Over the years, we’ve grown accustomed to talking about Hulk Hogan being the biggest name in wrestling history as Hulkamania was a phenomenal movement during the 1980s.
For many, it feels like that started when he joined the WWE, but Hulkamania was already a thing as Hogan was hugely popular in the AWA and Japan.
As such, it seems like a no brainer for him to be on Vince McMahon’s radar as he fit the image of what Vince wanted to be the featured wrestler in the WWF.
Especially since the reason Hogan left the WWE to begin with was because Vince McMahon Senior wouldn’t allow him to take the role of Thunderlips in Rocky 3. So, Hogan quit to shoot his scenes and went to the AWA.
Considering Thunderlips was pretty close to Hogan’s heel character at the time it’s easy to see why he wanted to take part.
The Ultimate Meatball
This topic was brought up on Jim Cornette’s podcast when Brian Last asked Cornette if Hogan would’ve been as successful without appearing in Rocky 3.
Cornette respond that Hogan was already over and The Guy.
“He was already, had been a main event guy up here in the States for a couple of years, not only from Vince senior using him in that run in 1980 up there where he named him Hulk Hogan.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsWqe_d6yaE
Cornette did point out that if Vince had any issues with signing Hogan, it was because of his reputation as a heel.
“I can’t see why Vince wouldn’t have already had him in mind. And then when he went over and saw, you know what was going on in Japan, that’s where he [Vince] snagged him and what November of 83 because he was in Japan, that same time Hogan was, and that’s where they first got together and hatched this little plot.”
The plot Cornette referred to was Vince’s way of bringing Hogan back into the WWE fold.
It started when Vince tried to buy AWA, but the promoters laughed him out of the room.
So, Vince switched to guerilla tactics and signed AWA’s top stars, buildings, and TV stations as would become his pattern the rest of the 80s as Vince destroyed the territory system.
Another example of these tactics was Vince’s “purchase” of Calgary Stampede.
Though Vince and Stu Hart had an agreement, Bret Hart stated Stu never saw any money and the deal fell through, but by then Vince had the company’s top stars on his payroll.
The blow that many consider the death blow to AWA was Vince singing their top money maker, which happened to be Hulk Hogan and the rest is history.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get The Overtimer’s Hottest Stories, Breaking News and Special Features in your email, CLICK HERE!
Remember to stay up to date with the latest news on TheOvertimer. Don’t forget to visit ScreenJuicer for great videos, news, and gameplay!
