Hollywood Hogan[1] Hollywood Hulk Hogan[2] Hulk Boulder[3] Hulk Hogan[4] Hulk Machine[5][2] Mr. America[2] Sterling Golden[6] Terry Boulder[2] The Super Destroyer[2]
Known for his showmanship, large physique, and trademark blond AmericanFu Manchu moustache and bandanas,[15][16] Hogan began training in 1977 withChampionship Wrestling from Florida and achieved global stardom after joining the WWF in 1983. His heroic, all‑American persona helped usher in the 1980s professional wrestling boom, during which he headlined eight of the first nine editions of WWF's flagship annual eventWrestleMania and regularly headlinedSaturday Night's Main Event. His first reign as WWF Champion lasted 1,474 days—the third-longest in the title's history[a]—and he became the first wrestler to win back-to-back Royal Rumbles in 1990 and 1991.[18]
In 1994, Hogan joined WCW and won theWCW World Heavyweight Championship six times. His reinvention as the villainousHollywood Hogan and leadership of theNew World Order (nWo) revitalized his career and significantly contributed to the success of the "Monday Night War" wrestling boom of the late 1990s, including three headline appearances atStarrcade.[19] Hogan returned to WWF in 2002—after WWF acquired WCW—winning the Undisputed WWF Championship for a then-record-equalling sixth reign before departing in 2003.[20] He was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and a second time in 2020 as part of the nWo.[21]
Outside wrestling, Hogan appeared in films such asRocky III (1982),No Holds Barred (1989), andSuburban Commando (1991), and starred in television shows includingThunder in Paradise andHogan Knows Best. He also fronted the Wrestling Boot Band; their sole record,Hulk Rules, reached number 12 on theBillboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995.[22]
Several controversies damaged Hogan's public image.In 1994, he acknowledged usinganabolic steroids dating back to 1976 and admitted to discouraging efforts tounionize professional wrestlers. In 2012, the internet media companyGawker published portions of asex tape, which later had portions leak in which Hogan was heard using racial slurs and openly admitting to being racist. HogansuedGawker, which was found liable and subsequently declared bankruptcy. Despite this legal victory, Hogan's reputation has been described as "permanently tarnished", a view reflected in the mixed public reaction to his death in July 2025.[23]
Hogan was born inAugusta, Georgia, on August 11, 1953,[2] the son of construction foreman Pietro "Peter" Bollea (December 6, 1913 – December 18, 2001) and homemaker and dance teacher Vernice "Ruth" (née Moody; January 16, 1920 – January 1, 2011). Hogan was of Italian, Panamanian, Scottish, and French descent;[24] his paternal grandfather, also named Pietro, was born in 1886 inCigliano,Province of Vercelli in Piedmont.[25] Hogan had an older brother named Allan (1947–1986) who died at the age of 38 from a drug overdose.[26] When he was one and a half years old, his family moved toPort Tampa, Florida.[27]
Hogan was also a musician, spending a decade playingfretless bass guitar in several Florida-based rock bands.[1] He went on to study atHillsborough Community College and theUniversity of South Florida. After music gigs began to get in the way of his time in college, he dropped out of the University of South Florida.[30] Eventually, Hogan and two local musicians formed a band called Ruckus in 1976.[31] The band soon became popular in the Tampa Bay region.[31] During his spare time, Hogan worked out at Hector's Gym in the Tampa Bay area, where he began lifting.[32] Many of the wrestlers who were competing in the Florida region visited the bars where Ruckus was performing.[29] Among those attending his performances wereJack andGerald Brisco.[29]
Professional wrestling career
Early years (1977–1979)
Jack and Geraldo Brisco got Hogan connected withHiro Matsuda—the man who trained wrestlers working forChampionship Wrestling from Florida (CWF)—to make him a potential trainee.[33] During the first session in training, Matsuda broke Hogan's leg. After 10 weeks of rehab, Hogan returned to train with Matsuda and blocked him when he tried to break his leg again.[34] In Hogan's professional wrestling debut, CWF promoterEddie Grahambooked him againstBrian Blair inFort Myers, Florida, on August 10, 1977.[35][36] A short time later, Hogan donned a mask and assumed the persona of "The Super Destroyer", a hooded character previously played byDon Jardine and subsequently used by other wrestlers.[37]
After a brief career hiatus, Hogan wrestled for the Alabama-based promotionGulf Coast Championship Wrestling (GCCW) in 1978. He formed a tag team withEd Leslie known as The Boulder Brothers under the names Terry and Ed Boulder.[38] During his time in Alabama, Hogan had early encounters withAndré the Giant, including two matches and a televised arm-wrestling contest that generated significant local interest.[39][40] On May 24, 1979, Hogan wrestled his first world championship match againstNWA World Heavyweight ChampionHarley Race at Rip Hewes Sports Complex in Dothan. Hogan pinned Race during the match and was briefly announced as the new champion on GCCW television. However, the NWA later overturned the decision, declaring a disqualification and nullifying the title change.[41] Hogan went on to win the Southeastern Heavyweight Championship twice later in the year; first defeatingOx Baker, then again after regaining it fromProfessor Tanaka, following a brief loss toAustin Idol.[citation needed]
Later that year, Hogan and Leslie joinedJerry Jarrett's Memphis-basedContinental Wrestling Association (CWA) inMemphis promotion.[42] While in Memphis, Hogan made a talk show appearance alongside actorLou Ferrigno, star of the television seriesThe Incredible Hulk.[43] The host commented that Hogan, standing 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) and weighing 295 lbs (134 kg) with 24-inch (61 cm) biceps, dwarfed Ferrigno. Inspired by this, Mary Jarrett suggested the nickname "The Hulk," resulting in Hogan wrestling as Terry "The Hulk" Boulder.[44] He also occasionally also performed under the name Sterling Golden.[1]
According to his autobiographyMy Life Outside the Ring, Bollea briefly left professional wrestling in 1979 and was working on the Tampa docks when he was spotted byGerald Brisco. Brisco and his brother encouraged Hogan to return to wrestling and helped arrange a meeting withWorld Wide Wrestling Federation promoterVince McMahon Sr.[45] However this claim is disputed, with some wrestling historians creditingTerry Funk with recommending Hogan to McMahon Sr., having recognized his potential during Hogan's early matches.[46][47] Funk, who previously appeared in the 1978Sylvester Stallone filmParadise Alley, would also later recommend Hogan to Stallone when he appeared as Thunderlips inRocky III.[48]
McMahon was impressed with Bollea's charisma and physical stature, offered him a spot on the WWWF roster as an opponent for André the Giant. McMahon, who wanted to use an Irish name, gave him the last name Hogan, and suggested he dye his hair red. Hogan, whose hair was already thinning, declined, quipping, "I'll be a blond Irishman."[49] Hogan wrestled his first match in the WWWF under the ring name "Hulk Hogan" by defeating Harry Valdez[50] on the November 17 episode ofChampionship Wrestling. He was presented as avillain in the WWWF, and was managed by"Classy" Freddie Blassie.[51]
The next year, Hogan began a high-profile feud withAndré the Giant. On August 9, 1980, atShowdown at Shea, André defeated Hogan in a match.[52][53] However, Hogan notably body-slammed André during the bout, an early version of the iconic moment that would later be immortalized at WrestleMania III.[54] They faced off again on August 30, 1980, at Madison Square Garden in a televised match withGorilla Monsoon serving as special guest referee. Once again, Hogan managed to body-slam André, but was unsuccessful in ultimately defeating him.[55]
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1980–1985)
Hulk Hogan andAndré the Giant during the Superdome Showdown professional wrestling event on August 2, 1980, in New Orleans
In 1980, Hulk Hogan began wrestling for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was nicknamed "Ichiban" (一番; "Number One"). by Japanese fans. He made his debut on May 13, 1980, while still under contract with the WWF, and continued to tour Japan occasionally over the next few years. During his time in NJPW, Hogan used a more technical wrestling style than the power-based approach he used in the U.S. He also used theAxe Bomber, acrooked arm lariat, as his finisher in Japan instead of therunning leg drop.
