Top 10 Hulk Hogan Matches of All Time

"WrestleMania VII" (1991)



Gulf War tensions took center stage for this WrestleMania clash between the Immortal One and Sgt. Slaughter, who had traded in the Red, White and Blue to controversially sympathize with Saddam Hussein and Iraq. The match between the two would be an intense and bloody affair, with Hogan suffering damage from Slaughter's borrowed Camel Clutch before nailing his patented leg drop for the 1-2-3. Hogan's victory would signify his third World Title reign, which he would defend against Slaughter in a number of high profile, and equally violent rematches down the line. This win, however, felt particularly sweet for The Hulkster.

"WrestleMania XIX (2003)



If you were to ask fans how good a street fight between Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon might be in 2003, the answers you'd receive probably wouldn't be very positive. Perhaps this is why this match from WrestleMania XIX was such a pleasant, if violent surprise. Yup, the red stuff flowed freely during this brawl which saw both McMahon and Hogan being battered with numerous stiff chair shots. Outside interference from Roddy Piper also brought other weapons into the mix, before Hogan finally overcame McMahon with not one, but three big leg drops. It wasn't a technical exercise by any means, but Hogan v. McMahon nevertheless delivered the dirty goods

"Summerslam '88" (1988)



It was billed as The Mega Powers vs. The Mega Bucks, a clash between four of pro wrestling biggest names, the main event of WWE's inaugural "Summerslam" Pay Per View. The match didn't disappoint, either, as it nicely defined the big, bold and cartoonish vibe late '80s pro wrestling. Hogan and Savage made an epic pairing as The Mega Powers, while the addition of Jesse "The Body" Ventura as a biased guest referee added to the stakes. The match's finale was memorable, as well, with Savage's valet Miss Elizabeth distracting The Mega Bucks and Ventura, which allowed Hogan and Savage to capitalize for the win.

"WrestleMania" (1985)



A lot was riding on the very first "WrestleMania" for Vince McMahon and the WWE. Staging an event of this magnitude was a huge financial gamble, with failure simply not being an option, lest McMahon risk losing it all. Thankfully, "WrestleMania" had matches like this upon which to hang its hat, bringing together both pro wrestling talent and Hollywood razzle-dazzle to great effect. Mr. T was riding high on his television success with "The A Team," while Piper and Orndorff made for perfectly villainous foils. The match isn't a master class, but it didn't have to be, instead relying on its larger-than-life characters and celebrity status to bring the thunder.

"WrestleMania VI" (1990)



This was it: the match which caused a generation of Hulkamaniacs to lose their collective innocence. Prior to this title-for-title match with The Ultimate Warrior, Hogan had almost always been booked to win, or at the very least lose due to unscrupulous circumstances. Hogan's creative control and backstage influence meant that losing clean was rarely, if ever on the table. This time, however, was The Warrior's night to go over, shocking Hogan fans around the world when he pinned The Hulkster clean. Sure, Hogan made sure to kick out immediately after the three count, but it didn't matter: there was a new champ in town.

"WWE Smackdown! (8/8/02)



Sometimes, all it takes to make a great match is a hot crowd. The audience present at this taping of "WWE Smackdown!" deserves all the credit in the world for making what could've easily been a nostalgia act feel very real and credible. The idea of Hulk Hogan running up against "The Next Big Thing" Brock Lesnar in 2002 may have felt like a non-starter, but the crowd's enthusiasm ramped up this match to the point where it felt as if The Hulkster might actually squeeze out a win. It was not to be, however, as Lesnar finally put Hogan away after surviving multiple boots and leg drops from the icon.

"WWE Summerslam" (2005)



Some matches are all time classics, while other matches are the sort of "can't look away" car crashes that just beg for repeated viewings. Hulk Hogan vs. Shawn Michael at "Summerslam" 2005 was one of the latter variety. Michaels claimed that he and Hogan were originally booked to trade losses to each other, but when Hogan backed out of the deal, Michaels decided to exact a bit of personal vengeance on Hogan in a very unique fashion. The Show-Stopper over-sold Hogan's offense to a ridiculous degree, bouncing around like a maniac every time the pair made contact. It's insanely entertaining stuff.

"WrestleMania V" (1989)



The aforementioned Mega Powers exploded on this night, pitting former friends and tag team partners against one another in a "winner take all" contest for "Macho Man" Randy Savage's World Title. The match had an excellent and lengthy build up, with Savage's growing paranoia about Hogan's relationship with Miss Elizabeth serving as the poison which would eventually dissolve their partnership. Storytelling aside, the match itself is great, meat-and-potatoes wrestling, anchored by Savage's solid gold skill and Hogan's one-of-a-kind theatrics. Hogan would eventually emerge the victor, however, winning the World Heavyweight Championship for the second time.

"WrestleMania III" (1987)



There are many out there who feel that this match is one of the select few which define pro wrestling during the 1980s. There's certainly some merit to that argument, as well, despite the fact that Andrè vs. Hogan isn't exactly the most exciting match in the world. Instead, it's the backstage drama and real life pathos which make this one a classic, as it saw the irresistible force meet the immovable object. Hogan's epic slam of the big man exists perhaps as the first of the WWE's iconic "WrestleMania Moments."

"WrestleMania X8" (2002)



We've mentioned matches here in this list which are good for different reasons, but our number one pick is sincerely awesome, without a hint of irony. Hogan vs. The Rock was a true battle for the ages, a meeting of icons where the time, place and people were just perfect, capturing lightning in a bottle. Hogan was the heel going into this match, but the Toronto crowd refused to boo him, perhaps fueled by nostalgia. The pair reportedly decided to call an audible, and made the most out of their insanely hot response. The Rock may have won the match, but this "WrestleMania" classic saw both men standing tall at its end…