It’s fun looking back at moments were the direction of professional Wrestling changed forever, and one of those biggest seismic shifts happened on January 23, 1984 and became one of the greatest this day in wrestling history moments.
Vince McMahon was still early in his run as owner off the then WWF, but he knew who he wanted to get as his world champion and build around.
Using the money made off of the tv deals he made across the country, McMahon was able to sign the best wrestling talent in the world away from other promotions, and few signings were bigger than Bringing Hulk Hogan in from the AWA.
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New direction, new champion
With the current hype around WWE Raw XXX tonight (January 23, 2023), it’s easy to overlook some of the history moments that made this possible, but one really cool thing is Raw’s 30th anniversary coincides with one of the WWE’s biggest moments.
Hulk Hogan challenged the current WWF World Heavyweight Champion Iron Sheik as Madison Square Garden in New York.
The match has some great moments, but none were more exciting than Hulk Hogan powering out of the Sheik’s Camel Clutch.
Hulk Hogan talked about this moment in his Hollywood Hulk Hogan book.
“I knew it would work. I had played ‘Eye of the Tiger’ back in Minnesota and I knew it would make the crowd go wild. So I said to myself, ‘Screw it, I’m going to get this done…’ And at five in the afternoon, a few hours before we were supposed to go on, I slipped the music tech guy five hundred bucks.
“Then, right before show time, Vince Jr. decided to go along with me and play the entrance music. I didn’t have the balls to ask for my five hundred dollars back so I lost it, but it didn’t matter. The important thing is I had that music playing when I walked down the ramp.
“And it worked, just like I said it would. When the crowd heard that music, almost 20,000 people rose up like The Messiah had come back. It was like the roof of the Garden blew off. It was nuts.
“The whole match took five minutes and thirty seconds. Most fans had never seen anyone get out of The Sheik’s signature hold, the Camel Clutch. But I did. And then
“I backed him into the turnbuckle. He tried another hold. I broke it. I threw him into the ropes. When he came off them, I gave him the boot in the face. He fell in the middle of the ring. I gave him a leg drop, the referee started counting, and Hulkamania took off like never before.”
What’s really cool about this is Hulkamania was already a huge thing from Hogan’s AWA days, but it’s often attributed to Vince McMahon and this match as starting.
Most things in entertainment are borrowed from one place or another, but it’s how it’s used that often makes the difference, and we’re looking forward to reliving this moment on Raw XXX when Hogan joins other legends to celebrate.
What’s your favorite Hulk Hogan memory? Let us know in the comments below.
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