Hulk Hogan is Now.. What SuperStar Billy Graham was in the 80's... Ur Thoughts?

Publish date: 2024-05-03
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So Superstar Billy Graham was a Great Champion Back in 1975-1978 in the WWWF and stayed until 1983.. He left and joined the NWA until 86... Upon his WWF return in 1986 - 1988 Vince planned on using him and his popualrity from the past and help the WWF and the younger generation get way over then they already were. However he developed major Health issues and as a result began to manage and with the increase to his health issues had 2 retire. Due to this he became bitter and couldnt let the Industry forget about him and caused all kinds of problems with the media to make whatever money he could.


There are some parallels here with Hulk Hogan and Billy Graham to only a small extent though, during this time frame when Billy Graham was suffering all those injuries he was the same age Hogan was when The Hulkster turned heel at Bash At The Beach 96, so the affects of substance abuse and what not caught up with Billy Graham a LOT quicker. Therefore his plan to comeback as a fulltime competitor fell drastically short of the WWF's expectations.

Now we have Hulk Hogan big star in the 80's and 90's. Now brought into TNA again to increase there ratings and help the younger stars get over, but due to all his on going health issues is having to take a lesser and lesser role in Wrestling industry. This will probably lead to his retirement in the very near future. Also Hoagn has taken any chance he can get to cause media attention on himself in his old age, just as SuperStar Billy Graham did in order to make a buck.


This is where I will slightly disagree, Hulk Hogan hasn't spoken out against the wrestling industry in any way, shape or form close to how Billy Graham has. Sure, Hogan has aired his differences with the WWE and even has taken a few pot shots here and there, but in all honesty it's no different than what the WWF was doing with the Billionaire Ted skits in the 90s. Also Hogan's nearing 60 years old now while Billy Graham's ill fated WWF comeback had occurred whe

Also, Hogan's TNA deal to the best of my knowledge never involved him being a full time wrestler, to date he only wrestled one match with the company and there might have been some slight teases that he would be back in the ring, however none of that has come to fruition yet. If there was an agenda to have Hogan be a full time wrestler in TNA from the get go, I think we'd have seen that happen back when he signed in October of 2009.

So I find this kind of ironic that a guy who made lots of money using Billy Grahams image is now almost suffereing his same fate.

( By the way I am a big Hulk Hogan Fan.)


There are indeed some parallels, but nothing near the obvious discontent that Billy Graham has had with Vince McMahon, putting it this way, no matter what Hogan has said or done in the media in regards to WWF/E, Vince has always welcomed him back at one time or another. Considering Billy Graham's current standing with Vince, that's not as likely. And again Hogan's overhaul of injuries happened at a much later age than Hogan.

And that is true how Hogan was a very Superstar Graham like character, it does remind me of the Buddy Rogers/Ric Flair comparisons.

So I am curious... What Are your Thoughts???


Overall, Hogan definitely shares some similarities with Billy Graham, but I think he's far from being in as bad a shape as him as far as his standing with the media, Vince McMahon and the wrestling world in general. TNA is still a work in progress and while it needs refinement like any other product does, if you look back at 2002 and then you look at now, there's been a progression. Remember, there were years that the WWWF (and later WWF now WWE) were a smaller entity within the NWA and they had to get their start somewhere like TNA is doing now. Obviously Hogan's inability to wrestle a full time schedule like he did in WWF and WCW affect the strategy in how they use him in the company. Time will only tell really as far as how well Hogan will work with TNA in the long run, granted it's been almost two years since he signed, however I still maintain that something like this was and will continue to take a while.

I hope those were pretty good points I brought up. I do like the post itself, because no one that's ever watched wrestling and studied its history can deny the obvious influence of Superstar Graham on guys like Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura and even Scott Steiner.

Look forward to more posts from ya man, I hope to read more!

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