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| Hulk Hogan at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. (August 21, 2005) |
Hogan was born Terry Gene Bollea in Augusta, Georgia, the son of Peter Bollea, a construction foreman, and Ruth, a homemaker and dance teacher. He is of Italian, French, and Panamanian heritage.
When he was one and a half years old, his family moved to Port Tampa, Florida.
As a boy, he was a pitcher in Little League Baseball. He began watching professional wrestling at 16 years old. While in high school, he revered Dusty Rhodes, and he regularly attended cards at the Tampa Sportatorium. It was at one of those wrestling cards where he first turned his attention towards "Superstar" Billy Graham and looked to him for inspiration;since he first saw Graham on TV,Hogan wanted to match his "inhuman" look. Hogan was also a skilled musician, spending ten years playing bass guitar in several Florida-based rock bands.
He went on to study at Hillsborough Community College and the University of South Florida. After music gigs began to get in the way of his time in college, Hogan decided to drop out of the University of South Florida before receiving any degree.Eventually, Hogan and two local musicians formed a band called Ruckus in 1976.The band soon became a local sensation in the Tampa Bay region.
During his spare time, Hogan worked out at Hector's Gym in the Tampa Bay area and eventually became strong enough to do big lifting. Many of the wrestlers who were competing in the Florida region visited the bars where Ruckus was performing. Among those attending his performances were Jack and Gerald Brisco,two brothers who wrestled together as a tag team in the Florida region. Impressed by Hogan's physical stature, the Brisco brothers asked Hiro Matsuda—the man who trained wrestlers working for Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF)—to make him a potential trainee.In 1976, the two brothers asked Hogan to try wrestling. Having been a wrestling fan since childhood,Hogan eventually agreed. At first, however, Mike Graham, the son of CWF promoter Eddie Graham, refused to put Hogan in the ring;according to Hogan, he met Graham while in high school and the two didn't get along.However, after Hogan quit Ruckus and started telling people in town that he was going to be a wrestler,Mike Graham finally agreed to accept the Brisco Brothers' request.
Professional wrestling career :
Early years (1977–1979)...
In the summer of 1977, after over a year of training with Matsuda,the Brisco brothers dropped by Matsuda's gym to see Hogan.During this visit, Jack Brisco handed Hogan a pair of wrestling boots and informed him that he was scheduled to wrestle his first match the following week.[16] In his professional wrestling debut, Eddie Graham booked him against Brian Blair in Fort Myers, Florida on August 10, 1977 in Championship Wrestling from Florida. A short time later, Bollea donned a mask and assumed the persona of "The Super Destroyer," a hooded character first played by Don Jardine and subsequently used by other wrestlers. Hogan, however, eventually could no longer work with Hiro Matsuda, whom he felt was an overbearing trainer,[19] and left Championship Wrestling From Florida. After declining an offer to wrestle for the Kansas City circuit, Hogan took a hiatus from wrestling and managed a private club in Cocoa Beach, Florida-known as the Anchor Club-. for a man named Whitey Bridges. Eventually, Whitey and Hogan became close friends, and decided to open a gym together, the gym became known as Whitey and Terry's Olympic gym. Soon after, Hogan's friend Ed Leslie (later known as Brutus Beefcake) came down to Cocoa Beach to help Hogan and Bridges manage both the Anchor Club and the Whitey and Terry's Olympic Gym. On his spare time, he and Leslie worked out in the gym together, and eventually, Beefcake developed a muscular physique;Hogan was impressed by Beefcake's physical stature and became convinced that the two of them should wrestle together as tag team partners.Depressed and yearning to return to wrestling, Hogan called Superstar Billy Graham in 1978 with hopes that Graham could find him a job wrestling outside of Florida; Graham agreed and Hogan soon joined Louie Tillet's Alabama territory. Hogan also convinced Leslie, who had yet to become a wrestler,to come with him and promised to teach him everything he knew about the sport..jpg) |
| Hulk Hogan |
In May 1979, Bollea had an early shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which at the time was generally recognized as the highest honor in wrestling. In June 1979, Bollea won his first wrestling championship, the NWA Southeast Heavyweight Championship, recognized in Alabama and Tennessee when he defeated Ox Baker.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (1980–1985)...
