Was Hulk Hogan the biggest star in professional wrestling?

[Takes Two To Tango]

If not who is?

For me it's him, well I'm biased because he was massive memory in my childhood.

I put a poll so we can see what the numbers will be like.

 

[dildos]

Chris Benoit

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Chris Benoit

I was going to put him on, wasn't sure if he was popular as the guys I mentioned in the poll.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

It's Rock, Austin, Hogan in whatever order and then everyone else.

I think Austin was the biggest draw but Hogan drew over a longer period so depends what you like.

 

[BigSexy444]

By the metrics, Austin's peak was bigger but far shorter. Hogan is bigger due to longevity across a few decades.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

It's Rock, Austin, Hogan in whatever order and then everyone else.

I think Austin was the biggest draw but Hogan drew over a longer period so depends what you like.

Thank you.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

By the metrics, Austin's peak was bigger but far shorter. Hogan is bigger due to longevity across a few decades.

I see, nice.

 

[frankmorris1]

hogan, austin, rock, cena

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

 

[King Joffery]

Chris Benoit

Not even the best murderer in wrestling. Snuka was better

 

[treelo]

anyone over the age of 35 is going to say Hogan, anyone under that age, who knows what they will say

But Hogan gave Wrestling a platform, he was the main man and was instantly recognisable to millions of people, i'm from the UK and he played a massive part in playground culture while i was growing up, we had never seen anything like him, and he was the main star of the show, he WAS wrestling for a few years

 

[Darkavius]

It's Rock, Austin, Hogan in whatever order and then everyone else.

I think Austin was the biggest draw but Hogan drew over a longer period so depends what you like.

I would add Ric Flair to that list as well.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I would add Ric Flair to that list as well.

As a star he's very much in the B tier with people like Undertaker, Cena, Dusty, Sammartino etc but as a wrestler he's obviously better than Hogan.

 

[BFoe]

Hogan
Austin
Rock
Cena

There are dudes like Flair and Savage that are icons, but they didn’t have the ticket sales, merch sales, or mainstream appeal that the 4 I listed did.

 

[ChickenBrother]

By Pride FC rules, scoring his career as a whole, it's Hogan and it's not close. But Ultimate Warrior was my favorite and IMO had a higher peak albeit briefly, at least in the U.S. But Hogan was a bigger global phenom for sure.

 

[Aurelian]

I would add Ric Flair to that list as well.

Those are my four.

Flair might be even bigger if the majority of his career wasn't as a heel. He was still a bit of a fan favorite even as the bad guy.

 

[TheChance]

Undertaker will always be my favorite and Hogan was definitely huge for a long time but I think Stone Cold's peak was higher. If he hadn't had to retire because of his neck he would have been on top for a long time.

 

[Darkavius]

Those are my four.

Flair might be even bigger if the majority of his career wasn't as a heel. He was still a bit of a fan favorite even as the bad guy.

That's a good point since being a heel meant more back in the day than it does now.

 

[Prime LeVan]

For American fans my top four is:

Hogan
Austin
Vince McMahon
Flair

Internationally you have to recognize El Santo, Inoki and Andre too.

Rock COULD have been the best ever but his run was actually pretty short before leaving for Hollywood.

 

[AleYeah]

If the criteria are transcending wrasslin and having mainstream appeal, then maybe (alphabetically):
Andre
Austin
Hogan
Rock

Different list entirely depending on the criteria.