What if Hogan doesn't join WWF in 1984?

[Polishprince]

Who could have beat the Iron Sheik for the title? Could a different wrestler like Dusty Rhodes or Kerry Von Erich have broken the Sheik's dreaded Cobra Clutch and regained the WWF belt for America?

Or would the Iron Sheik have been able to bring the WWF title to Tehran presumably forever?

Hulkamania arriving in the WWF was a landmark moment in the history of Professional Wrestling.

I have nothing but respect for the tremendous American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. But I have real doubts about his skills vis-a-vis the Iron Sheik at that point in time.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Who could have beat the Iron Sheik for the title? Could a different wrestler like Dusty Rhodes or Kerry Von Erich have broken the Sheik's dreaded Cobra Clutch and regained the WWF belt for America?

Or would the Iron Sheik have been able to bring the WWF title to Tehran presumably forever?

Hulkamania arriving in the WWF was a landmark moment in the history of Professional Wrestling.

I have nothing but respect for the tremendous American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. But I have real doubts about his skills vis-a-vis the Iron Sheik at that point in time.

Nobody cares.

 

[konradv]

Who could have beat the Iron Sheik for the title? Could a different wrestler like Dusty Rhodes or Kerry Von Erich have broken the Sheik's dreaded Cobra Clutch and regained the WWF belt for America?

Or would the Iron Sheik have been able to bring the WWF title to Tehran presumably forever?

Hulkamania arriving in the WWF was a landmark moment in the history of Professional Wrestling.

I have nothing but respect for the tremendous American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. But I have real doubts about his skills vis-a-vis the Iron Sheik at that point in time.

The World Wildlfe Fund sure has changed since back in the day when the animals were in the wild, not in the ring!

 

[lg325]

It would depend on the writers and how McMahon and others viewed the market. Dusty would have been a good choice or Lex Lugar if they could do some work on Lugers personality. Would it have the same success as they had with Hogan? No,Hulkamania was the best gimmick in'' pro rasslin''history and no other performer could have pulled it off.

 

[Polishprince]

It would depend on the writers and how McMahon and others viewed the market. Dusty would have been a good choice or Lex Lugar if they could do some work on Lugers personality. Would it have the same success as they had with Hogan? No,Hulkamania was the best gimmick in'' pro rasslin''history and no other performer could have pulled it off.

Luger was playing pro football and not yet in pro wrestling in 1984

 

[Devils_Advocate]

The Baron would have used the Claw and taken it back to Berlin!

( Yes, I am that damn old to remember Hulk and Baron on AWA! )

 

[Oddball]

Who could have beat the Iron Sheik for the title? Could a different wrestler like Dusty Rhodes or Kerry Von Erich have broken the Sheik's dreaded Cobra Clutch and regained the WWF belt for America?

Or would the Iron Sheik have been able to bring the WWF title to Tehran presumably forever?

Hulkamania arriving in the WWF was a landmark moment in the history of Professional Wrestling.

I have nothing but respect for the tremendous American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. But I have real doubts about his skills vis-a-vis the Iron Sheik at that point in time.

Rhodes was still NWA back then.....Von Erich was WCCW out of Dallas.

 

[lantern2814]

Jimmy Snuka was immensely popular in that era. His feud with Roddy Piper was big. Maybe Ricky Steamboat if he would have gone to WWF a little earlier than he did.

 

[Polishprince]

Rhodes was still NWA back then.....Von Erich was WCCW out of Dallas.

Pro wrestlers didn't have long term exclusive contracts back in those days. Hogan was a top contender in the AWA when Vince McMahon enticed him away.

 

[Oddball]

Pro wrestlers didn't have long term exclusive contracts back in those days. Hogan was a top contender in the AWA when Vince McMahon enticed him away.

McMahon didn't entice him as much as Vern Gagne pushed him away, with his silly rule that "brawlers" weren't allowed to hold the AWA belt, along with his stinginess in not splitting the merchandising loot with Hogan 50-50.

Don't make those unforced errors, and the AWA becomes the biggest operation of the 80s & 90s, and likely still exists today.

