To is a relatively happy occasion for most professional wrestling fans as it marks the 36 year anniversary of the union of Hulkamania and Vince McMahon.
In today’s world, it’s easy to discount this as the WWE product has become a shadow of its former self despite growing into a multi-billion dollar product. The storylines are stale, the creative direction feels forced at best, and few of the wrestlers have the impact a mid-card performer had twenty years ago, much less thirty plus years.
Wrestling was territorial, not global
It was a different world as wrestling promotions controlled swaths of land or territories instead of the global market we’re used to. At the time, the WWE (WWF at the time) was centered in the northeast, mainly Madison Square Garden in New York, the Hamburg, Pennsylvania field house, and others. Multiple promotions dotted the landscape, making deal and “loaning” out wrestlers a regular for of business.
Vince McMahon had recently taken control of his father’s company and had grand plans. He envisioned wrestling as sports entertainment to be shared on national television. It was something that hadn’t been done as yet. The only thing he needed was a superstar to galvanize the sport and draw the people in. Someone that could help him revolutionize the business like never before.
He chose a young man that was currently dominating the AWA (American Wrestling Association). The AWA was loaded with young talent, and McMahon began luring them away to the WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation until 1979 when it became the World Wrestling Federation).
That individual was Hulk Hogan, the greatest draw to ever stepping into a ring. After signing with the WWF in 1983, Hogan brought his fan base and the Hulkamania movement with him from AWA, and before long he was the favorite to become WWF champion.
The stage was set
January 23, 1984 was the date it all came together (special thanks to @awrestlinghistorian) for the transcript in italics.) in Madison Square Garden where Hulk Hogan was challenging the Iron Sheik for the WWF Heavyweight Championship.
“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 even if it gets me fired again.’ 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.” – Hollywood Hulk Hogan book
Thus the union of Hulkamania and Vince McMahon began the McMahon empire we know today, with Hogan becoming McMahon’s first face of the WWF.
With one simple idea, Hogan ignited a frenzy that would follow him for the next thirty-six and counting years and help boost the WWF into the global phenomena we know today.
Happy anniversary to both Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon. You both deserve it.
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