In 1984, Hogan returned to NJPW to defend the IWGP title against Inoki, who had earned a title shot by winning that year'sIWGP League.[58] Hogan lost the match and therefore the title bycountout after interference fromRiki Choshu.[citation needed] During this period, Hogan also defended his WWF World Heavyweight Championship in Japan against opponents likeSeiji Sakaguchi andTatsumi Fujinami. His final match of that tour was on June 13, 1984, where he again lost to Inoki by countout in an IWGP title match. Hogan was the only IWGP champion to defend the title without winning the qualifying tournament.[59][58]
American Wrestling Association (1981–1983)
After accepting a role inRocky III, a decision that led to Vincent J. McMahon releasing him from the WWF, Hogan joined theAmerican Wrestling Association (AWA), owned byVerne Gagne, in August 1981. He initially debuted as avillain managed by "Luscious"Johnny Valiant, but quickly became a fan favorite due to his charisma and popularity with the crowd. Hogan soon began feuding with the villainousHeenan Family andNick Bockwinkel.[60] His official turn to ahero occurred in mid-1981 during a televised segment where he savedBrad Rheingans from an attack byJerry Blackwell. This sparked a feud with Blackwell, which Hogan eventually won, leading to his first title matches against Bockwinkel by the end of the year.[60]
In March 1982, Hogan defeated Bockwinkel and his managerBobby Heenan in a non-titlehandicap match in theInternational Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. He repeatedly challenged Bockwinkel for theAWA World Heavyweight Championship, with most of their matches ended in disqualification, preventing a title change. In April 1982, Hogan seemingly won the championship in St. Paul, Minnesota, but the decision was later overturned by AWA President Stanley Blackburn due to the use of a foreign object.[61][62][63]
Hogan introduced the term "Hulkamania" during a May 15, 1982, appearance onThe Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.[64] Following his role inRocky III, "Hulkamania" gained widespread popularity.[65] It was also during his time in the AWA that Hogan would first claim "Hulkamania is running wild," a recurring catchphrase of his over his career.[66]
Despite his growing popularity, Gagne resisted making Hogan the AWA World Champion, personally preferring traditionaltechnical andmat wrestling over Hogan's muscle-bound, flamboyant, entertainment-driven style, and remaining firm about having the AWA being built around one of its best technical wrestlers.[67][68] Gagne later agreed to have Hogan win the title at AWA'sSuper Sunday event on April 24, 1983, but only if Hogan gave him the majority share of his merchandise and earnings in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.[69] Hogan declined, offering only a 50/50 split, and Gagne withheld the championship.[69] While Hogan still pinned Bockwinkel atSuper Sunday, the decision was reversed later that night. After further unsuccessful title attempts, a storyline teased Hogan leaving the promotion.[70] However he returned on July 31, 1983, wearing an "American Made" shirt and focusing on a new feud withMasa Saito.[71]
Later that year, Vince McMahon Jr. secretly visited Hogan in Minneapolis and offered him a leading role in the WWF. Hogan accepted and abruptly left the AWA in November 1983, reportedly sending his resignation by telegram. Gagne initially believed it was a prank until he realized Hogan was not showing up for AWA shows.[60] In his memoirMy Life Outside the Wrestling Ring, Hogan stated that he left because McMahon promised him the WWF Heavyweight Championship and a key role in expanding the company nationally.[72]
After purchasing the WWF from his father in 1982,Vincent K. McMahon planned to expand the company into a nationally and selected Hulk Hogan as its top star, citing his charisma and widespread recognition. Hogan returned to the WWF at a television taping inSt. Louis, Missouri, on December 27, 1983, defeating Bill Dixon.[73]
On the January 7, 1984, episode ofChampionship Wrestling, Hogan solidified his status as a fan favorite by rescuingBob Backlund from an attack by theWild Samoans.[74] On January 23, 1984, Hogan won his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship by defeatingThe Iron Sheik atMadison Square Garden, becoming the first wrestler to escape the Sheik's finishing move, thecamel clutch, in the process.[75]
Following his victory, commentator Gorilla Monsoon famously declared, "Hulkamania is here!" Hogan quickly became the face of the WWF, referring to his fans as "Hulkamaniacs" and promoting his "three demandments": training, saying prayers, and eating vitamins. A fourth, "believing in yourself," was later added during his 1990 feud withEarthquake. Hogan's ring attire adopted a red-and-yellow color scheme, and his entrances featured him tearing his shirt, posing, and encouraging the crowd to cheer.
