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Post by steamboat1 on Dec 27, 2013 14:22:05 GMT -5
Me and a couple friends last night had a debate. Who had the greatest 5 year run in the history of the WWE?
1. Hulk Hogan 1984-1988, Days as Champion=1,474, Notable draws as Champion/Challenger- 93,173@WM3 vs Andre the Giant, 64,000@The Big Event vs Paul Orndorff
2. Ultimate Warrior 1988-1992, Days as Champion=293, Notable draws as Champion/Challenger- 80,355@Summerslam 92 vs Randy Savage, 67,678 vs Hulk Hogan
3. Steve Austin 1998-2002, Days as Champion=529, Notable draws as Champion/Challenger- 67,925@WM17 vs The Rock, 41,432@2/8/99 Toronto Raw Gauntlet Match
4. John Cena 2007-2011, Days as Champion=540, Notable draws as Champion/Challenger-80,103@WM23 vs Shawn Michaels, 72,219@WM26 vs Batista
My opinion is Hulk Hogan, simply because Hogan didn't have the huge marketing at the beginning of his run that everybody else had. They had to build it from scratch and Hogan was the 1st to draw 50,000+ and main evented everything. I feel Cena is a close 2nd though as much as it pains me to say that. My one friend says Warrior, simply because basically the entirety of his career was those 5 years and all 5 years he was in the main event. You remember him solely for what he did in those 5 years. My other friend says Austin, because nobody changed the business in a 5 year span like Austin did.
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Tony Schiavontay
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Post by Tony Schiavontay on Dec 27, 2013 14:30:37 GMT -5
I'd put The Rock between 1998 and 2003 up there as well. 8 time champion, 367 days total. Was also in the main event for Mania X7 and then drew 68, 000 the next year against Hogan.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2013 14:45:48 GMT -5
As someone who experienced all of Hogan's run and all of Austin's, I'd go with Hulk, and it's not even close. The WWF was a global established brand by the time Austin was catching fire, so while he did increase revenue for them tremendously, it was off the platform that Hogan built in large part due to his run in the 80s. Hogan turned ideas into money makers.
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Post by Dave the Dave on Dec 27, 2013 14:54:59 GMT -5
As someone who experienced all of Hogan's run and all of Austin's, I'd go with Hulk, and it's not even close. The WWF was a global established brand by the time Austin was catching fire, so while he did increase revenue for them tremendously, it was off the platform that Hogan built in large part due to his run in the 80s. Hogan turned ideas into money makers. While I don't disagree, first doesn't always mean best. Hogan built it, but Austin saved it from Hogan kind of when Hulk almost killed what he built. Confusing.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2013 15:14:14 GMT -5
As someone who experienced all of Hogan's run and all of Austin's, I'd go with Hulk, and it's not even close. The WWF was a global established brand by the time Austin was catching fire, so while he did increase revenue for them tremendously, it was off the platform that Hogan built in large part due to his run in the 80s. Hogan turned ideas into money makers. While I don't disagree, first doesn't always mean best. Hogan built it, but Austin saved it from Hogan kind of when Hulk almost killed what he built. Confusing. Not really. Business nosedived for the WWF in 1992 when Hogan was on hiatus, and continued to fall from 1993-96 when Hulk was barely there (I think he had one Raw appearance, WM, and KOTR, with a limited house show schedule). It was Vince who drove all the 80s stars away and caused the business downturn with the failed New Generation gimmick. Hogan actually went to WCW and jump started the late-90's boom with his heel turn. Austin helped save the WWF, but he saved an established global brand. Hogan built something out of nothing.
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Post by Dave the Dave on Dec 27, 2013 15:17:58 GMT -5
While I don't disagree, first doesn't always mean best. Hogan built it, but Austin saved it from Hogan kind of when Hulk almost killed what he built. Confusing. Not really. Business nosedived for the WWF in 1992 when Hogan was on hiatus, and continued to fall from 1993-96 when Hulk was barely there (I think he had one Raw appearance, WM, and KOTR, with a limited house show schedule). It was Vince who drove all the 80s stars away and caused the business downturn with the failed New Generation gimmick. Hogan actually went to WCW and jump started the late-90's boom with his heel turn. Austin helped save the WWF, but he saved an established global brand. Hogan built something out of nothing. I meant more he was in WCW setting the world on fire and damaging the other brand he built.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2013 15:20:56 GMT -5
I'd say Hogan.
Hogan was strong from 84-92 while Austin started to wane a bit in 01-02.