 

[toobfreak]

Hulkamania arriving in the WWF was a landmark moment in the history of Professional Wrestling.

Don't you see, the "landmark moment" was for the owners of the WWF/WWE who realized that they could slowly move wrestling from a local sporting event to big, high budget bonanzas where they could charge big bucks and make a fortune, and the Hulk was their first candidate to play the marketing role.

Used to be that all events happened locally and on TV. Now the TV only shows mostly crap with a little bit spruced up here and there to build and keep the watcher's interest to some event between the wrestlers needing resolved on the big stage which they then move from TV to a huge stadium and charge killer bucks to see!

And the fans fell for it. They now watch crap on TV designed to peak their interest like Pavlov's dog as a recruitment to then fork out real big bucks for live events and closed-circuit events. And I was right, they now have at least one special event a MONTH!

28 days of garbage on TV to bait people in to paying through the nose to see what they used to see pretty cheaply now for huge ticket fees, just as I used to go see the best concerts on the planet in High School for no more than $6.00 to now where you have to go through a ticket broker and pay often between $130 to $200 to see a concert that adjusted for inflation, should be selling for about $30-$40 today.

WWE itinerary for last year:

 

[Devils_Advocate]

Don't you see, the "landmark moment" was for the owners of the WWF/WWE who realized that they could slowly move wrestling from a local sporting event to big, high budget bonanzas where they could charge big bucks and make a fortune, and the Hulk was their first candidate to play the marketing role.

Used to be that all events happened locally and on TV. Now the TV only shows mostly crap with a little bit spruced up here and there to build and keep the watcher's interest to some event between the wrestlers needing resolved on the big stage which they then move from TV to a huge stadium and charge killer bucks to see!

And the fans fell for it. They now watch crap on TV designed to peak their interest like Pavlov's dog as a recruitment to then fork out real big bucks for live events and closed-circuit events. And I was right, they now have at least one special event a MONTH!

28 days of garbage on TV to bait people in to paying through the nose to see what they used to see pretty cheaply now for huge ticket fees, just as I used to go see the best concerts on the planet in High School for no more than $6.00 to now where you have to go through a ticket broker and pay often between $130 to $200 to see a concert that adjusted for inflation, should be selling for about $30-$40 today.

WWE itinerary for last year:
View attachment 686018

I miss the local events because they had more appeal.

My aunt stopped watching Wrestling once the AWA went defunct and I could never get into the WWF at all.

 

[toobfreak]

I miss the local events because they had more appeal.
My aunt stopped watching Wrestling once the AWA went defunct and I could never get into the WWF at all.

I have pictures of Hulk Hogan wrestling I took before he was even called Hulk Hogan. Noticed who it was years later. Don't remember what he called himself at the time but he wore black tights and had Lou Albano with him, rubber bands and all. I took a picture of him because he was so much larger than other wrestlers of the day.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

If Hulk Hogan didn't take over, they would have found another babyface to do so.

Would they have been as over? Probably not, but who knows.

It's like asking "What if Harrison Ford didn't audition for Indiana Jones or Star Wars"...

 

[Devils_Advocate]

I have pictures of Hulk Hogan wrestling I took before he was even called Hulk Hogan. Noticed who it was years later. Don't remember what he called himself at the time but he wore black tights and had Lou Albano with him, rubber bands and all. I took a picture of him because he was so much larger than other wrestlers of the day.

Super Destroyer?

All I know he did change Wrestling but I am old school when it come to Wrestling.

 

[candycorn]

They would have found another thespian to fulfill the role.

You guys do know it is all fake, right?

 

[Devils_Advocate]

They would have found another thespian to fulfill the role.

You guys do know it is all fake, right?

It ain’t fake!!!!

What is next?

Santa isn’t real and women truly do have orgasms?

 

[Polishprince]

They would have found another thespian to fulfill the role.

You guys do know it is all fake, right?

Actually, the Hulkster is an Italian American, brother.

And not a Thespian at all.

Little known fact, and he isn't actually Brutus Beekcake's literal brother. either.

 

[lg325]

He was at the right place at the right time. And a gimmick that caught on with the fans.