His matches during this period often followed a formula: after an initial offense, he would appear to be on the verge of defeat after being beaten down by his opponent, before "Hulking up" drawing on crowd energy to make a sudden comeback. This would be then followed by his signature sequence of moves: finger-pointing, punches, anIrish whip, thebig boot andrunning leg drop to secure victory.[76]
In 1984, similarities between Hogan andMarvel Comics'Incredible Hulk led to a legal agreement. Titan Sports, Marvel, and Hogan signed a deal granting Marvel the trademarks to "Hulk Hogan", "Hulkster", and "Hulkamania" for 20 years. As part of the agreement, the WWF could no longer refer to Hogan as "The Incredible Hulk" or "Hulk", or use purple and green in his presentation. Marvel also received 0.9% of Hogan-related merchandise revenue, $100 per match, and 10% of Hogan's other earnings under the name.[77][78] This agreement would carry over into Hogan's time in WCW, which by 1996 had become a sister company to Marvel rivalDC Comics through their parent companyTime Warner. Hogan was using the "Hollywood Hogan" persona at that time, avoiding potential legal conflicts. In reference to the dispute, a story in 1988'sMarvel Comics Presents #45 had a panel where a wrestler resembling Hogan was tossed through an arena roof by the Incredible Hulk as he had "picked the wrong name."[79]
Mr. T hoistsRoddy Piper up onto his shoulders as Hulk Hogan cheers in the background during the main event of the first everWrestlemania.
Hulk Hogan in 1987
Over the following year, Hulk Hogan became the face of professional wrestling as Vince McMahon expanded the WWF into mainstream pop culture throughthe Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection onMTV, This period saw large increases in viewing attendance, television ratings, and pay-per-view buys. Hogan was the main attraction at the firstWrestleMania, held on March 31, 1985, where he teamed with actor and wrestlerMr. T to defeat"Rowdy" Roddy Piper and"Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff.
Hogan made multiple successful title defenses throughout 1986, including againstKing Kong Bundy atWrestleMania 2 and Orndorff atThe Big Event andSaturday Night's Main Event IX. In the fall he occasionally wrestled intag team matches withThe Machines as Hulk Machine under a mask copied from NJPW'sgimmick "Super Strong Machine".[2][80] AtWrestleMania III in 1987, Hogan defended his title against André the Giant, whom the WWF promoted as undefeated in the WWF for 15 years.[81] André turned heel by aligning with manager Bobby Heenan in the lead-up to a match at WrestleMania III, which was promoted as one of the biggest in wrestling history. At the event, Hogan successfully defended the title by body-slamming André, winning the match with a leg drop.[82]
Hogan lost the WWF title to André the Giant onThe Main Event I after a setup involving "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and refereeEarl Hebner, who had secretly taken the place of his identical twin brotherDave Hebner, the referee originally assigned to the match. After André delivered abelly to belly suplex on Hogan, Earl Hebner counted the pin even though Hogan's shoulder was off the mat. After the match, André gave the title to DiBiase as part of their deal. However, WWF President Jack Tunney ruled that a title couldn't be sold and the championship was vacated.[86]
AtWrestleMania IV, Hogan entered a tournament to win the vacant title. He and André both got byes into the quarterfinals, but their match ended in a double disqualification. Later, Hogan helped stop André from interfering in the final match, which allowedRandy Savage to beat DiBiase and win the championship. Afterwards, Hogan, Savage, and managerMiss Elizabeth formed a partnership known asThe Mega Powers, feuding withThe Mega Bucks and theTwin Towers in the rest of the year.
By the end of 1988, the Mega Powers started a storyline where they begun to fall apart after Savage grew jealous of Hogan and suspected romantic tension between Hogan and Miss Elizabeth. At the1989 Royal Rumble, Hogan accidentally eliminated Savage while trying to get rid of another wrestler. Soon after atThe Main Event II, during a tag match against The Twin Towers Savage accidentally knocked down Elizabeth. Hogan took her backstage for help, leaving Savage alone in the ring. When Hogan returned and asked for a tag, Savage slapped him and walked out. Hogan finished the match and won on his own.
After the match, Savage attacked Hogan backstage, breaking up the partnership and officially starting their feud. This culminated atWrestleMania V, where Hogan defeated Savage to win his second WWF World Heavyweight Championship.
Further WWF Championship reigns and steroid scandal (1989–1993)
Hulk Hogan againstBig Boss Man in March 1989Hogan making his way to the ring at the El Paso Convention Center on March 7, 1989, for aSuperstars of Wrestling televised event
During Hogan's second reign as champion, he starred in the filmNo Holds Barred, which was the inspiration of a feud with Hogan's co-starTom Lister, Jr., who appeared at wrestling events as his film character Zeus. The duo would fight multiple times across the country during late 1989, including tag team matches atSummerSlam and at theNo Holds Barred pay-per-view, with Hogan winning each match.[87][88] He also won the1990 Royal Rumble match,[89] during which he encounteredthe Ultimate Warrior for the first time.
Their brief interaction in the match led to a feud between the pair, culminating in Hogan losing his championship to the Warrior in a title vs title match atWrestleMania VI.[90] In the months following his WrestleMania VI defeat, he teased retiring after being attacked byEarthquake in a sneak attack onThe Brother Love Show, but returned bySummerSlam and defeated Earthquake in a series of matches across the country.[91]
It was decided that the vacant WWF Championship would be decided in the1992 Royal Rumble match. During the match, Hogan was eliminated bySid Justice, who in turn Hogan helped Flair to eliminate, leading to Flair's victory.[97] AtWrestleMania VIII, Hogan defeated Sid via disqualification due to interference by Sid's managerHarvey Wippleman.[98] During this time, news sources began to allege thatGeorge Zahorian, a doctor for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, had been selling steroids illegally to WWF wrestlers, including Hogan. Amidst public scrutiny, Hogan took a leave of absence from the company in late 1992.[99]
Hogan returned to the WWF in February 1993, helping his friend Brutus Beefcake in his feud withMoney Inc. and taking onJimmy Hart, who had recently turned face,[100] as his manager.[101][87] Renaming themselvesThe Mega-Maniacs, atWrestleMania IX Hogan and Beefcake lost by disqualification to Money Inc. in a match for theWWF Tag Team Championship. Later that night, Hogan won his fifth WWF Championship by pinningYokozuna in an impromptu match only moments after Yokozuna had defeatedBret Hart for the championship.[102][103] Hogan reportedly used his influence to have the finish of WrestleMania changed the weekend of the event so he would be champion during an upcoming international and de facto farewell tour. WWF Official Bruce Prichard has said in interviews Hogan was made champion to help ticket sales for a WWF tour of Europe.[104]
At the first annualKing of the Ring pay-per-view on June 13, Hogan lost the WWF Championship to Yokozuna after Hogan was blinded by a fireball shot byHarvey Wippleman disguised as a "Japanese photographer".[105][106] This was Hogan's last WWF pay-per-view appearance until 2002; after continuing his feud on the international house show circuit with Yokozuna until August 1993, Hogan sat out the rest of his contract which expired later that year.[107]
Return to NJPW (1993–1994)
On May 3, 1993, Hogan returned to NJPW as WWF Champion and defeated IWGP Heavyweight ChampionThe Great Muta atWrestling Dontaku. Hogan also wrestledThe Hell Raisers with Muta andMasahiro Chono as his tag team partners. His last match in Japan was on January 4, 1994, atBattlefield, when he defeated Tatsumi Fujinami.[108]
World Championship Wrestling (1994–2000)
World Heavyweight Champion and feud with Alliance to End Hulkamania (1994–1996)
Afterwards Hogan continued feuding with Flair and later faced other top stars likeThe Butcher[112] andVader over the World Championship. He also reunited with Randy Savage, reformingthe Mega Powers in WCW.
