In honor of the Hulkster coming back to the WWE, we decided to throw 5 fun facts about the immortal one your way.
1. How Did He Get His Name?
After appearing on a television talk show alongside Lou Ferrigno who played the original “Incredible Hulk” on television, the show’s host made a comment about how Hogan had seemed to be larger than Lou. Subsequently Vince McMahon Sr. suggested adopting the name of “Hulk.” Vince SR. wanted Hulk to have an Irish last name so he dubbed him Hulk Hogan. A deal was later struck with Marvel Comics to use the name “Hulk.”
2. Sports Illustrated Cover
Hulk Hogan was the first professional wrestler to grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated magazine.
3. Hulk Choked Out a Law And Order Star
On March 27, 1985, days prior to the inaugural WrestleMania, Richard Belzer requested on his cable talk show “Hot Properties” that the Hulkster demonstrate one of his signature wrestling moves. After being asked by Belzer, Hogan put Belzer in a front chin-lock, which caused Belzer to pass out. When Hogan released him, Belzer hit his head on the floor, sustaining a laceration to the scalp that required a brief hospitalization.
Belzer sued Hogan for $5 million and settled out of court. On October 20, 2006, on Bubba the Love Sponge, it was claimed (with Hogan in the studio) that the settlement totaled $5 million, half from Hogan and half from Vince McMahon. During his June 23, 2008 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Richard Belzer suggested that the settlement amount was closer to $400,000. Either way that’s a lot of moolah to receive after getting what you asked for!
4. Video Game Voice Acting
The Hulkster did some voice acting for the video game “Saints Row: The Third” as Angel De la Muerte a member of the Saints.
5. His Theme Song Was Actually Written For…
“Real American” was featured on WWF’s The Wrestling Album. It was originally intended to be the theme song for the tag team of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo, known collectively as the US Express. However, shortly after the album’s release, Windham and Rotundo left for the National Wrestling Alliance. “Real American” remains associated with the Hulkster to this day.
