[The Originator]

While lurking on this forum i've noticed a rather large quantity of hate for Hulk Hogan and mostly beacuse of his wrestling inability (sometimes from Cena,Barrett,Miz,Orton fans fpalm).Actually,in reality,Hogan was a pretty watchable wrestler and to prove this i've posted this little gem below.I am fully aware of the fact that a lump of ambergris could have a good match with Mutoh,but it's Hogan we're talking about.So,watch and give me your opinions,i think Hogan was actually a somewhat decent wrestler when he was forced to actually wrestle.

EDIT:Video also includes one of the most epic sentences ever pronounced in pro wrestling:"FINISH FUCKIN MOTHERFUCKER!" by Mutoh

 

[Hotdiggity11]

In Japan, you pretty much have to wrestle because you can't depend strictly on personality and charisma like you can in the U.S. The Japanese appreciate wrestling more than Americans. For a guy the size and build of Hogan, he was a decent wrestler when he wanted to be in the 80s and early 90s.

 

[Vic Capri]

The truth of the matter is Hulk Hogan was actually a good wrestler, but in the good ol' USA, he chose not show it.

- Vic

 

[IAmNotAJ]

In Japan, you pretty much have to wrestle because you can't depend strictly on personality and charisma like you can in the U.S. The Japanese appreciate wrestling more than Americans. For a guy the size and build of Hogan, he was a decent wrestler when he wanted to be in the 80s and early 90s.

Pretty much this. I think it's the thought of more resent times (his runs post-WCW, in TNA) that have rubbed people the wrong way and convinced them Hogan was always horrible (he was never great either, tbf).

 

[Chris_Walmer]

While lurking on this forum i've noticed a rather large quantity of hate for Hulk Hogan and mostly beacuse of his wrestling inability (sometimes from Cena,Barrett,Miz,Orton fans fpalm).Actually,in reality,Hogan was a pretty watchable wrestler and to prove this i've posted this little gem below.I am fully aware of the fact that a lump of ambergris could have a good match with Mutoh,but it's Hogan we're talking about.So,watch and give me your opinions,i think Hogan was actually a somewhat decent wrestler when he was forced to actually wrestle.

EDIT:Video also includes one of the most epic sentences ever pronounced in pro wrestling:"FINISH FUCKIN MOTHERFUCKER!" by Mutoh

I think that like me when I first saw this match several years ago, you were just taken aback when he starts the match with an armbar into a floatover armbreaker (whatever it's called - ADR's finishing move), and that at one point in the match he puts on some kind of leglock.

Other than that, the match against Muta is pretty much the same old slow-paced, punch, punch, eyerack, backrack stuff we always saw from Hogan. And even look at the Alberto Del Rio move he does in the beginning. Compared to ADR, he looks so slow and deliberate and awkward in execution.

I don't know. I was impressed with Hogan when I first saw that match against Muta, but watching it again I'm not impressed at all. Supposedly he had some good matches in his early days in Japan, though I haven't seen him. He's just too slow, unathletic, and uncoordinated to allow me to even picture him having a match that is exciting or impressive on it's own merits - even when he was young. Matches with Rock and Andre were exciting because of the build, crowd reaction, etc., but he never did anything really impressive in them.

 

[manjiimortal]

Hogan was a good wrestler no doubt, the issue here was that in late 87, early 88 he got a bit too lazy, and worked strict formula-type matches 90% of the time. In big matches he would go beyond that, but elsewhere how good the match was always depended of his opponent ability to sell well his offense, and having interesting offense of their own to take the match beyong decent/good. Hogan's formula needed that to have great matches when he didn't fell like going beyond it.

Watch his pre-88 stuff, and all his Japanese stuff to see how good he could actually be.

 

[Rated Y2J]

Yeah he was fairly good in the ring, but as others have said he got lazy when he worked in the US for the majority of the matches. Who can 100% blame him though, with the creative control clause and the amount he was paid i'm sure quite a few wrestlers would of gone that route if they still drew like Hogan did.

 

[Rick J]

In his early years (before his back got screwed), he was much more than A decent wrestler, he was pretty good .

 

[McQueen]

People bitch about Hogan matches all the time and while I can understand some of the criticism face the facts the guy went out and did exactly what he needed to do and frankly as evidenced by his popularity he did it quite well. He worked a simple bare bones style of working and while was capable of doing more (not saying he was a technical wizard or anything) he didn't have to.

and as far as his politics go. Well its a cutthoat business, most people would do the same in his position. He was the undisputed king of the sport for damn near 20 years, why not lie and backstab your way to staying on the top, its allegedly pretty commonplace in the business anyways.

 

[just1988]

The truth of the matter is Hulk Hogan was actually a good wrestler, but in the good ol' USA, he chose not show it.

- Vic

He didn't have to show it, he was over in America by taking a lot of punishment yet being able to turn the match around quickly with brute strength.