In September 1995, Hogan headlined thedebut episode ofWCW Monday Nitro, marking the beginning of theMonday Night Wars with WWF. He feuded withThe Dungeon of Doom, leading to aWarGames match atFall Brawl where Hogan's team claimed victory.[113] As the feud continued afterwards, he began wearing all black and claimed he had crossed over to "the dark side."[114] His 469-day title reign, the longest in the title's history, ended atHalloween Havoc after a disqualification loss toThe Giant.[115] During the event, Jimmy Hart also turned on Hogan and aligned himself with The Dungeon of Doom.[116] On November 8, 1995 ofNitro, it was revealed that the title was allowed to change hands under such circumstances due to Hart secretly putting in an agreed contract clause, but the controversy led to the title being vacated.[116] Despite this, Hogan was unsuccessful in reclaiming the title atWorld War 3.[117] He would have afterwards only have one more title shot during this period in his WCW run, against Ric Flair on the January 1, 1996 ofNitro, but would be unsuccessful in taking the belt from Flair due to Flair being disqualified;[118][116] he would not get another title shot until the summer of 1996.[118] He would end his singles feud with The Giant with a cage match victory atSuperBrawl VI.[119] In early 1996, he and Savage formed a team to battleThe Alliance to End Hulkamania, defeating them atUncensored in aDoomsday Cage match.[120]
New World Order and final years in WCW (1996–2000)
AtBash at the Beach 1996, Hulk Hogan turned heel for the first time in nearly fifteen years by attacking Randy Savage and aligning withThe Outsiders (Kevin Nash andScott Hall),[121] cutting a promo afterwards in which he announced the formation of theNew World Order (nWo).[121] Rebranding himself as "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan,[2][105] he adopted a new black-and-white persona and dominated WCW, capturing his second WCW World Heavyweight Championship atHog Wild on August 10 by defeating The Giant for the title.[122] He briefly lost the title toLex Luger on the August 4, 1997, episode ofNitro, only to regain it five days later atRoad Wild.[123] Meanwhile, a lengthy storyline between Sting and the nWo reached its pinnacle atStarrcade on December 28, where Sting defeated Hogan to win the championship in a controversial finish.[124]
A feud with fellow nWo members Randy Savage and Kevin Nash led to the group's split into "nWo Hollywood" led by Hogan and "nWo Wolfpac" led by Nash; Hogan defeated Savage to win his fourth WCW World Heavyweight Championship on the April 20, 1998, episode ofNitro.[125] He lost the title to thethen-undefeatedBill Goldberg on the July 6, 1998, episode ofNitro.[126] After this, he spent the rest of 1998 feuding withDiamond Dallas Page in high-profile celebrity matches at various WCW PPVs, involving the likes ofDennis Rodman,Karl Malone (Bash at the Beach),[127] andJay Leno (Road Wild).[128] and thenThe Warrior. Hogan would have a critically panned rematch with The Warrior atHalloween Havoc on October 25, where his nephewHorace aided his victory.[129] In late 1998, he announced a presidential run and retirement from wrestling,[130] which were later revealed as publicity stunts derived fromJesse Ventura's recent Minnesotagubernatorial win.[130]
Hogan returned to WCW in January 1999 during the infamous "Fingerpoke of Doom" match, where he reclaimed the WCW title from Kevin Nash via a simple poke to Nash's chest, with the pair afterwards reunifying the nWo factions.[131][132] The incident is widely seen as a key factor in WCW's decline in ratings and popularity.[133] Later that year in March, he lost the title to Ric Flair atUncensored[2][134] and returned as a babyface in July, defeating Savage to win his sixth and final WCW World Heavyweight Championship on the July 12 episode ofNitro.[135] On August 9, Hogan defeated Nash atRoad Wild to retain the championship.[136] AtFall Brawl Hogan lost the title to Sting.[137] In the rematch atHalloween Havoc, Hogan came to the ring in street clothes, laid down for the pin, and left the ring.[138] Hogan was convinced shortly after by head bookerVince Russo to take time off.[139]
Hogan in 2000
Hogan returned in June 2000, feuding with the cruiserweightBilly Kidman, culminating in a match atThe Great American Bash. Their feud had a negative reception, being voted as the worst feud of the year by readers of theWrestling Observer Newsletter.[140] AtBash at the Beach on July 9, 2000, Hogan was involved in a controversial segment. Hogan was scheduled to challengeJeff Jarrett for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,[141] however before the match, there was a backstage dispute between Hogan and Russo. The match ending was changed to aworked shoot where Jarrett laid down for Hogan, with Hogan after winning, disparaging Russo and the company on the microphone. Moments later, Russo came to the ring and said this would be "the last time fans would ever see that piece of shit in a WCW ring" while revealing Hogan's creative control clause in his contract.[105]
As a result, Hogan filed adefamation of character lawsuit against Russo,[142] which was eventually dismissed in 2002. Russo claims the entire incident was a work, and Hogan claimed that Russo had turned it into a shoot when Russo went into the ring.[143] WCW PresidentEric Bischoff agreed with Hogan's side of the story, saying he and Hogan celebrated after the event over the success of theangle, but that Russo coming out to fire Hogan was unplanned. Regardless, the incident marked Hogan's final appearance in WCW.[2][142]
In the months afterwards, in March 2001 Hogan underwent surgery on his knees, wrestling in a match forXcitement Wrestling Federation (XWF) in November 2001 in preparation for his return to the WWF in February 2002.[2]
Second return to WWF/WWE (2002–2003)
Hogan making his entrance atWrestleMania X8 in March 2002, his first WrestleMania in nine years
AtNo Way Out on February 17, 2002, Hogan returned to the WWF as a heel,[4] reuniting withScott Hall andKevin Nash as the original nWo. The group attackedThe Rock[144] and costStone Cold Steve Austin a chance at becoming theUndisputed WWF Champion, which led to them feuding with both Austin and The Rock. This resulted in a match between Hogan and The Rock atWrestleMania X8 on March 17.[145] Although Hogan entered as a heel, the crowd supported him and cheered him heavily. After losing the match, Hogan shook hands with The Rock and turned face, distancing himself from the nWo.
