WWE Hall of Fame inductee Hulk Hogan began to run wild with Hulkamania when he defeated The Iron Sheik for the WWE Championship on January 23, 1984. Hogan went on to hold the title, then known as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, for 1,474 days, eventually dropping it to Andre The Giant, who gave it to Ted DiBiase and was eventually vacated and put up for grabs in a tournament at WWE WrestleMania IV. By comparison, current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has reigned for 1,220 days, just shy of Hogan’s longest run with the company’s top title.
WrestleVotes reports that WWE plans to celebrate the recognized beginning of Hulkamania, the win over Sheik, this month. New Hogan merchandise and collectibles are planned to roll out in conjunction with the celebration. It was noted that an appearance by Hogan on WWE TV is “not out of the question” but is not planned as of now. Hogan’s last WWE appearance happened, somewhat ironically, on January 23, 2023 30th Anniversary edition of WWE Raw.
The last decade or so has been a roller coaster for Hogan and his fans, and not always for the best reasons. In June 2012, Gawker released a sex tape that featured Hogan and his friend Bubba The Love Sponge’s wife engaged in a sexual act. During the recording, Hogan was heard using the n-word and making other derogatory comments about black people. He has since tried to apologize for his comments, but many still remain unmoved by his lack of accountability in those apologies.
More recently, the Hogan family dealt with controversy when Hulk’s son Nick was arrested on a DUI charge in Clearwater, FL. Prior to the incident, Nick was spotted DJ’ing at his father’s Hogan’s Hangout restaurant while a bikini contest was going on. In a video from the contest, Hulk could be heard yelling that they were giving out free shots. Clearwater is also the city in which Nick’s 2008 DUI arrest took place, which sadly left his passenger John Graziano paralyzed.