Tag: Hulk Hogan

John Cena’s Final Match: 12 Historic Moments at Capital One Arena

A rookie John Cena wrestled in Washington D.C.’s MCI Center for the first time on a September 2002 house show, three months following his WWE debut. Cena teamed with an equally tenured Randy Orton and Mark Henry, defeating Billy (Gunn), Chuck (Palumbo), & Rico that evening.

​Twenty-three years later, the now Capital One Arena will host a landmark edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, where John Cena will wrestle his final match.

Opened in 1997, the 20,000-seat arena has hosted some of the most legendary nights in professional wrestling, including some of John Cena’s career highlights.

​Cena’s swan song against “The Ring General” Gunther will add another chapter to the arena’s historic resume. Let’s look at twelve of wrestling’s most significant moments to occur inside the Capital One Arena.

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Top 10 Goldberg Matches: A Wrestling Icon’s Best Moments

Few wrestlers in history burst onto the scene like Bill Goldberg did in WCW. After an injury ended his seven-year NFL career, the former defensive tackle shifted his athletic focus to professional wrestling. The rigorous training circuit at WCW’s Power Plant and a handful of dark matches led to Goldberg’s televised debut on September 22, 1997, against Hugh Morris, and he never looked back.

Goldberg became a worldwide sensation as the stoic and intense monster who amassed win after win with his signature maneuvers, the Spear and Jackhammer, morphing into the infamous undefeated streak of 173 victories. Nearly ten months into his career, Goldberg captured the World Heavyweight Championship. He became WCW’s top star during the industry’s peak of popularity.

Following WWE’s acquisition of WCW in 2001, Goldberg signed a one-year deal with WWE in 2003, where his run left a lot to be desired. A shocking return twelve years later led to a run that made up for the sins of his initial outing with the company, until it didn’t for a few years. Goldberg rebounded with some fun matches and closed out his career on the July 12, 2025, edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event in a losing effort to Gunther.  

Goldberg faced some criticism for a lack of wrestling skills. His style was never about technical expertise. Instead, it was about fierce brutality in the ring. Goldberg looked like and wrestled like someone who could take on the world. That’s exactly what fans wanted to see, and his impact was undeniable.

Let’s take a look at the best matches of Bill Goldberg’s career.

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Hulk Hogan’s Legacy is a Tale of Two Cities

My father called me to discuss Hulk Hogan’s passing. While he’s not a wrestling fan, he followed it on the periphery and knew Hogan was my guy growing up. We discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly.

My father is a religious person. While I’m not religious, I was surprisingly soothed by his wisdom, steeped in peace and faith.

Dad remarked on Hogan’s baptism from last year, and was happy to hear that he fully accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. Given Hogan’s complicated history with the truth, I said it may be all for show to improve his image. 

Without missing a beat, Dad said, while this might be true, he takes solace in believing Hogan’s spiritual journey is a righteous one. If it turns out to be a publicity stunt, then he needs more help than most and hopefully, through folly, he’s finally found God.

Hulk Hogan’s legacy is a tale of two cities.

On one hand, he’s not just a face on the Mt. Rushmore of Professional Wrestling; he’s the face.

On the other hand, there was much ugliness that is difficult for many to reconcile.

You can not tell the story of professional wrestling without Hulk Hogan. Also, you can not tell his story without telling all of it: the good and the bad.

It doesn’t mean people won’t try on either end of the spectrum. That, however, is the burden of reclamation.

While his racist comments made it easy to wash my hands of the man, it hurt because it made feel foolish for ever being a Hulkamanic.

Yet, despite the hurt, something kept me checking in on all things red and yellow from time to time.

How? Why? 

For the LJN/Hasbro generation, when a professional wrestler dies, its the equivalent of a superhero dying. Hulk Hogan was my hero as a kid and the reason I got into wrestling.

He appeared on everything from bed sheets to lunch boxes. No wrestler garnered more flash bulbs and sold more tickets.

At a young age, times were tough, in and out of the home. Wrestling was my escape, and watching Hogan vanquish bad guys gave me hope that maybe the world isn’t such an awful place.