A great deal of Hogan's early success was achieved in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Japanese wrestling fans were in awe of the gargantuan blond American and nicknamed him "Ichiban" (which translates to "Number One"). Hogan first appeared in Japan on May 13, 1980, while he was still with the WWF. He occasionally toured the country over the next few years, facing a wide variety of opponents ranging from Tatsumi Fujinami to Abdullah the Butcher. When competing in Japan, Hogan used a vastly different repertoire of wrestling moves, relying on more technical, traditional wrestling holds and maneuvers as opposed to the power-based, brawling style American fans became accustomed to seeing from him. Another difference is that Hogan used a running forearm lariat (called the "Axe Bomber") as his finisher in Japan instead of the running leg drop that has been his traditional finisher in America. Hogan still made appearances for the WWF, even unsuccessfully challenging Pedro Morales for the Intercontinental Championship on March 26, 1981.[29] On June 2, 1983, Hogan became the first International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) tournament winner (although he held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship belt, this was not the beginning of the actual championship), defeating Japanese wrestling icon Antonio Inoki by knockout in the finals of a 10-man tournament featuring top talent from throughout the world.[30] Hogan and Inoki also worked as partners in Japan, winning the prestigious MSG Tag League tournament two years in a row: in 1982 and 1983. Hogan's popularity in Japan was so great, he even recorded an album there—a forerunner to the World Wrestling Federation's "Rock 'n' Wrestling" of the mid-1980s.
In 1984, Hogan returned to New Japan, to wrestle Antonio Inoki in the finals of the IWGP League, in which he lost the belt by countout, thanks to interference from Riki Chōshū. Hogan also defended his WWF World title against various stars in New Japan including Inoki, Seiji Sakaguchi, and Tatsumi Fujinami among others, until the WWF ended their relationship with New Japan in October 1985.
American Wrestling Association (1981–1983)...
After filming his scene for Rocky III against the elder McMahon's wishes, Hogan made his debut in the American Wrestling Association, owned by Verne Gagne. Hogan started his AWA run as a heel, taking on "Luscious" Johnny Valiant as his manager, before handing the AWA title over to him. Hogan, unwilling to give up his life as a bachelor for the world title of the AWA, continued to turn down the belt. Shortly after these attempts to woo Hogan into giving Gagne more of a share of his profits and booking in Japan and attempts to bring him into the Gagne family, Hogan was lured back to the Northeast by Vincent K. McMahon, who had just recently purchased the WWF from his ailing father.
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| Hogan facing Ric Flair before his match in Hulkamania Tour |
Memphis Wrestling and PMG Clash of Legends (2007)...
After a brief fall out with McMahon and WWE, Hogan was lured to Memphis Wrestling with the proposal of wrestling Jerry Lawler.The match had been promoted on Memphis Wrestling Prime Time for several months. On April 12, 2007, however, Lawler announced in a news conference that WWE had barred him from wrestling Hogan on the basis that NBC performers (including Lawler, on the basis of co-hosting the NBC-owned USA Network's WWE Raw and his appearances on the biannual WWE Saturday Night's Main Event) are contractually prohibited from appearing on VH1, the channel on which Hogan Knows Best airs. The situation resulted in a lawsuit being filed against WWE by event promoter Corey Maclin.Lawler was replaced with Paul Wight. Hulk Hogan defeated Wight at PMG Clash of Legends on April 27, 2007 when he picked up and bodyslammed Wight and pinned him following his signature Leg Drop.
General Manager (2011–present)...
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| Hogan, the General Manager, being surrounded by Aces & Eights in January 2013. |
On October 16 at Bound For Glory, Hogan was defeated by Sting, ending his run as the storyline president of TNA. After the match, Immortal attacked Sting. Hogan then "Hulked up", tore his shirt, and helped Sting chase the stable out of the ring, turning face once again in the process.The following Impact Wrestling, Hogan, wearing his trademark yellow and red again, admitted to his mistakes, and put over Sting for winning, who ended up helping Hogan this time chase Immortal from the ring. After that, Hogan took a hiatus from TNA. On January 26, 2012, Hogan returned to the ring at a house show in Nottingham, England, where he, James Storm and Sting defeated Bobby Roode, Bully Ray and Kurt Angle in a six man tag team main event.Hogan returned to Impact Wrestling on February 2, when he was revealed as Garett Bischoff's trainer.On the March 29 edition of Impact Wrestling, Hogan returned and accepted Sting's offer to replace him as the new General Manager.In July, Hogan, alongside Sting, began feuding with a mysterious group of masked men, who had dubbed themselves the "Aces & Eights".The group's attack on Hogan on the July 12 episode of Impact Wrestling was used to write Hogan off television as he was set to undergo another back surgery. Hogan returned as Hollywood Hogan on the August 23 episode of Impact Wrestling, attacking Aces & Eights.In November, Hogan would move into a storyline with Bully Ray after Austin Aries revealed a secret relationship between Ray and Hogan's daughter Brooke. After seeing them kissing in a parking garage on the December 20 episode of Impact Wrestling,Hogan would ended up suspending Ray indefinitely on the January 3, 2013, episode. The following week, after Ray saved Brooke from a kidnapping by the Aces & Eights, Brooke accepted his marriage proposal much to Hogan's dismay.