Following WrestleMania, Hogan revived his red and yellow "Hulkamania" persona, though he initially kept elements of his "Hollywood" character such as his blonde mustache and black beard combination. On the March 25 episode ofRaw, he was drafted to theSmackDown! brand,[146] where he began a feud withTriple H. Hogan defeated him atBacklash on April 21[147][148] to win the Undisputed WWF Championship, becoming the final WWF Champion before the company was renamed WWE in May 2002.[149]
After his loss to Lesnar, Hogan went on a brief hiatus before returning on the January 23, 2003, episode ofSmackDown!, dropping the remaining components of his "Hollywood" persona.[154] He faced The Rock again atNo Way Out on February 23, losing the match.[155] AtWrestleMania XIX on March 30, Hogan defeated Vince McMahon in astreet fight billed as "20 years in the making."[156] Following this, Hogan adopted a masked alter ego named Mr. America[2] after McMahon tried to force him out of the WWE. Despite McMahon's attempts to prove Mr. America's identity, the masked wrestler continued to appear through May and June, including a victory over"Rowdy" Roddy Piper atJudgment Day.[157] Mr. America's final appearance was on the June 26 episode ofSmackDown! in a six-man tag team match, as he teamed with Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle againstBig Show andThe World's Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas andShelton Benjamin) in a losing effort.[158] The following week, Hogan quit WWE due to creative frustrations, unhappy with the payoffs for his matches after his comeback under the Mr. America gimmick.[159] On the July 3 episode ofSmackDown!, McMahon aired footage of Hogan unmasking after the June 26 episode ofSmackDown! and "fired" him on-screen, though Hogan had already left the company.[159]
Second return to NJPW (2003)
Hogan returned to NJPW in October 2003, when he defeatedMasahiro Chono at Ultimate Crush II in theTokyo Dome. Shortly after Hogan left WWE,Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) began making overtures to Hogan, culminating inJeff Jarrett, co-founder of TNA and thenNWA World Heavyweight Champion, launching an on-air attack on Hogan in Japan after the Chono match. The attack was supposed to be a precursor to Hogan battling Jarrett for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at TNA's first three-hour pay-per-view. Due to recurring knee and hip problems, Hogan did not appear in TNA.[160]
On April 2, 2005, Hulk Hogan was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fameclass of 2005 bySylvester Stallone.[161] The following night atWrestleMania 21, Hogan made a surprise appearance to saveEugene from an attack fromMuhammad Hassan andKhosrow Daivari.[162] The lead-up to his induction and WrestleMania appearance was featured in the first season ofHogan Knows Best. AtBacklash, Hogan teamed withShawn Michaels to defeat Hassan and Daivari.[163] Hogan and Michaels were later victorious in a match on the July 4 episode ofRaw againstCarlito and Kurt Angle, after which Michaels turned on Hogan.[164] This led to a match atSummerSlam on August 21, where Hogan defeated Michaels. The two made up after the match, shaking hands.[165]
During this time Hogan was invited to joinMemphis Wrestling to faceJerry Lawler.[170] Although the match had been promoted for months, contractual obligations prevented Lawler from participating, and he was replaced by Paul Wight.[170] Hogan defeated Wight at thePMG Clash of Legends event on April 27, 2007.[171]
Throughout November 2009, Hogan performed in an independent wrestling tour across Australia titledHulkamania: Let The Battle Begin. The main event of each show was a rematch between Hogan and Ric Flair, with Hogan winning each match.[172][173]
After months of storylines involving speculation about a secretive controlling force in TNA,[179][180] Hogan turned heel by helping Hardy win theTNA World Heavyweight Championship atBound for Glory on October 10, 2010, formingImmortal with Hardy, Bischoff, Abyss and Jarrett.[181] As part of the angle, it was revealed that Bischoff had tricked TNA PresidentDixie Carter into signing paperwork to turn the company over to him and Hogan.[182] The storyline concluded atBound for Glory on October 16, 2011, when Hogan lost to Sting in a match that returned control of TNA to Carter. After the match, Hogan aided Sting during a post-match attack by members of Immortal, marking his return to a fan favorite role.[183]
Hogan wrestled his final matches during TNA's tour of the United Kingdom, on January 26 and 27, 2012, athouse shows inNottingham andManchester, where he, James Storm and Sting defeated Bobby Roode,Bully Ray and Kurt Angle in a six-man tag team main event at both events.[184][185] Two months later, Hogan assumed the role of TNA's on-screengeneral manager.[186] His last major storyline in TNA was with the mysterious masked groupAces & Eights;[187] the storyline included an angle where Bully Ray was in a relationship with his daughter Brooke,[188][189] culminating atLockdown on March 10, 2013, where Ray was revealed to be the leader of Aces & Eights.[190] Hogan left TNA in October 2013 upon the expiration of his contract. His final appearance was on the October 3 episode ofImpact Wrestling.[191]
WWE honored Hogan's career during a live event at Madison Square Garden dubbed "Hulk Hogan Appreciation Night" with a special commemorative banner hanging from the rafters on February 27, 2015.[195] The following month, he appeared on the March 23 episode ofRaw in a segment withSnoop Dogg andCurtis Axel.[196] Hogan posthumously inducted "Macho Man" Randy Savage into the WWE Hall of Fameclass of 2015 three days later.[197] The next night atWrestleMania 31, Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, representing the nWo, interfered in the Sting–Triple H match on behalf of Sting, where they battledD-Generation X (DX) membersBilly Gunn,X-Pac,Road Dogg, and Shawn Michaels.[198]