The Hulksters’ matches with Andre, Warrior and Savage were more than mere contests but adventures that exhilarated the soul.

Life was great and wrestling was cool.

Somewhere between Surbaban Commmando and Thunder in Paradise, wrestling became passé. It happened as we traded in our ten-speeds for transport of the automotive variety.

One Bash at the Beach later, Hulk Hogan became a bad guy and formed the NWO with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Once again, the world was watching.

Wrestling was cool again.

As a Black man in his mid-40s, I understand Hulk Hogan’s opinion of people who look like me. Yet, he made my childhood a better place, and that’s something I’ll always look back on fondly.

Mourning and celebration are not the purpose of these words. Nor are they an exercise of separating art and artist.

It’s reverence, not for the man, but the idea of Hulk Hogan. The hero that inspired us to be the best versions of ourselves.

I let my inner child take the wheel on this one, reveling in the nostalgia of a character who was the fulcrum of my favorite pastime.

Today, I’m 7 years old, blissfully ignorant to the reality of what’s to come, and eagerly waiting for the bell to ring as the Mega Powers explode.

My condolences to his family and loved ones.

-Favorite Matches

Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage – WrestleMania 5: The Mega Powers explode, causing the ultimate friendship to collapse due to jealousy over Miss. Elizabeth. The match oozed tension that lived up to its billing.

Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior: WrestleMania 6: This was Superman vs. Batman inside a wrestling ring. As a Hulk Hogan fan, this was the first time I was concerned that he might not win. He lost but shined even more in defeat.

Hulk Hogan vs. Stan Hansen – AJPW/WWF/NJPW Wrestling Summit 4/13/90: Drop toe hold, transition into a front chancery and a running crossbody…OMG, Hulk can wrestle.

Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair: Bash at the Beach 1994: The fact that this match happened in WCW instead of WrestleMania was crazy and quite a fun ride.

Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock – WrestleMania 18: Many believed this was doomed to fail because Hogan was too old. Instead, he stole the show in a classic outing meant to pass the torch.

Hulk Hogan & Edge vs. Billy & Chuck – SmackDown 7/4/02: I was there live and it was sureal to see Hogan winning a title that wasn’t the World Championship. Hogan became one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, in Boston, on the Fourth of July.

Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Orton – SummerSlam 2006: Hull Hogan received the single loudest ovation I’ve ever heard in an arena. I literally couldn’t hear myself think.

Hulk Hogan Passes Away at 71

The biggest star in the history of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan, passed away on Thursday, July 24, at his home in Clearwater, Florida. Hogan’s passing was first reported by TMZ, who indicated that the cause of death was due to cardiac arrest.

Hulk Hogan’s impact on professional wrestling is immeasurable. Without him, the wrestling industry wouldn’t exist, or at the very least, it would look a lot different than it does today. He was responsible for the industry’s two biggest boom periods.

In the 1980s, Hogan was already a massive star in Japan and for Vern Gagne’s American Wrestling Association (AWA). He became even more popular for his role in Rocky III as the brash brute, Thunderlips, squaring off against Rocky Balboa.

Hogan became the face of Vince McMahon’s national expansion of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Hulkamania ran wild, WrestleMania was born, and the business and fans alike never looked back.

In the 1990s, Hogan turned heel in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and formed the nWo, which became known as Hollywood Hogan. This move was responsible for WCW surpassing WWE in the late 90s and becoming the top wrestling promotion in the world.

Hulk Hogan transcended wrestling and became an integral part of the pop culture zeitgeist. Even if you didn’t know anything about wrestling, you knew the name of Hulk Hogan. Rick Derringer’s “Real American” wasn’t just Hogan’s entrance music, but the anthem of a generation of ’80s kids.

Of course, when our heroes are often examined, there are incredible highs and incredible lows. Hogan passed away ten years to the day when the tape of his infamous racist rant was published. It irrevocably marred his legacy, causing other misdeeds to come to light while others that were ignored became part of his story.

