Hulk Hogan Dies: 'Pro Wrestling's Influence Cannot Be Denied' — The Wall Street Journal
■ Where should he be placed in the history of sports?
I honestly don't know where Hulk Hogan should be placed in the history of sports, or if he should be placed there at all.
Hogan, who died on July 24 at the age of 71, was able to display phenomenal physical ability with his 6-foot-8-inch, well-honed frame. However, professional wrestling is—spoiler alert—not a pure sport, but entertainment.
Still, it cannot be denied that professional wrestling has evolved from a small local spectacle into a pervasive cultural force. It is a well-known fact now thatsports, politics, and daily life are closer to the pro wrestling ring than ever before.
We have become a nation of noisy conflict. Subtle negotiation is replaced by a blow from a folding chair. And reason is drowned out by the loudest voice in the room. Pro wrestling simplifies the complexities of life into primitive conflict. And one of the wrestlers who most famously and iconically embodied that style was Hulk Hogan.
I am not a die-hard fan of pro wrestling. I have only watched it a few times. I still have to look up the correct spelling of Bruno Sammartino. Even so, I know thatHogan (born Terry Bollea) was a transformative figure. He was a character who stood out even in a grand world.
Hogan reinvented his image many times, sometimes as a villain, sometimes as a hero, and then as a villain again. He went through cycles of resurrection and downfall, and countless professional detours. As a celebrity anda figure at the center of scandal, he became both the face on a poster anda social pariah. He was fired after racist remarks were recorded, became a strange protagonist in thecrossfire of the media, and became a speaker at political rallies. Despite the controversy, he alwayscontinued to project a presence.
■ Influence cannot be denied
In the early 1980s, he suddenly appeared. For many, the first time they saw him was inthe movie 'Rocky III' as the 'Ultimate Male' Thunderlips, facing off against Rocky Balboa. It was the scene where Hogan roughly throws Rocky around, and Mickey and Adrian tremble in fear.
His foray into Hollywood caused him to lose his job at the WWF at the time. (The organization did not want him to appear.) But'Hulkamania' gained momentum, and he returned. The frenzy reached its peak, and in April 1985, he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. Flexing his arms and spreading his hands, it was as if a fictional barbarian was knocking at the gates.
Traditionalists pushed back hard. 'Pro wrestling isn't a real sport! There's no way Hogan could enter the same Hall of Fame as Sandy Koufax, Muhammad Ali, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!'
I myself have the same question when I see pro wrestling events treated seriously in major sports media. 'Is the media really covering this...?'
Still,the influence of pro wrestling cannot be denied, and it is also true that Hogan appeared at the perfect time during its growth period. He rode the wave of pro wrestling transforming from a local entertainment into a global phenomenon, becoming the symbolic figure of Vince McMahon's aggressive expansion strategy. They utilized the media ecosystem more skillfully than anyone else and built the world of pro wrestling.
■ He is still with us
Hogan understood the classical concept of pro wrestling: 'To stand out, be outrageous. To be heard, speak loudly.'
It would be great if that were the reason for being loved, but even if you are hated, it doesn't change the fact that you are getting attention.
Such intentional staging—what wrestlers call a 'work'—isnow common in the sports world. It is not rare for athletes to cause a stir to attract attention, sell their name, and make money. It has now permeated every profession.
In the past, the media was an essential partner in staging that world, but now you can broadcast yourself using digital tools.
Influencers, business rivals, media trolls, social media staging battles, and non-realistic content under the name of TV 'reality' shows... all of them have a little bit ofpro wrestling elements mixed in.
Perhaps there is no way to turn back the clock. There is a thirst for silence, but I don't know if there is still a place for subtlety, context, or expertise.Algorithms value 'volume,' and culture follows suit. We are caught in that noise.
Hulk Hogan has passed away. However,he is still with us.
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