Hulk Hogan
Jan. 23, 1984 - Feb. 5, 1988
After a very brief stint with WWE in 1980, Hollywood Hogan returned in late 1983 and began turning heads almost as soon as he arrived. Bob Backlund was scheduled to face off against the Iron Sheik in a return title match for the WWE Championship, but he could not compete due to injury. Hollywood Hogan stepped up to the plate and took his place and hit the ring like a whirlwind. Hogan just overpowered the Iron Sheik and hit the big leg drop for his first WWE Championship. This was just the beginning of a phenomenon as children everywhere began emulating Hogan “saying their prayers and eating their vitamins.” Hogan held the title for just over four years. In that time he headlined the first three WrestleManias. At the first WrestleMania, Hogan teamed up with Mr. T to take on “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff; at WrestleMania 2 he took on the massive King Kong Bundy in a steel cage match; and at WrestleMania III he took on the legendary Andre the Giant in front of a record breaking crowd at the Pontiac Silverdome.
