Sid Justice, whom Hogan played a big part in eliminating.

After Hogan and Sid had squared off at WrestleMania VIII, April 5, 1992, where Hogan won by disqualification. Hogan took 10 months off wrestling. The official reason was to tape some movies, but the reason for his hiatus shall be seen in the light of three things.

First of all the business down turn, which had to do with the adverse publicity the WWF got during the feud between Hogan and Slaughter. Second of all the conviction of Dr. George Zahorian for illegally supplying steroids to WWF wrestlers, Hogan had denied that he ever had used them on the Arsenio Hall show, but as we later found out in court, it wasn't the truth. The third and final reason was that the WWF was Titan Sports and Vince McMahon became the subjects of a major government investigation. So Hogan feared that he would be taken down with Vince McMahon, so that's why he stayed out for 10 months.

Hogan returned to the WWF in February 1993, after Ted DiBiase and IRS had beaten his best friend Brutus Beefcake. Hulk agreed to team with Beefcake and they got Jimmy Hart as their manager. The two teams clashed at WrestleMania IX, but Hogan and Beefcake came out with the loosing end of the stick after Jimmy Hart had delivered the three count.

Later that day Bret Hart lost the WWF World Title to Yokozuna, after Mr. Fuji threw salt in the eyes of Bret. Hogan came down to protest, Mr. Fuji then challenged Hogan to get in the ring with Yokozuna, which he did. Mr. Fuji tried to do the same thing as he had done with Bret Hart, but ended up hitting Yokozuna, so Hogan became WWF World Champion for a fifth time in just 23 seconds.

Hogan had only one defence of the title and it was against Yokozuna at King of the Ring 1993, June 13. During the match a photographer made his way up on the ring apron, his flash light fired a fireball in to the face of Hogan, who then was pinned.

Hogan�s first match in WCW took place at "Bash at the Beach" against Ric Flair. Getting plenty of support from the WCW fans, Hogan easily took the victory over Flair.

Now living in the spotlight of a whole new world, Hogan joined up with the team of Sting and Randy Savage to form one of the most destructive groups of all time.

In October of 1994, a new man that no one had heard of before came into the WCW. His name was Paul White ( aka The Gaint, The Big Show). After destroying Hogan�s motorcycle, The Gaint claimed to be the son of Andre the Gaint, and blamed Hogan for Andres misery and death. (Paul White is related to Andre Rene Rousimoff)

The feud with the Gaint lasted for a few months, including a Monster Truck Match at Halloween Havoc '95, where both Hogan and Gaint fought on top of the Joe Lous Arena. The match ended rather suddenly when the Giant feel off the roof and into the water.

Hogan was totally destroyed by believing that he had killed the Giant, but the Giant came strolling down to the ring and took on Hogan. The match ended by disqualification when Hogan's manager Jimmy Hart turned on Hogan, Randy Savage tried to help him out, but Lex Luger stopped him and the Yeti attacked Hogan, which caused the DQ. But due to the contract which Hogan's former and the Giant's current manager Jimmy Hart had signed, the title was able to change hands due to disqualification, and so the Giant won the WCW World Title.

In 1995 Hogan took some time off from wrestling and was not seen in a WCW match for over a year. In his absence, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash came from the WWF and formed the New World Order. Every single WCW fan disliked these two men. WCW set up a three-on-three match up to take place at "Bash at the Beach." It was Sting, Randy Savage and Lex Luger against Hall, Nash and a mystery opponent. Toward the end of the match, Hulk Hogan walked down the ramp and turned on his old friends.

For the first time in almost 15 years, everybody hated Hulk Hogan. As soon as he came back, Hogan beat the Gaint (Paul White) for the championship belt. After keeping it for a year, Lex Luger shocked the world when he demolished Hulk Hogan. Hogan complained that he was not ready for the match and wanted another shot at Luger. So six days later Hogan became a three-time WCW champion by beating Luger with a little help from Scott Hall.

After the title was declared vacant in December of 1997, Hogan started off 1998 as one of the most hated men in WCW. However, he still played a big role in the WCW ratings, so they let him beat Randy Savage for the title on April 20, 1998. During the past year former National Football league player Bill Goldberg had become one of the fastest rising superstars ever. On July 6, 1998, Goldberg challenged Hogan for a title match. The fight went back and forth several times the entire match. When the bell finally rang, Goldberg was announced the new champion.

In September of 1998, Hulk Hogan announced his retirement from wrestling, but after a three-month absence, he came back and Kevin Nash gave him the title. Hogan held the title until March of 1999 when he was beat by Ric Flair in a "first blood" match.

During the summer of 1999, Hulk Hogan went back to the "good" image he had always had. He continued to wrestle until the summer of 2000. Then he officially announced his retirement from Professional Wrestling on the Jay Leno Show.

From start to finish it is easy to see that Hulk Hogan is without a doubt the best wrestler ever. During the Jay Leno show Hogan talked about how he had changed Professional Wrestling. "When I first stepped into the ring there were five or six guys in a car traveling every night, just to make a couple of hundred bucks a week," Hogan said. "They competed in small arenas and there wasn�t a whole lot of money to be made. Then I came along and changed all of that. I had the big picture, a big vision. With all of the merchandise, I changed wrestling as it�s known. Today wrestling is what it is because of me".

As with any wrestler, when they announce thier retirement, it always takes a few attampts.

Hence January 2002 the rumour mills started with Hogan returning to the WWF. Some said it never would happen, but Hulk Hogan and the NWO are back in the WWF. Hogan, along with the original Outsiders Scott Hall and Kevin Nash,are set to come back in February 2002 just in time for the ''No Way Out'' PPV.

Obviously, these three will dramatically impact the future of the organization--and if Hall and Nash have their way, they could be getting ''The Clique'' back together by recruiting Shawn Michaels, X-Pac and HHH.

Clearly, the WWF has been in a bit of a slump the past few months as the wrestling business has had its ups and downs. However, these key additions could be enough to jump-start the WWF to a very successful 2002.

Can Hogan do to the WWF what he did for them almost 20 years ago?

The above biography has being compliled using information from the following links:

http://www.secondaryenglish.com/WWF%20Hulk%20Research%20Paper.htm

http://www.hulkster.co.uk/