Racism scandal and departure
In July 2015,National Enquirer andRadar Online publicized ananti-black rant made by Hogan on a leakedsex tape recorded in 2007. In the recording, he is heard expressing disgust with the notion of his daughter dating a black man, referenced by repeated use of the racial slur "nigger".[199][200] Hogan also said that he was "a racist, to a point".[200] Once the recordings went public erupting in a media scandal, Hogan apologized for the remarks, which he said is "language that is offensive and inconsistent with [his] own beliefs".[201]Radar Online later reported that Hogan had also usedhomophobic slurs on the leaked sex tape.[202] It was also reported that Hogan had used racist language in a 2008 call to his then-imprisoned son, Nick, and also said that he hoped they would not be reincarnated as black males.[203]
On July 24, WWE terminated their contract with Hogan;[204] however, Hogan's lawyer said Hogan chose to resign.[201] In response to the scandal, WWE removed almost all references to Hogan from their website, including his entry from its WWE Hall of Fame page and his merchandise from WWE Shop. Hogan's characters were removed from WWE video games,[205][206]Mattel halted production of his action figures, and retailers includingTarget,Toys "R" Us, andWalmart pulled his merchandise from their online stores.[207]
Hogan gave an interview withGood Morning America on August 31 in which he pleaded forgiveness for his racist comments, attributing these to a racial bias inherited from his neighborhood while growing up.[208] Hogan said that the term "nigger" was used liberally among friends in Tampa; former neighbors disputed this.[209]
Reaction from African-American wrestlers
The scandal spurred a range of responses from across the professional wrestling industry. Hogan received some support from his African-American peers.Virgil,[210]Dennis Rodman[211] andKamala each spoke positively about their experiences with Hogan and did not believe he was racist.[212] Other black wrestlers working in the WWE made more critical comments, includingMark Henry, who said he was pleased by WWE's "no tolerance approach to racism" response and that he was hurt and offended by Hogan's manner and tone.[213]Booker T said he was shocked and called the statements unfortunate.[214] In the time that followed, numerous African-Americans associated with wrestling expressed some level of support for Hogan including: Rodman,[215]The Rock,[216] Booker T[217] Kamala,[218] Virgil,[219] Mr. T,[220] Henry,[221] andBig E.[222]
Hogan returned to the WWE in 2018, and apologized to WWE wrestlers in a backstage statement.[223] Several African-American wrestlers, includingThe New Day,Titus O'Neil, Mark Henry,Shelton Benjamin andJTG doubted the sincerity of Hogan's apology,[224][225][226][227][228][229] due to Hogan warning wrestlers to be "mindful about being recorded without their knowledge" during his apology instead of addressing his comments.[223][230][231]
Fifth return to WWE (2018–2025)
On July 15, 2018, Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame.[232] Vince McMahon stated, "I knew he wasn't racist. ... He said some racist things. He should pay for that, and he did."[233] Hogan made his on-screen return on November 2, 2018, as the host ofCrown Jewel.[234] On January 7, 2019, Hogan returned toRaw to present a tribute to Gene Okerlund, who had died five days prior.[235]
During the following years, Hogan appeared on several WWE events, like the2019 and2020 Hall of Fame ceremonies, where he inductedBrutus Beefcake in 2019 and was inducted for a second time as part of the New World Order (with Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman) in 2020.[236][237] He also hosted the35th and37th editions of WrestleMania, along with Alexa Bliss and Titus O'Neil respectively.[238][239][240] He also participated atCrown Jewel 2019, where he was the captain of a team opposing Ric Flair's team.[241] On January 6, 2025, Hogan made his final appearance at a professional wrestling event during theRaw debut on Netflix, where alongside Jimmy Hart he cut a promo advertising hisReal American Beer. Hogan was heavily booed by the crowd, which received widespread coverage in the media.[242]
Hogan created and financed a restaurant called Pastamania located in theMall of America inBloomington, Minnesota.[243] It opened on the Labor Day weekend of 1995 and was heavily promoted on WCW's live showMonday Nitro. The restaurant, which remained in operation for less than a year, featured such dishes as Hulk-U's and Hulk-A-Roos.[243]
In the 90's, Hogan endorsed ablender, known as the Hulk Hogan Thunder Mixer.[244] He later endorsed a grill known as The Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill, voluntarily recalled as a fire hazard in 2008 along with other QVC and Tristar grills.[245]
In 2006, Hogan unveiled Hogan Energy, a drink distributed by Socko Energy.[246] His name and likeness were also applied to a line of microwavable hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and chicken sandwiches sold atWal-Mart called Hulkster Burgers.[247] On November 1, 2011, Hogan launched a website called Hogan Nutrition featuring many nutritional and dietary products.[248]
On New Year's Eve 2012, Hogan opened a beachfront restaurant called Hogan's Beach near Tampa, Florida.[249][250] The restaurant dropped Hogan's name in October 2015.[251] Hogan later opened Hogan's Hangout in Clearwater Beach.[252] In 2017, Hogan opened a memorabilia store in Orlando. A second store was opened in New York City in 2024, and a third opened inPigeon Forge in 2025, shortly before his death.