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| Jennifer McDaniel And Hulk Hogan |
Personal life :
On March 27, 1985, just days prior to the inaugural WrestleMania, Richard Belzer requested on his cable TV talk show Hot Properties that Hulk Hogan demonstrate one of his signature wrestling moves. After consistently refusing but being egged on by Belzer, Hogan put Belzer in a modified Guillotine 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; the settlement was rumored at $1.5 million. On October 20, 2006, on Bubba the Love Sponge, it was claimed (with Hogan in the studio) that the settlement totaled $5 million, half from Hogan and half from Vince McMahon. During his June 23, 2008 appearance on Sirius Satellite Radio's The Howard Stern Show, Belzer suggested that the real settlement amount was actually closer to $400,000 .
On December 18, 1983, Bollea married Linda Claridge (born August 24, 1959). They have a daughter Brooke (born May 5, 1988) and a son Nick (born July 27, 1990). Bollea made his personal life the centerpiece of the television show Hogan Knows Best, which includes his wife and two children. Bollea's 17 year old son Nick was indicted as an adult on November 7, 2007 on four criminal charges. The charges stemmed from an August car accident that seriously injured the passenger in Nick's car, John Graziano. Nick pleaded no contest and was sentenced to eight months in prison on May 9, 2008.
According to an interview in The National Enquirer, Christiane Plante claimed that she had an affair with Hogan in 2007 while the Hogan family was shooting Hogan Knows Best.Plante was 33 years old at the time and had worked with Brooke Hogan on her 2006 album.On November 20, 2007, Linda filed for divorce in Pinellas County, Florida. Hulk told St. Petersburg Times that he was unaware of the filing when the paper called for a comment. The Graziano family's lawyer believed the divorce might have been an attempt to divide the family's assets from a planned civil suit against the Bolleas regarding their son, Nick. After filing for divorce, Linda (48 at the time) began dating Charlie Hill (19 at the time). Hill had been a student at Brooke and Nick's high school, one grade above Nick and one grade below Brooke.In November 2008, Linda claimed to the public that she made the decision to end her marriage after finding out about Hulk Hogan's affair.Hogan said that he had considered committing suicide, however, he moved on and married his current wife Jennifer McDaniel. In his 2009 autobiography, however, Hogan acknowledged that Linda on numerous occasions suspected he was having infidelities whenever he developed friendships with other women,but denied allegations that he ever cheated on Linda.
Bollea lived with his daughter, Brooke, who starred in the now-cancelled VH1 reality series, Brooke Knows Best. Bollea has suffered numerous health problems, particularly with his back since retiring as a wrestler following the years of heavyweight training and jolting as a wrestler.On October 27, 2009, St. Martin's Press released Bollea's autobiography, My Life Outside the Ring. Hogan credits Laila Ali, co-star on American Gladiators, with preventing him from committing suicide. Bollea has been in a relationship with Jennifer McDaniel since early 2008.The two were engaged in November 2009 and married on December 14, 2010, in Clearwater, Florida. Hogan became a distributor for multi-level marketing company ViSalus Sciences after looking for business opportunities outside of wrestling. Hogan supports the American Diabetes Association.
In April 2012, a sex tape between Hogan and Heather Clem, the estranged wife of radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge emerged online. On October 4, 2012, Gawker released a short clip of the video.[230] In this video, Clem can be heard saying that the couple can "do their thing" and he will be in his office. Furthermore, at the end of the video, Clem can also be heard telling Heather, "If we ever need to retire, here is our ticket".Hogan later told Howard Stern on his satellite radio show that, "it was a bad choice and a very low point" and "I was with some friends and made a wrong choice. It has devastated me, I have never been this hurt." He also claimed the video was from six years ago to relieve the resentment from his new wife (it's worthy to note that six years prior, Hogan was married to Linda Hogan). On October 15, 2012, Hogan filed a lawsuit against Bubba the Love Sponge and Heather Clem for invading his privacy. Hogan later settled the lawsuit on October 29, 2012. Following the settlement, Clem also publically apologized to Hogan.
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Bollea was honored as the 2008 King of the Krewe of Bacchus, a New Orleans carnival organization.Hogan visited the Children's Hospital of New Orleans and rode in the parade where he threw doubloons with his likeness. Hogan received the honor in part because meeting Hogan is one of the most requested "wishes" of the terminally ill children benefited by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Whenever Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scores a goal at Consol Energy Center, Hogan appears on the Jumbotron and says "Whatcha gonna do when Malkamania runs wild on you?"
Undertaker vs. Hulk Hogan :
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