Hulk Hogan: The hero, the villain, and the immortal legend of wrestling

Hulk Hogan's beginnings weren't what one might think. Originally, he wanted to be a music star. He had his rock band and everything. At the same time, he spent a lot of time at the gym, where he met a wrestler who invited him to join the industry. With his physique and charisma, the money was guaranteed. He decided to accept and began training in wrestling until his debut in 1975. He tried his luck until he debuted in the NWA. Soon after, he won the heavyweight championship, the first major title of his legendary career.

At that moment, a step many would take would be dirty, for others, a simple business move. Vince McMan Jr., the man we all know as Mr. McMan, bought the company from his father, giving birth to the WWF. Now he needed a flagship.

His father's flagship was Bruno San Martino, but in a new era, he needed someone who could become the biggest star in wrestling worldwide. That was Hogan. Madison Square Garden was the perfect place to see this wrestler reach the top, and he became the biggest star by winning the WWF World Championship. A match that is highly remembered for his victory over Iron Chick in a match that will go down in history. The American hero defeated the foreign villain with this victory in 1984; Hulkamania was born.

This and other moments made clear the actions Hogan took in the eyes of many, trying to hold back some talents. Ego, money, it's unknown, but the stories are many. After several years at the top, Hogan's American persona began to tire. He was still the mainstay, the top-grossing wrestler, the one who sold merchandise. But a certain audience felt it was time for a break or something refreshing. The answer to a wrestler with brutal charisma and physique, overflowing energy, and who was beginning to sell a lot of merchandise. The Ultimate Warrior.

Hulk Hogan's story is like that of any human being: someone who climbed to the top with great effort, but who left obstacles in his path. Those obstacles, when they piled up, sank him to the point where he couldn't recover. His career is enviable. Without him, WWE wouldn't be where it is. Wrestling wouldn't be the same. Terry Bollea is gone, but Hulk Hogan, the legend, the character, the idol, and the villain, will forever remain in the memory of wrestling.