The Final Matches Of Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is one for the greatest wrestlers of all time.  Even if you are not a fan of his in ring work, you can't deny he elevated wrestling to previously unseen heights in the 1980's national expansion of the then World Wrestling Federation, also known a when the territories died.

I was a huge Hulkamaniac when I was a kid, but even I became disenchanted with Hogan in the early 1990's and I stand by me feelings that he ruined WCW when he arrived in the promotion.  I'll also be the first to admit I popped big time during his nostalgia run in the WWE in the mid 2000's.  I was lucky enough to see him wrestle live twice during that run.

One would have thought that Hogan would have wound down his in ring career in the WWE, but sadly that was not the case.  In fact Hogan's last match was for TNA and not even in the United States.

Hulk Hogan had returned to the WWE with the NWO in 2002 and by that Summer he had returned to the Red & Yellow as a fan favorite.  He left in 2003, wrestled a match for New Japan, and returned in 2005 teaming with Shawn Michaels against Hassan & Davari at Backlash May 1st in Manchester, New Hampshire, I was at this show.  He worked more tag matches with Michaels on RAW that summer until HBK turned on Hogan leading to their match at SummerSlam that year.

Hogan left WWE after SummerSlam but returned in the Summer of 2006 at Saturday Night's Main Event setting up a match with Randy Orton in Boston at SummerSlam 2006, I was at this match as well.  This would be Hulk Hogan's final WWE match.

On April 27, 2007 Hogan wrestled what could be considered his only ever Indie show in Memphis, Tennessee.  It was supposed to be against Jerry "The King" Lawler but WWE pulled him from the event.  Hogan would pin Paul Wight to win the match.

Hogan's next series of matches would be of his own doing.  November 21, 24, 26, & 28, 2009 in Australia during the Hulkamania Let The Battle Begin Tour Hogan would wrestle and defeat Ric Flair every night.  I really can't believe that none of these shows have ever been commercially released, really seems like they dropped the ball on this.

On January 4, 2010 Hogan made is TNA television debut with the thought that he was going to be the savoir of the promotion, truth is he wasn't.  He's credited with having TNA move to Monday Nights live to go head to head with WWE, getting rid of the six sided ring, and bringing in a ton of his buddies.  In the end Hogan hurt TNA way more than he helped and it took the promotion years to recover from the damage that was inflicted.

However it would be in TNA that Hogan would wrestle his final matches:

March 8, 2010 Universal Studios, Orlando Florida

AJ Styles & "Nature Boy" Ric Flair wrestled "Immortal" Hulk Hogan & Abyss to a no contest

March 8, 2010 Universal Studios, Orlando Florida

No Disqulification: "Immortal" Hulk Hogan & Abyss defeated AJ Styles & "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

October 16, 2011 Bound For Glory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sting defeated "Immortal" Hulk Hogan by submission with the Scorpion Death Lock

In the build to this match Hogan had turned heel, leader of the heel faction  Immortal and was the "president" of now Impact Wrestling.  During this match if Sting won Dixie Carter would regain the presidency of the promotion.  Immortal would attack Sting post match and Hogan would make the save turning face.

January 26, 2012 Nottingham, England

"Immortal" Hulk Hogan, "Cowboy" James Storm & Sting defeated Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, & Kurt Angle

January 27, 2012 Manchester, England

"Immortal" Hulk Hogan, "Cowboy" James Storm & Sting defeated Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, & Kurt Angle

These were house show matches, and they talent on both teams was stacked, but it's not the final in ring send off that one would expect for someone the caliber of Hulk Hogan.  There is a clip from the 27th on YouTube of Hogan doing his post match pose down with James Storm and Sting while Eye of The Tiger is blaring over the sound system.

Hogan last match was released on DVD by Impact on their Hulk Hogan DVD release, so at least any major Hogan fan can own this piece of history.

Until Next Time!

My Wrestling Viewing Habits

I'm going to be 40 years old this month, it's something that is bothering me tremendously even though it shouldn't.  The point being is that a fans availability to watch wrestling has changed tremendously throughout the years.  Before we were subject to what was on our local television and later cable television and now we can stream live shows around the world!

I have been watching wresting on Monday Nights for over thirty years.  It began with Prime Time Wrestling and then Monday Night Raw.  For a few years Raw and WCW Monday Nitro fought for me attention, but I was still watching every Monday night.  After WWE won the war they were free and clear until 2010 and TNA's ill fated attempt at the Monday Night wars.  Raw has been unopposed for nearly a decade.

What used to be a way of life for me has become an after thought.  I haven't watched live Monday night wrestling regularly for a few years now.  I read the results and keep up on the story lines and if I hear about a good match I watch it on Hulu.  Sadly I don't feel like I'm missing out at all.