In October 2007, Hogan transferred all trademarks referring to himself to his liability company named Hogan Holdings Limited. The trademarks include Hulk Hogan, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Hulkster, Hogan Knows Grillin, Hulkamania.com, and Hulkapedia.com.[260]
In April 2008, Hogan announced that he would licenseGameloft to create aHulkamania Wrestling video game for mobile phones.[261] In 2010, Hogan starred alongsideTroy Aikman in commercials forRent-A-Center.[262] On March 24, 2011, Hogan made an appearance onAmerican Idol, surprisingPaul McDonald andJames Durbin, who were both wrestling fans. On October 15, 2010, Endemol Games UK announcedHulk Hogan's Hulkamania, anonline gambling game featuring video footage of Hogan.[263][264]
In 2019, it was announced thatChris Hemsworth would portray Hogan in a biopic, directed byTodd Phillips.[270] However, plans for the film had been scrapped by 2024.[271]
In 1997, Hogan starred in the TNT original filmAssault on Devil's Island, as the leader of a commando unit featuring fellow genre veteransCarl Weathers andShannon Tweed.Eric Bischoff was also listed as an executive producer. The characters were considered for a regular series, but instead received a second feature-length showcase two years later, calledAssault on Death Mountain.[275]
In July 2005,VH1 premieredHogan Knows Best a reality show which centered around Hogan, his then-wife Linda, and their children Brooke and Nick.[278] In July 2008, a spin-off entitledBrooke Knows Best premiered, which focused primarily on Hogan's daughter Brooke.[279]
Hogan released a music CD,Hulk Rules, as Hulk Hogan and the Wrestling Boot Band, which also included Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart, his then-wife Linda and J.J Maguire.[285] Despite negative reviews,Hulk Rules reached No. 12 on theBillboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995.[285] One of the songs,Hulkster in Heaven, was purportedly written aboutmurder victim James Bulger.[286]
The Wrestling Figure Checklist records Hogan as having 171 different action figures, produced between the 1980s and 2010s from numerous manufacturers and promotions.[290]
In 1980, Hogan was arrested in New Jersey for possession of a firearm. He entered into a pretrial intervention program, then served six months' probation resulting in the felony charge being dropped.[293]
On March 27, 1985,Richard Belzer requested on his cable TV talk showHot Properties that Hogan demonstrate one of his signature wrestling moves. Hogan put Belzer in a modifiedguillotine choke, which caused Belzer to pass out. When Hogan released him, Belzer hit his head on the floor, sustaining a laceration to the scalp that required a brief hospitalization. Belzer sued Hogan for $5 million and later settled out of court. In 2006, it was claimed that the settlement totaled $5 million, half from Hogan and half from Vince McMahon. However, Belzer suggested that the settlement amount was closer to $400,000.[294]
In 1991, onThe Arsenio Hall Show, Hogan denied usingsteroids, stating "I trained 20 years two hours a day to look like I do. But the things that I'm not, I am not a steroid abuser and I do not use steroids."[295][296]Billy Graham, a fellow wrestler, in a 1991 interview onInside Edition, stated that he injected Hogan with steroids in the 80's.[297] In 1993, media reports indicated that Hogan was a heavy steroid user.[298]
In 1994, Hogan, having receivedlegal immunity, testified in the trial ofVince McMahon relating to shipments of steroids received by both parties from WWF physician George T. Zahorian III.[299] Under oath, Hogan admitted that he had usedanabolic steroids since 1976 to gain size and weight, but that McMahon had neither sold him the drugs nor ordered him to take them. The evidence given by Hogan proved extremely costly to the government's case against McMahon. Due to this and jurisdictional issues, McMahon was found not guilty.[300]
During his testimony, Hogan said that he andKing Kong Bundy had gone to McMahon to tip him off overJesse Ventura'sunionization efforts in 1986.[301][302][303] Hogan later stated "Vince already knew about it, I just said I didn't think it was a good idea. [Ventura] was running his mouth like usual, trying to get everyone on board, everyone knew".[139] This led to criticism; no professional wrestlers' union has been established.[304][305][306]
Sexual assault allegation and extortion lawsuit
In January 1996, Hogan was accused of sexual assault by a 29-year-old businesswoman on Labor Day weekend in 1995, at the firstWCW Nitro taping at the Mall of America in Minneapolis.[307][308][309][310] Gene Okerlund claimed he was with Hogan the whole day and denied the allegations.[307] The woman and her lawyer sent Hogan a letter agreeing to settle the case financially before making it public, and Hogan sued for extortion.[311][308] The woman filed a counter-suit against Hogan in 1997.[309]
In 2012,Gawker released a short clip of asex tape between Hogan and Heather Clem, the estranged wife of radio personalityBubba the Love Sponge.[312] Hogan stated that the tape was made without his knowledge or consent,[313] and he sued Bubba and Heather Clem forinvading his privacy on October 15, 2012.[314] Asettlement with Bubba was announced later that month,[315] who subsequently issued a public apology.[316] In lawsuit financed by Silicon Valley billionairePeter Thiel,[317] Hogan also suedGawker for $100 million for defamation, loss of privacy, and emotional pain.[318] In 2015, clips from the tape with Hogan using slurs led toHogan departing WWE.
After a 2016 trial, Hogan was awarded $115 million.[319][320] Also, on August 11, 2016, a Florida judge gave Hogan control of the assets ofA. J. Daulerio, formerGawker editor-in-chief, who was involved in the posting of Hogan's sex tape.[321]Gawker ultimately reached a $31 million settlement with Hogan in November 2016.[322]
Alleged fabrications
Hogan was accused multiple times of fabricating elements of his past.The Independent called Hogan "a great believer in self-mythologising".[323] According toThe Independent, Hogan claimed thatElvis Presley was a big fan of his, although Presley died before Hogan's rise in popularity.[323] Hogan once claimed that the "difference in time zones" flying between the US and Japan caused him to wrestle "400 days in a single year".[323]
In 2014, Hogan claimed that a missed phone call resulted in him missing an opportunity to endorse what became theGeorge Foreman Grill. Foreman's son later said Hogan wasn't considered.[328] In 2010, Hogan said that he was offered the starring role in the filmThe Wrestler but turned it down. DirectorDarren Aronofsky later said he never considered Hogan.[329] Hogan claimed in a radio interview to have a 10-inch (25 cm) penis, however, during theGawker trial, he admitted this was not true, stating he was speaking in character.[330]
In 1983, Hogan married his first wife,Linda Claridge. They had two children: a daughter,Brooke, and a son,Nick.[331] On November 20, 2007, Linda filed for divorce,[332] stating publicly that she decided to end her marriage after discovering that Hogan had an affair.[333][334] Hogan denied ever cheating on Linda,[335] and stated if he could change one thing in his life it would be to "get divorced right after Nick was born".[139] In the divorce settlement, Hogan retained around 30% of the couple's liquid assets, totaling around $10 million.[336] Hogan said he contemplated suicide after the divorce and creditedAmerican Gladiators co-starLaila Ali with preventing it.[337]
