25 Years of Hatred

Rock and Wrestling

25 years ago, professional wrestling was very different to day. Still based largely around the territory system, the NWA ruled the United States, WWE still largely being seen as a North-Eastern promotion despite breaking away from the NWA many years earlier.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon however, had a vision. Just 3 years previously MTV had began broadcasting, the pop culture boom had just exploded. Acts such as Michael Jackson and Cyndi Lauper ruled the airwaves, making millions of dollars for themselves, the TV stations and management. Vince McMahon looks at the wrestling business and saw a profession still rooted in the carnivals, a business that had never advanced unlike other forms of entertainment like theater. McMahon saw the potential to bring WWE into the 1980s, to create a whole new era of wrestling for the MTV generation - it would be called the Rock and Wrestling Era.

However, McMahon needed a star. No longer would wrestling be a sport where many spars dominated, where champions held the belt once and moved on, McMahon needed a man capable of being the face of the company, somebody who summed up what this ear would be all about - that man was Hulk Hogan.

Hogan was very nearly a star already, just verging on being a regular Main Eventer, he was perfect for McMahon's plans. Another masterstroke was recreating the Hogan character as an American Hero. In the 1980s, with a renewed cold war on the agenda and patriotism at an all time high, who wouldn't want to cheer for the Real American? Hogan was larger than life, a great interview, full of charisma, a ":limited" wrestling ability was irrelevant, this was no longer solely about sports - this was the birth of sports-entertainment.

Here however, Hulk Hogan and Mr McMahon will always disagree. While Hogan is certain of his place, knowing what he achieved for McMahon and WWE, Vince has always insisted that HE created Hogan, the idea was his and anybody could have played that character. But without Hogan's personality and charisma would he have been a star? that is simply one of the unanswerable questions these two men will forever argue over.

Hulkamania

Hogan however WAS a star. Initially the fans were drawn in by the involvement of stars such as Lauper, TV star Mr T and more, but once the new fans discovered that they liked what they saw, Hogan became a megastar in his own right. Throwing a bunch of huge opponents and foreign heels at him, the fans ate it up, WWE's initial WrestleMania event setting WWE on the path to domination. Hulkamania was born. By the time of Hogan's finest hour, his match with Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III - WWE had begun the anailation of the National Wrestling Alliance, a group that refused to change, that stuck to its wrestling principles and traditions.

Territory after territory was bought by McMahon, the AWA, everybody who would sell. The NWA's most popular and well known territory however, Jimmy Crockett Promotions out of the Carolina's didn't sell to the WWE, instead they were bought by media mogul Ted Turner. While making no impact for very nearly 10 years, this was a moment that changed the business forever along with the relationship between the Hulkster and Vince McMahon.

For now however, McMahon and Hogan were a match made in heaven, inseparable in business and pleasure, both men firm friends, even going motorcycling together. Nothing would come between them. That was until 1993 and the trial that shook the wrestling world.

Indicted on charges of supplying steroids, Hogan made his first blunder on his famous appearance on the Arsino Hall Show. The relationship between Hogan and McMahon was damaged forever as Hogan took the stand for the prosecution. Although Hogan didn't implicate McMahon in any way and many claim his evidence may have been crucial in the innocent verdict, McMahon never forgave Hogan for taking the stand.

With their personal relationship in tatters, their business one crumbled soon after, Hogan leaving WWE after losing to Yokozuna at King of the Ring 1993. It would be Hogan's last WWE appearance for 9 years. Everybody believed Hogan was done with wrestling, off to Hollywood to make movies. This career didn't take off however and the Hulkster was after new opportunities - re-enter Ted Turner.

World Championship Wrestling signed Hulk Hogan in 1994 to the biggest deal they'd ever made, a ticker tape parade greeted him in Orlando, Hogan was once again the biggest fish in the pond. Meanwhile WWE's fortunes were floundering, in a creative mess after the steroid trial, the company was in transition. Stars such as Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Diesel and Razor Ramon were rising but ratings were falling week by week. WCW was hardly setting the World alight, even with Hogan. Turner threw money at the problem, signing away the likes of Lex Luger, Randy Savage and many more to little ratings effect. The business was at it's lowest ebb and both Hogan and McMahon began to trade barbs on the airwaves, the WWF producing the Billionaire Ted skits while Hogan buried the WWF and McMahon on WCW Nitro.

New World Order.

In 1996 however, two developments in WCW and the WWF changed the business once more, two developments that took the wrestling industry off the child orientated path that was failing and onto a brand new adult focused business. They were a group called the nWo and a man called Vince Russo.

The nWo was an invading group, trading on WCW and the WWF's rivalry. Hogan turned heel for the first time in his career, shocking the World in the process. The cool nWo, the war between it and WCW, the badass feel all started to increase WCW's ratings, propelling them past the WWF and into uncharted territory, WCW could do no wring and Hogan was back to his 1980s peak of stardom, all at the expense of the WWF in Vince's eyes.

Vince believed Hogan to be just as guilty as Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff, Hogan was the face of the company trying to put him out of business, Hogan was the man who stabbed him in the back.

But McMahon wasn't going to go down without a fight, he'd beaten the federal government after all, beaten the NWA, the AWA, what he needed to do he realized was do exactly what he did in the 1980s - he needed to tap into the mood of the nation, hop onto the latest pop culture crazes and icons. After hearing the ideas of a lowly WWF Magazine journalist, Vince hired the man to the creative team - his name was Vince Russo. The fight back had begun.