Hogan apologized for the remarks in a statement released to People magazine; however, the sincerity of his apology was questioned by many. He didn’t help himself when, in 2018, he went to a WWE event to apologize to the locker room, but he didn’t apologize and instead cautioned the wrestlers to be careful of what they say in public.

Later in life, Hogan’s political leanings made him a divisive figure. The reaction he received during his last professional wrestling appearance in January was the antithesis of the acclaim he received throughout his career. The Los Angeles crowd mercifully booed him throughout the segment, which became the headline coming out of the inaugural episode of Monday Night Raw on Netflix.

Hulk Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 before being removed in 2015 for his racist remarks and later reinstated in 2018. WWE sent its condolences to his family and loved ones.

“WWE is saddened to learn that Terry Bollea, recognized globally as Legendary WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, has passed away,” The company wrote. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”

Many of Hulk Hogan’s contemporaries, friends, and fellow wrestlers publicly mourned the loss of the wrestling icon with heartfelt tributes.

-Ric Flair

“I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend

@HulkHogan! Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn’t Ask For Him To Be. He Was One Of The First To Visit Me When I Was In The Hospital With A 2% Chance Of Living, And He Prayed By My Bedside. Hulk Also Lent Me Money When Reid Was Sick. Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!”

–Booker T via HOF Podcast

“I thank the dude, Hulk for what he did for the business, as well as, you know, sparking the flame for Harlem Heat to go on a run in WCW, that’ll never be duplicated in all of professional wrestling.

I also thank him for not…you know, getting me fired with my most infamous moment in all of professional wrestling, you know what I mean, that people are still talking about still to this day. That I can’t get away from it. I can’t run away from it. I can’t hide from it or anything like that because of social media.

That day for me….I always wonder what would’ve happened, you know, if that would’ve happened today. You know? I always wonder what would’ve happened if he would’ve taken, um, you know, a certain feeling about that and went to the office and said something. Who knows, where would I be right now?”

– Jake “the Snake” Roberts

“It’s hard to put into words what Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea meant to professional wrestling and entertainment. He may be gone, but his memory and legacy will live forever. RIP Hulkster”

– “Beautiful” Bruce Swayze

“I’m absolutely heartbroken to hear about the unexpected passing of Hulk Hogan. He wasn’t just a colleague. He was a giant in every sense of the word and made wrestling what it is today. Hulk was an icon who made so many of us believe that larger-than-life was possible. He opened the doors for generations of wrestlers to step into the spotlight, and his impact on this business is immeasurable. My heart goes out to his family and fans around the world.” – “Beautiful” Bruce Swayze

– Eric Bischoff

“Thanks for the house Hulkster.”

– Sting

“HULK HOGAN – THE GREATEST OF ALL. Can’t thank you enough for all that you did for me and for wrestling fans all over the world. I loved you and I will miss you. My friend, Terry Bollea, RIP.”

– Steve Austin

“Hulk Hogan was born to be a Professional Wrestler. Larger than life. Charisma for days. He was in a stratosphere all on his own. His contributions are immense. His influence will be forever. Hulkamania lives on. My condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Top 50 WrestleMania Matches of All Time

Since 1985, WrestleMania has been WWE’s premier event—a can’t-miss phenomenon of sport and spectacle that transcends professional wrestling. The greatest moments, most heated rivalries, and biggest matches are reserved for the “Showcase of the Immortals.”

Fans often debate what the greatest WrestleMania matches are, resulting in a wide range of opinions. For many fans, the match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III stands out. It is a cultural cornerstone of the industry. It is iconic for some, while others consider it unspectacular.

Every list and ranking of this nature is subjective. My list is no more important or better than anyone else’s. Fans watch wrestling for different reasons: some appreciate the athleticism, while others are drawn to the drama. Many enjoy wrestling for all it has to offer.

WrestleMania often reflects the industry at its best. The combination of pomp and pageantry creates seminal moments and legendary matches that leave a lasting impression on the hearts and souls of every wrestling fan.

