The hero’s journey, or the Hulk Hogan Effect, is one of the common standards in wrestling, and competition in general, is the underdog overcoming great odds and walking away the victor. It’s as old a storytelling method as there is, and everyone has their way of using it.
Throughout the 1980s, we were given a glimpse into a larger than life persona that would stand up to anything and everything that wasn’t right.
Hulk Hogan was a larger than life figure. He took the world by storm and made professional wrestling and himself a household name. Every week, we’d tune into Superstars or Saturday Night’s Main Event to see him face off against King Kong Bundy, Paul Orndorff, or Don Muraco. Each and every match, Hogan would get beaten to within an inch of losing his title.
Then the inexplicable happened.
He hulked up and beat his opponent with a couple of punches, a bug boot, and a leg drop.
We’d cheer and celebrate and wait for him to repeat it the next week.
Flip side
Fast forward to the 1990s, and Hulk Hogan is now a heel and leader of the NWO (New World Order) in WCW (World Championship Wrestling). He no longer has the hulking out as heels don’t have those tropes. Instead, he pounds on people throughout the match like he used to get pounded on. Eventually, he’d either win or his NWO cohorts would run in and save him.
During these matches, his way of putting over a younger wrestler like Billy Kidman, for example, was to have them survive and then get a few lucky shots in. Of course, Hulk Hogan wouldn’t lose to just anybody, so he’d win and his opponent would get a boost.
At least, in theory.
Wrestling fans are fickle and we change our minds about what we like every few months, give or take (The average is six months per title changes to give you an idea.)
To keep us invested for any length of time. We need something or someone to believe in, and that brings us to current day.
The Hulk Hogan effect is overused
This is probably the most overused trope in storytelling in general, but especially in professional wrestling.
It’s often the hero’s journey where they overcome the odds (injuries, constant beatdowns, mind games, an superior opponent) and win or keep their championship.
Just look at the WWE since WrestleMania.
Seth Rollins had “hurt ribs” against Lesnar, yet pulled out a win in a performance that completely lacked credibility.
Kofi Kingston faced this in his months long storyline to prove himself against Kevin Owens, Dolph Zigger (Kofi Kinston’s best matches, IMO), and Randy Orton.
Becky Lynch was brutalized By Sasha Banks, yet somehow was healthy enough to defeat her to keep her title in an awesome match.
The difference between these and what past superstars is simply their connection with the fans. Out of the three mention above, only Becky Lynch has maintained her connection and has become the most popular WWE superstar with “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan.
The disconnect can happen without warning, hence why Hulk Hogan as a heel had a hard time putting someone over.
As much as we love to see our heroes overcome adversity, it’s become more of a gimmick they rely on rather than putting on a great match.
