I wish we could keep 2002 Hogan for ever

[mcstoklasa]

Hulk came back in 2002 and had one of the best runs of his career. He was getting some of the craziest, most wild fan reactions I have ever seen. Sure it was pretty much all driven on nostalgia, but Hulk was still delivering the goods even as he approached 50. He of course had the classic match with Rock. He went on to have a bunch of at least 3-star matches with the likes of Angle, Jericho, Lesnar, Flair. He even won the WWF title one last time. He put over Lesnar, Angle, HHH, Rock, (maybe Jericho?) and was a great presence on the show that year. Jericho in his second book tells how fun it was working matches with the Hulkster. Special mention to him winning the tag titles with Edge. Great moment. That match with The Undertaker though... yeeeeeeeeshh.

He was losing mobility but he could still go. If you watch those matches now, knowing how old Hulk seems now, he was surprisingly nimble in 2002. I'm not saying he was all that athletic, but he was moving about the ring and taking more bumps, and putting on better matches than a 50 year old man should. He took a powerbomb and many impactful slamming moves from Lesnar in their match too. Hulk could still do the leg drop, something he can't do now. And he had charisma pouring out of his veins.

He looked great, with the black and yellow beard. By his age in 2002 (49) he actually looked kind of cool with the bald head skullet look, to go with his grizzled face. It looked far more unflattering on a young Hogan than this Hogan. His physique was also awesome. I don't think I've ever seen him look so cut.

Hogan in 2003 was more of the same, really. Pretty good match with Rock and then a surprisingly entertaining match with Vince at Mania. Even Mr America was kind of fun. Hulk in 05 and 06 put on reasonable matches with HBK and Orton (may have also faced Angle on RAW) but he was already losing mobility, even compared to 02. He could still put on a match, take bumps and do the leg drop though, which he cannot do now. If the match with Austin could ever of happened, then the last time it could have been would have been around this time before Hulk lurched into immobility. Compare his 2009 Hulkamania tour in Australia tour 'matches' to his perfomances in 2002. Hulk looks and acts at least 15 years older.

In fairness though his latest match against Sting in TNA was bad, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Hulk took three small bumps, although I cringed each time and they did have some semblance of a match. However, I wish we could preserve 2002 Hulk Hogan for ever. Just to come back once or twice a year to a huge ovation, put on surprisingly good matches and move about the ring with at least some speed and agility.

[Push R Truth]

Even though Mr America was obviously not Hulk Hogan, he always reminds me of how much I liked Hogan's last big run.

[The Tank]

Man, I still remember seeing Hogan back in WWE when I first started watching it consistently in '02.

I was just pretty basic "WWF, meh." from basic WWF/E guys like Rikishi or whatever since I grew up on WCW but stopped watching even that in '99, so I honestly didn't even know there was a buyout at first.

Then the next match is Hulk Hogan vs. Chris Jericho and my mind is blown. Then the match was awesome and my mind was further blown.

Yeah, Hogan's WWE run back then was awesome.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Hogan's 2002 run was creatively the best one he had outside of 1996. Great promos, great reactions, great matches.

[Ben Wyatt]

I liked everything about that run. The booking was terrific. He won some, he lost some, but he put guys over and looked like a tough old bastard in the process

[Bootista]

Favorite moment was him getting dragged on a motorcycle by Taker.

[Boo!]

Greatest comeback ever. It was as if he never went away. The fans went nuts. I don't think he's ever been with WWF post 1983 where he hasn't been the most over guy in the company. Even vs Orton in Summerslam 2006 he easily doubled the ovation of the nearest on the card, despite HHH and HBK spending 15 minutes pointing at each side of the crowd to out-do him.

I think if handled correctly, used sparingly, Hogan to day is probably still the biggest attraction in the industry.

[Injustice45]

Nov 4, 2013 10:23:14 GMT -5 Bootista said:

Favorite moment was him getting dragged on a motorcycle by Taker.

[The Baltimore Staircase]

It was a good run.

While it was nice to see him put people over, I think they went a bit OTT by having him lose on free TV. That should have only ever happened in big matches and built properly. The "Austin Rule" if you like.

[Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!!]

you mean a Hogan who had no creative control clause and nowhere else to go so he had to do whatever Vince said? I would love to have that Hogan back.

[Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!!]

Nov 4, 2013 9:39:39 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

Even though Mr America was obviously not Hulk Hogan, he always reminds me of how much I liked Hogan's last big run.

I loved it myself. I just loved the inherent absurdity of Vince being the only one who could tell it was really Hogan and nobody else believed him. it was like a Chicken Boo skit, but with Hulk Hogan.

[fw91]

Nov 4, 2013 10:37:53 GMT -5 Boo! said:

Greatest comeback ever.

[OGBoardPoster2005]

Nov 4, 2013 12:53:12 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Nov 4, 2013 10:37:53 GMT -5 Boo! said:

Greatest comeback ever.

I wish Shawn had another title run after his 2002 one.

[fw91]

Nov 4, 2013 12:58:10 GMT -5 OGBoardPoster2005 said:

Nov 4, 2013 12:53:12 GMT -5 fw91 said:

I wish Shawn had another title run after his 2002 one.

yeah. 2007 over cena at mania 23 was the time to do it. he could have lost it soon after, but just for the sake of not having the same ending as the year before (cena retaining via stf) i would have had hbk win.

[mcstoklasa]

Nov 4, 2013 12:53:12 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Nov 4, 2013 10:37:53 GMT -5 Boo! said:

Greatest comeback ever.

He was only out for a year but Austin's 'comeback' in 2000 was pretty great.

[fw91]

Nov 4, 2013 13:06:43 GMT -5 mcstoklasa said:

Nov 4, 2013 12:53:12 GMT -5 fw91 said:

He was only out for a year but Austin's 'comeback' in 2000 was pretty great.

yeah thats a good one too

[JTG Fan]

Eh. If I had to have any Hogan back, 02 Hogan would probably be a top choice, but I didn't think the run was all that great. Those PPV main events against Triple H and Undertaker were terrible, and I would have preferred one more title run for Austin over Hogan.

[odor31]

Hogan in 02 putting people over and wrestling younger talent...amazing.

[ICBM]

I loved it. I was surprised that HHH did the honors for him.

[disorganisedchaos v:2]

Just noticed that 2002 Hulk Hogan was younger than Steve Austin is now.

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