With so many great matches to consider, compiling this list was a challenge. Without further ado, here are Ringside Logic’s 50 Greatest WrestleMania Matches.

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WWE SummerSlam 1989: Feuds, Matches, and Controversies

It’s time to “Feel the Heat” with the sophomore edition of WWE’s “biggest party of the summer.” The summer of 1989 was all about the feud between Hulk Hogan and “The Human Wrecking Machine” Zeus, aka Tiny Lister, aka Debo, which was used as a vehicle to promote Hogan’s first theatrical starrer, No Holds Barred.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage was still sour over losing the WWE Title to Hogan at WrestleMania 5, aligned with the seemingly indestructible Zeus to finally destroy Hulkamania. Not to fear, the Hulkster has backup in the form of everyone’s favorite barber, Brutus Beefcake.

The broadcast opened with a shot of a red-hot New Jersey crowd inside Meadowlands Arena. Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Tony Schiavone welcome everyone to the show. Ventura’s mad at Schiavone for getting Bobby Heenan run off the air.

Schiavone remained professional and excitedly proclaimed it was time to “Feel the heat,” with a video montage of summertime activities and WWE superstars hitting their finishing maneuvers to the nostalgic sound of the old-school SummerSlam theme song. Jim Johnson

Do you like driving your red Corvette with the top down? How about a Brainbuster (spiked piledriver) instead? Speaking of Brain Busters…

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WWE: 10 Greatest Survivor Series Teams

The loaded gun Vince McMahon used to scare cable networks out of airing rival NWA’s Starrcade pay-per-view is called Survivor Series. Originating in 1987, the show’s theme consisted of multi-person teams battling it out in one of WWE’s “Big Four” events.

What became known as the traditional Survivor Series elimination matches have fallen by the wayside in recent years. The inclusion of WarGames, two connected rings surrounded by a steel cage, has replaced the original concept.

The elimination matches made for some of the best teams ever assembled. It was Marvel Team Up in a wrestling ring. Superstar wrestlers who don’t usually cross paths join forces to right a wrong and reign victorious.

Nostalgia is strong in professional wrestling. Many fans miss the elimination matches when looking back at some of the great teams of yesteryear. Champions, legends, and future superstars made for some classic matches and memorable moments.

Some teams made sense, while others worked well despite their atypical pairing. Over thirty-five years, there have been 181 traditional teams since 2021. Here are the best of the best. The 10 Greatest Survivor Series Teams.

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10 Best Matches of WCW Halloween Havoc

World Championship Wrestling celebrated All Hallows’ Eve with their annual pay-per-view spectacular full of tricks, treats, and body slams that go bump in the night.

1989 – 2000, Halloween Havoc was a spooktacular staple of WCW’s event calendar.

While holiday-themed wrestling shows can be hokey, there is something about Halloween that fits Pro Wrestling like a glove.

It could be the costumes!

Whether wrestlers were trapped in a cage or had to spin the wheel to make a deal, many classic moments and matches, both good and bad, were produced. It’s time to check out the 10 best matches from WCW Halloween Havoc.

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Did Bobby Heenan Spoil Hulk Hogan’s Heel Turn?

Who is the third man? It was the biggest mystery in professional wrestling when twenty-seven years ago, 250,000 households ordered WCW Bash at the Beach on pay-per-view.

Speculation was white hot about who would join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, the aptly named Outsiders, who seemingly represented promotional competitor WWF in their crusade to take over WCW.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage, Lex Luger, and Sting would symbolically lose the first battle in what became a multi-year war to Hall, Nash, and their “surprise buddy,” Hulk Hogan. And Bobby “The Brain” Heenan ruined the whole thing.

But did he?

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Wrestling’s Star Spangled Couture

Happy 4th of July, everyone. Before I grill up some burgers and hot dogs, I thought it would be good idea to look at some of the star spangled fashion choices made by wrestlers over the years.

Some wrestlers, like our cover model Kurt Angle is always clad in the stars and stripes. Others break out their patriotism on special occasions.

Let’s look at eight wrestlers who in one form or another, applied old glory to their in-ring aesthetic.

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