Hogan began a relationship with Jennifer McDaniel in early 2008.[338] The two were engaged in November 2009[338] and married on December 14, 2010, in Clearwater, Florida.[339][340] The couple divorced in 2021.[341]
Hogan became engaged to yoga instructor Sky Daily in July 2023, proposing to her at actorCorin Nemec's wedding reception.[342][343] They married on September 22, 2023.[344]
Through Brooke, Hogan would have two grandchildren who were born in January 2025. However, he would not meet them by the time of his death in July 2025.[345]
Religious beliefs
Hogan was public about his Christian faith, stating that he was "saved" at the age of 14 and had "leaned on" his religion throughout his life.[346] Hogan attributed his salvation to the Youth Ranches ofHank Lindstrom, where he would specifically emphasize John 3:16 and salvation byfaith alone.[347][348][349] He and his wife, Sky Daily, were baptized at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo, Florida on December 20, 2023.[350][351] However, his wife Sky's family areScientologists, which contributed to Hogan's daughter Brooke distancing herself from the family due to fear of the church'slitigious nature.[352]
Health problems
Hogan suffered numerous health problems, particularly with his back, since retiring as a wrestler following years of heavy weight-training and jolting as a wrestler.[353] He underwent at least 25 medical procedures, including back surgeries, and knee and hip replacements.[354]
After the procedures failed to cure his back problems, Hogan underwent traditionalspinal fusion surgery in December 2010, which enabled him to return to his professional activities. In January 2013, Hogan filed amedical malpractice lawsuit against the Laser Spine Institute for $50 million, saying that the medical firm persuaded him to undergo a half-dozen "unnecessary and ineffective" spinal operations that worsened his back problems.[355][356] He claimed that the six procedures he underwent over a period of 19 months only gave him short-term relief.[357] In addition, the Laser Spine Institute used his name on their advertisements, which Hogan claimed was without his permission.[358] The Laser Spine Institute shut down in 2019.[359]
In July 2025, Brooke Hogan stated that Hogan's health was declining by 2023, and that he had undergone numerous surgeries by this point in time.[360]
Death
On May 14, 2025, Hogan underwent a four-levelanterior cervical discectomy and fusion operation.[354] During the procedure, Hogan'sphrenic nerve, which helps thediaphragm contract and expand to allow the lungs to inhale and exhale air, was severed.[361] Close friendsJimmy Hart andEric Bischoff noted a rapid decline in Hogan's health following hisneck fusion surgery. Hart shared that Hogan avoided visitors to prevent infection,[362] while Bischoff recalled Hogan sounding weak and expressing embarrassment over his condition.[363] On June 18, 2025, radio hostBubba the Love Sponge reported that Hogan was seriously ill in the hospital and "might not make it".[354]
Hogan has been described as one of the largest attractions in professional wrestling history and a major reason why Vince McMahon's expansion of his promotion worked. Wrestling historian and journalist Dave Meltzer stated that "...You can't possibly overrate his significance in the history of the business. And he sold more tickets to wrestling shows than any man who ever lived".[380] Hogan himself had previously said he is the second-greatest wrestler ever, after Ric Flair,[381] althoughChris Jericho has stated that Hogan is a better worker than Flair and that working with him was one of the favorite moments of Jericho's career.[382] Meanwhile,Cody Rhodes has said numerous times that Hogan's WrestleMania X8 match with The Rock is the greatest match in wrestling history and that it epitomized what professional wrestling is.[383][384] Bret Hart has issued both praise and criticism for Hogan, lauding his look and describing him as a "hero" to both fans and fellow wrestlers, but calling his in-ring abilities "very limited."[385][386][387]
WWE honored Hogan with multiple tributes: first with a ten-bell salute, on the July 25 episode ofSmackDown,[394] then on the following episodes ofRaw andNXT,[395][396][397] and also atSummerSlam.[398] Meanwhile, TNA dedicated its July 24 episode ofImpact! to Hogan.[399] In NJPW, Hogan was given a ten-bell salute, as well as a tribute ceremony, during the sixth night of theG1 Climax 35 tournament on July 26.[400][401] Two days later, Hogan was honored onAEW Collision with a tribute from former WCW commentatorTony Schiavone.[402]
At the same time, many sources noted his complicated legacy due to his backstage politics, his racial comments, and his support for Donald Trump.[403][404][405][323] Mark Henry, who was critical of Hogan following his racism scandal, spoke of his legacy after his death: "Regardless of his shortcomings, it didn't make him less of a wrestler. It didn't make him less of an entertainer. It's never going to take away from his greatness."[233]
^During Bob Backlund's first title reign, he lost the title to Antonio Inoki and regained it six days later, getting two reigns of 648 and 1470 days. However, WWE doesn't recognize the title change and recognized Backlund's reigns with 2135 days.[17]
References
^abcJones, Patrick (2002)."Hulk Hogan". St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. Archived fromthe original on November 11, 2007. RetrievedOctober 25, 2007.
^"Top 50 Wrestlers of All Time – Page 5".IGN. November 2, 2012.Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. RetrievedApril 10, 2014.Hogan is the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the '80s.
^Assael, Shaun (2002).Sex, Lies, and Headlocks: The Real Story of Vince McMahon and the WWF. Crown Publishers.ISBN978-0609607042.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn= value: checksum (help)
^"Showdown At Shea (1980)", *Pro Wrestling Stories*, details of matches and attendance.
^"Showdown at Shea 1980", *Prowrestlinghistory.com*, event card listing André defeating Hogan in a 13-match card.
^"André the Giant–Hulk Hogan rivalry", *The History of Professional Wrestling* by Graham Cawthon, recounting early matches including Shea Stadium body‑slam.
^"1977–1983 – Hulk Hogan History", *hulkhoganhistory.weebly.com*, listing August 30, 1980, MSG match with Monsoon as referee and body‑slam noted.
^Trujillo, Alexander (October 24, 2012). "Reportaje Especial".Pedro Morales: 70 años del pionero Latinoamericano (in Spanish). El Diario Culebrense. p. 39.
^"Halloween Havoc 1995 results". Wrestling Supercards and Tournaments. October 29, 1995.Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. RetrievedApril 14, 2008.
^"Road Wild 1998 results". Wrestling Supercards and Tournaments. August 8, 1998.Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. RetrievedApril 16, 2008.
^"Halloween Havoc 1998 results". Wrestling Supercards and Tournaments. October 25, 1998.Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. RetrievedApril 16, 2008.
^"Fall Brawl 1999 results". Wrestling Supercards and Tournaments. September 12, 1999.Archived from the original on June 22, 2002. RetrievedApril 16, 2008.
^"Halloween Havoc 1999 results". Wrestling Supercards and Tournaments. October 24, 1999.Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. RetrievedApril 16, 2008.
^Shoemaker, David (July 18, 2012)."» On WWE and Organized Labor".» Sports and Pop Culture from our rotating cast of writers – Grantland. RetrievedSeptember 5, 2025.
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