Here is what I watch for professional wrestling:

World Wrestling Entertainment

I rarely watch the Raw & Smackdown live shows weekly, typically if I am at work I will fire them up on the USA Network app on my tablet as it has a live TV option and I watch it while I'm working.  I like SmackDown better than Raw.  I no longer have cable so until Smackdown is on Fox this October I don't have the option of watching it live at home.  I read the results for the shows and keep up with storylines and watch matches that sound interesting on Hulu the next day.

I do have the WWE Network and I do watch all the Pay Per Views and live network specials.  I don't watch 205 Live every week but I do watch NXT and NXT UK every week without fail.  As well as all the Takeover specials.  My friends and I talk about this after every Takeover and I know many other people agree with us.  NXT is a weekly one hour show that has 2.5 or more months to build five solid matches between PPV's very similar to how it was watching wrestling when I was a kid.

I love the WWE Network because I love watching all the classic and original content.  I've had a subscription since the day they launched.  As much as I love wrestling I really do enjoy watching more than just the matches.  This week alone we got two new specials one about Triple H leading up to WrestleMania and the second about Ronda Rousey and her first year in the promotion.  I don't care if you are not a fan of the current product or not the WWE Network is an amazing resource for classic wrestling.

New Japan Pro Wrestling

I have been a subscriber to New Japan World starting a few months after they launched.  Currently this is my favorite wrestling promotion in the world to watch.  Since the launch of New Japan World the number of English commentary dates have grown to the point that all seventeen shows in the Best of the Super Juniors this year featured live English commentary.  Kevin Kelly has become my favorite guy to call the action and he does it with multiple partners, Chris Charlton being the most regular one.

I just love the style and formatting of the shows.  Tag team matches where rivals get their hands on each other but the finish doesn't involve them it just continues the story.  The team that the world champion is on doesn't always win.  Singles matches mean something.  I watch all the shows, even th ones that don't have English commentary because the wrestling is that good.

AAA

Lucha Libra AAA has a twitch Channel as well as uploading shows on YouTube.  They too have expanded their English Commentary on Twitch as along as you watch it live.  I try to catch the shows when I can and if you are familiar with AAA you know that have a uniquely different style and are not afraid to spill some blood on the canvas.  It doesn't hurt that AAA is where Faby Apache hangs her hat and I've been a fan of hers for years.

YouTube

YouTube has made it so I can follow multiple promotions from around the world by either watching full shows or clips.  I've started watching MLW weekly on YouTube and I'm really enjoying it.  I'm excited that they signed the Von Erichs and looking forward to see if they can bring it like their dad and uncles did.

NWA, Being the Elite, AEW, and other wrestlers vlogs provide behind the scenes look at both upcoming or previous wrestling shows.  Kenny Johnson makes some of the best wrestling documentaries out there today posting them on his channel.

Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

These social media platforms are overflowing with gifs and video clips from wrestling old and new from around the world.  It's tremendous!

Ring of Honor / Impact

Ring of Honor has fallen so far down for me ever since the mass exodus of the Bucks, Page, Cody, & SCU.  They've has some good moments as a whole it's just not great for me.  Impact on the other hand has been getting better and better ever since D'Amore & Callis took over running the shows.  They are producing some solid wrestling.

Progress / Highspots Network

I love Progress wrestling, they put on some great shows and Jim Smallman is a fantastic ring announcer / ambassador for them.  I follow Progress and every few months I will subscribe for a month and catch up on the shows.  Same with Highspots every few months I will subscribe for a month and catch up, usually when CZW has a big show.  

On the audio side of things I listen to a lot of podcasts about wrestling including: Art of Wrestling, Something to Wrestle, 83 Weeks, Talk is Jericho, NJPW English Podcast, Limitless Wrestling, and more.  Some of these I listen to all the episodes and others selected ones. 

This thing is for me consuming this much wrestling is not something that I have to work at, it's something that I enjoy.  And even though how I watch wrestling and what I watch has changed tremendously over the years what hasn't changed is my love for professional wrestling. 

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until next time!

Signed Trading Cards: Billy Gunn, Iron Sheik, Best Friends, & SCU

This post is highlighting the cards that I acquired during my IndyMania Wrestling Vacation in New York City April 3rd - 6th, 2019.

The theme of this set is dual signatures!

Billy Gunn

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon convention.  The first card is a Smoking Gunns card released by the WWF in 1995 as part of a set in WWF Magazine.  You can read all about me getting this card signed by Bart Gunn here.  The second card is from the 1998 Comic Images WWF Superstarz set.  I got this card signed by Road Dogg a few years ago.  The final card is from the 2008 Tristar TNA Impact set.

When I told Billy the story about how long it took Bart to get the card back from her he laughed heartily and said that, that sounded about right for Bart.