 

[Zanvic]

I watched the video and my opinion stands. A snail trapped in a pool of glue moves faster than him. His moves are lazy, awkward, and repetitive.

The only reason he was ever popular was because of his american hero gimmick. Americans love patriotic things, and will pretty much cheer anything if its wearing an american flag.

Im not taking anything away from what he did for the wrestling industry, but the fact is, he did it for himself, not for the industry. And he still does to this day.

 

[nWo2010]

Almost any wrestler can perform any move bc the opponent is helping them do the move and make it look good (most of the time). Hogan used what worked. When 50,000 strong stood up for the boot and the leg drop the light went off in his head that, that was all he needed to get over. Hogan didn't need a moonsault to get over, thats why he never changed his move set all those years. He stuck to what worked...and it always worked. Now that it's stale he can't change it bc of his health. Every Atomic Leg Drop sends him to the operating table. I always thought Hogan should of had a submission he whipped out every now and then. Flair had the figure four, Hart had the sharpshooter, Jericho has the Lion Tamer, and Hogan could of had...hmm...what would he have? Probably something lame like the sleeper. On second thought he would look ridiculous slapping on a STF as a finisher...no one would buy it as the finish.

He should of at least innovated his finisher. The leg drop was so not a finisher anymore in the mid/late 90s. I've seen him Diamond Cutter a few guys, but he obviously started using that bc it was the most OVER move ever at the time. He should of done the Stunner...I mean the Atomic Stunner.

 

[LeapingLannyPoffo]

Yes he wrestles better in Japan than in USA, but he's still a slow, sloppy sack of shit in the ring.

 

[all in all...]

but the fact is, he did it for himself, not for the industry. And he still does to this day.

so?

 

[Zanvic]

so?

So how am i suppose to cheer for a guy who does nothing for anybody other than himself? The guy refused to job to anybody. Remember the whole Shawn Michaels incident where Hogan was supposed to win the first match, and Shawn the second, but after the first match Hogan was suddenly not able to compete? There are tons of stories like that about Hogan. The guy wanted to always be displayed as the best. He constantly undersold moves to make himself look better.

The guy is a joke, and everybody who knows anything about wrestling can tell you the same thing.

 

[The Originator]

So how am i suppose to cheer for a guy who does nothing for anybody other than himself? The guy refused to job to anybody. Remember the whole Shawn Michaels incident where Hogan was supposed to win the first match, and Shawn the second, but after the first match Hogan was suddenly not able to compete? There are tons of stories like that about Hogan. The guy wanted to always be displayed as the best. He constantly undersold moves to make himself look better.

The guy is a joke, and everybody who knows anything about wrestling can tell you the same thing.

All of that is true but it take nothing away from the simple fact that Hogan=Wrestling

Same goes for Flair.He's a bitter,jealous,complexed old man,but it takes nothing away from his legacy.

 

[reDREDD]

No, he doesnt, he's garbage. I remember watching Wrestlemania 5 a while ago and I saw the Savage vs Hogan match. It was pretty great. Until the last 3 minutes when Hogan effectively shat on everything Savage did, no sold everything, and rendered the entire match pointless.

No wonder Ventura was having a breakdown on commentary.

Just because he got some decent at best wrestling at Japan doesnt mean he's good.

 

[The Originator]

No, he doesnt, he's garbage. I remember watching Wrestlemania 5 a while ago and I saw the Savage vs Hogan match. It was pretty great. Until the last 3 minutes when Hogan effectively shat on everything Savage did, no sold everything, and rendered the entire match pointless.

No wonder Ventura was having a breakdown on commentary.

Just because he got some decent at best wrestling at Japan doesnt mean he's good.

Yes,everyone knows he was a shit wrestler but the point of this thread is that when he was forced to actually wrestle he was almost watchable.Read the topic.

 

[reDREDD]

Well what an achievement. At his peak, Hogan's wrestling was 'almost watchable'. Move over Ric Flair, Bret Hart and Rickie Steamboat, we have a new titan of wrestling walking among us.

 

[the modern myth]

Mainstream western wrestling fans prefer Hogan's kind of generic, brawling main event style matches. It's more about gimmick than ability. Look at the list of big name talent who wrestled similar simple, non-technical style big matches; Hogan, Cena, Austin (his main event wrestling style differed greatly from his more technical early style), Goldberg ... the biggest, household names in wrestling. While guys like Hart, HBK, Flair etc are more reverred, the other guys made more money and were a lot more successful. I guess Hogan adapted his style to suit his audience; in Japan they appreciate technical ability more than showmanship.

No, he doesnt, he's garbage. I remember watching Wrestlemania 5 a while ago and I saw the Savage vs Hogan match. It was pretty great. Until the last 3 minutes when Hogan effectively shat on everything Savage did, no sold everything, and rendered the entire match pointless.

I really like that WM5 match but you're right; the ending ruins it a little bit. In an ideal world, Savage would've won that match and ended Hulkamania right there!