Attitude

Russo ranked up the adult themes in WWE to unheard of levels and in conjunction with McMahon formed a formidable creative force, making new stars such as D-Generation X, Steve Austin, The Rock, Kane, Mankind, a new Undertaker and more, slowly WWE was clawing ground back. Meanwhile in WCW, Hogan was beginning to become increasingly political backstage to the point that he was openly hated by stars ranging from Ric Flair to his own nWo partners Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.

The six month period between November 1997 and March 1998 was the most important and landmark in wrestling history. At the Survivor Series 1997, McMahon famously screwed Bret Hart, creating the character of Mr McMahon, the evil billionaire owner of the company, the perfect foil for Stone Cold Steve Austin. In December, WCW's Starrcade with the most anticipated match possibly in 5 years - Sting vs Hogan, was a shambles, Hogan not putting over Sting, a fact not lost on the fans. Finally in March 1998, WrestleMania IV featured the passing of the torch - Shawn Michaels to Steve Austin, Tyson as enforcer. Ratings rose and the death knell for WCW sounded.

The WWF would go from success to success, Austin would become a bigger star than Hogan ever had, WCW would collapse on itself over the next two years but worse was still to come, following WCW's acquisition of Vince Russo in a mega money deal WCW began to produce some of the worst television in wrestling history. Never again seen until TNA of 2007/2008. Hogan would quit the company after either a shoot or a work depending on who you talk to with Russo. In March 2001, WCW was purchased by Vince McMahon.

And that's where many thought the story would end, that Hogan would never be employed by WWE. But as Vince would say, in wrestling you never say never.

Comeback

After the failed WCW/ECW Invasion in 2001, WWE was looking for an angle to inject some life - enter the nWo. Vince McMahon figured that what worked once would work again and Hulk Hogan made his WWF return in early 2002. The plan was to debut Hogan, Nash and Hall separately and also have the returning Shawn Michaels join the group. Sure enough the nWo officially formed in the WWF on the first relaunched Raw is War without Hogan. However things didn't go according the plan and the nWo disbanded within a month leaving Hogan with no major feud or direction. Some speculated he was being punished by the vindictive McMahon for his actions during the 1990s.

Hogan would soon recover however and in May, forming the second nWo (nWo classic) with HBK, Nightmare and Urban-Wolf, once again Hogan and McMahon led WWE to a boom period. However, it didn't escape Vince's attention that Hogan was relishing his Anti-McMahon role and once again attempting to put him out of business. Following the break up of the nWo and the brand split, things between McMahon and Hogan would disintegrate forever.

Now a crowd favorite, Hogan engaged in a battle with Steve Austin, one in which McMahon decided to insert himself. Originally trying to screw Austin, McMahon turned on the Hulkster when he tried to interfere at WrestleMania XIX. Soon after McMahon tried to fired Hogan to little success, Hogan defying his authority to return as Mr America. An incident best forgotten by both men. By the following year, running up to WrestleMania XX, WWE was in trouble again in the ratings. WWE took the plunge and brought back the nWo with Hogan. Ratings were boosted again but this time, they started to fall once more and after the second steroid and drug scandal, WWE was off the air for good.

During its break, McMahon seemed to lose much of whatever mind was left. Many say it was the shock, but many others claim he truly believed that Hogan was responsible with the nWo, just as many say they killed WCW. It was during these months of despair McMahon decided to get rid of Hogan - permanently. Employing the services of the young Randy Orton, promising him the World, McMahon had Orton run down the Hulkster in an automobile on WWE's first show back. It was mission accomplished, Hogan was out.

Resurrection

Hogan sat in the hospital, almost resigned to months of physiotherapy for injuries sustained. Hogan however had one light, on reason to keep the strength of Hulkamania alive - he knew who'd ran him down. Every week the Hulkster watched Raw, every week he saw Orton gaining accolade after accolade, title after title. Finally, Hogan had enough - he was coming back.

Hogan returned in spectacular fashion, immediately outraging McMahon who Hogan's didn't yet know was involved. The Hulkster instead pointed the finger solely at Orton, arranging a match with the Legendkiller at the 2007 Royal Rumble. Hogan was totally unsuspecting as McMahon screwed him over and gave Randy the victory, reveling in his deception. With his main concern Orton and the WWE Championship, the Hulkster put McMahon to one side, allowing him to claim one of the biggest victories of his career, winning the Championship at WrestleMania 23.

Vince soon set everything he had against Hogan and any ally he found, first The Rock, the John Cena, throwing the Ministry, the Power Trip and more at them. Hogan stood tall however until No Mercy when Triple H, McMahon's son-in-law, defeated the Hulkster for the title. The assault on Hogan continued just a few months later as McMahon cost Hogan the Royal Rumble and a shot at the WWE Championship this Sunday. It was the final straw.

Mr McMahon seemingly took the decision to try and drive Hogan out of WWE as soon as he returned and despite Hogan trying his best to ignore a Chairman who's grip on reality seems to fade with every passing day, it's now become clear that WWE is only big enough for one man. At WrestleMania XXIV. these two titans of wrestling will collide, the two men who created WWE as it is today will do battle and only one man will walk out of the Citrus Bowl.