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Post by willywonka666 on Dec 27, 2013 15:24:22 GMT -5
Hulkamania Brother! It comes down to the economy too, and the late 890s were 2nd best behind the 80s
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2013 15:30:22 GMT -5
Not really. Business nosedived for the WWF in 1992 when Hogan was on hiatus, and continued to fall from 1993-96 when Hulk was barely there (I think he had one Raw appearance, WM, and KOTR, with a limited house show schedule). It was Vince who drove all the 80s stars away and caused the business downturn with the failed New Generation gimmick. Hogan actually went to WCW and jump started the late-90's boom with his heel turn. Austin helped save the WWF, but he saved an established global brand. Hogan built something out of nothing. I meant more he was in WCW setting the world on fire and damaging the other brand he built. My mistake. I thought you meant Hulk damaged the WWF before he went to WCW, but you're right he did almost kill the WWF as a competitor with the nWo angle.
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Post by Citizen Snips on Dec 27, 2013 15:38:54 GMT -5
Austin had arguably the best 18 month run in wrestling history, but of the five years listed here he was out for pretty much all of 2000 and half of 2002. And giving Cena the credit for "drawing" those Wrestlemania crowds is a bit of stretch; yes, he's a draw but the hype of Wrestlemania draws the crowd for that event now.
It's Hogan, and it most likely will always be Hogan.
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Post by Todd Pettengill on Dec 27, 2013 17:09:54 GMT -5
Hogan made the WWF an international powerhouse.
Austin drew huge money, but WWF's international presence was already established when he arrived. Also, while he was not with WWF, Hogan continued to be a huge draw for WCW during much of Austin's run.
So, to me, the nod goes to Hogan.
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Boo!
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Post by Boo! on Dec 27, 2013 17:42:12 GMT -5
Who else could get 20/30 million tune in to see them wrestle?
If anyone else can show evidence of anyone doing that - we'll talk. Until then; it's Hogan.
Hogan vs Piper was HUGE mainstream news. It had famous people falling out of the backside of their own asses to be a part of that. The Hogan vs Andre is the best drawing feud ever in the history of wrestling. 93,000 at WM3 (or not) 33 million watching the rematch on television - I don't care who you are or what you've done, this was wrestling's peak. He's also been involved in some of the most memorable angles during that time too with Savage and Warrior in an era were WM drew a much larger portion of the PPV audience than it ever did since.
If the availability of PPV was as wide as it later became there's absolutely no question that WWE would have broken the 1m barrier for Wrestlemania long, long before 2001. You only have to look at the absolute crazy numbers that they were doing for their network television shows back then.
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Post by champviadq on Dec 27, 2013 18:41:35 GMT -5
Hogan, then Austin.
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Post by Professor Chaos on Dec 27, 2013 20:33:58 GMT -5
It was a different time but still gotta say Hogan since he never lost in 4 years.
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Post by ritt works hard fo da chickens on Dec 28, 2013 0:26:17 GMT -5
John Cena, by default,he's the only one who wrestled for the WWE, the rest of those guys wrestled for the world wildlife fund.
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Post by ritt works hard fo da chickens on Dec 28, 2013 4:08:58 GMT -5
In all seriousness though, people are using yesterdays criteria and their own memories to write history how they see it. There is no absolute right answer despite what a lot of people are saying. Who else could get 20/30 million tune in to see them wrestle? If anyone else can show evidence of anyone doing that - we'll talk. Until then; it's Hogan. OK, I'll bite. How many people bought televisions because of Hulk Hogan? People bought televisions because of Gorgeous George and Milton Berle. Does that mean you can't mention Hogan as a great until he reaches that status. Hogan got 30 million viewers during Saturday Night Live's time slot on prime time television when cable was not a big deal. Most people had a choice of three channels. Of course noone else is ever going to meet that impressive but ultimately obscure criteria. More people paid to stream Rock/Cena than ever paid to stream any other wrestling match. Does that make Hogan or Austin's achievements invalid? More newspapers carried the results of Bruno's matches than Austin or Cena's. These men are playing in different ballparks. And no Hogan didn't build it either. Vince bought Hogan off the back of Bruno and promoted Austin off the cash he made from Hogan and now Cena headlines Wrestlemania's today where the card is bigger than the performers because of Austin and Rock etc. redeeming it and cementing it as the biggest show. Everything Hogan was to us when we were younger Cena is to the next generation of fans who will keep this business going.
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Post by Dave the Dave on Dec 28, 2013 12:19:01 GMT -5
That's kind of the point I was trying to make and thanks for doing it better.
Just because something was first doesn't mean it was better/more important.
The stuff Austin accomplished I think was just as important as Hogan he just happens to be 10 years younger.
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