Iron Sheik

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon convention.  The first card is from the 1985 WWF Topps set and the second is from the 1985 WWF O-Pee-Chee series II card set that was released in Canada.  I got the card signed by Nikolai Volkoff many years ago and I've been trying to get it signed by the Iron Sheik since then.

I didn't want to miss my opportunity to get it signed at Wrestlecon and neither did anyone else as Sheik's line was consistently long all day Friday and Saturday.  I'm guessing like myself many felt that at 77 this might be that last chance we have to meet him.

Trent and Chuck Taylor

These cards I got signed on Thursday April 4th at the Wrestlecon Supershow.  The first card is a 2010 WWE Topps card that I had signed by Caylen Croft back in 2017, you can read about that here.  The second card is from the All In set released in 2018 from Highspots in conjunction with the All In event.  I got both signed by Trent at this event and the All In card signed by Chuckie T.  I had gotten cards signed by both of them previously: Trent & Chuck Taylor.

SCU: Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, & Scorpio Sky

I got this cards signed on Wednesday April 3rd at Beyond Wrestling Uncharted Territory episode 1 from the Electric Haze in Worcester, Massachusetts.  This card is from the All In set released in 2018 from Highspots in conjunction with the All In event.

This is the first Scorpio Sky card that I am aware of.  I previous got cards signed by both Daniels and Kazarian.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

Random Wrestling: Nothing but the Bucks!

OK so this edition of Random Wrestling isn’t really random at all as it’s all about the Young Bucks and nothing but the Young Bucks!   Of course it’s not the Young Bucks of today, I’ve scoured You Tube for the oddest and

 

Nick Jackson Birthday Brawl

This was posted on April 11, 2012 by High Risk Wrestling on their You Tube channel. 

I have no idea when this happened other than before 2012 and it features Nick Jackson wrestling Brandon Cutler in a match that takes places in various locations around I’m guessing their home.  Seriously it starts out in a backyard, they jump in cars go to a different location, battle in a bouncy castle, on a roof, it’s just awesome!  I’m not sure if this was supposed to be part of a movie or something as it ends ominously.  Worth watching though.  

Mullet Man & Fluffy the Dog vs. Gallinero & Sexy Sonny Samson

For Rev Pro I’m guessing 2005-ish in California

Fluffy the Dog is Matt Jackson and Gallinero is Nick Jackson in this tag team encounter from early in the Bucks career.   Another match from High Risk Wrestling’s You Tube page which was started by Matt Jackson in late 2004.  It’s a good match showing what the Bucks could do at the beginning of their careers and how far they’ve come in the last 10 years. 

Los Gallineros: Uno & Dos vs. Sexy Sonny Samson & Diablo

Rev Pro event The End in California

Los Gallineros are the Young Bucks and they are pure awesome in this match.  There are a couple moves that I had to skip it back and watch again because I hadn’t seen them before.  This match it seems to be was the Bucks when they first got into wrestling and were loving it, having fun, and not caring.  TNA sucked the life out of them and it seems like the Bucks have returned to loving it, having fun, and not caring. 

The Young Bucks & Marty Jannetty vs. Joey Ryan, Diablo, and Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson

High Risk Wrestling presents “Highway 2 Hell”

August 4, 2007 Victorville, CA

Straight away, the quality of the match video wise wasn’t the best but that could have been my connection.  Joey’s entrance of lap dancing unsuspecting and unwilling ladies is fantastic.  The Crowd loves them some Marty Jannetty.  If you don’t want to sit through the introductions and want to get straight to the wrestling then skip ahead to the 9:34 mark, up it’s a 25 minute video and only 15.5 minutes of wrestling, better ratio than RAW. 

Good match with Jannetty hitting the Rocker dropper and superkick for the win.   The post-match promo is great stuff!

Chuck Palumbo vs. Matt Jackson

WWE Smackdown

February 22, 2008 San Diego, CA

Your basic TV squash match, Matt got in a dropkick and nothing more.

 The Dirt Sheet

WW-ECW TV

October 28, 2008 San Diego, CA

This was an episode of the Miz & Morrison’s show The Dirst Sheet and the Young Bucks portrayed DX in a segment to put over their upcoming tag match and the Bucks took their finishers. 

Max Buck vs. Jeremy Buck

TNA Explosion

March 15, 2011 Orlando, FL

Billed as for the first time in TNA the Bucks have wrestled each other.  Solid match that should have been given 10 more minutes of TV time as I was left wanting for more.   They had a rematch on IMPACT on March 31^st with Max getting the win.

That’s all for this time around rest assured another edition of Random Wrestling: Nothing but the Bucks will happen in the future. 

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and like my blog’s Facebook page or even give me a follow on twitter to know about future posts. 

Later Readers!