Quebec wrestlers recall Hulk Hogan's unique relationship with the province
The professional wrestling world lost an icon in Hulk Hogan, who leaves behind a major legacy on every mat around the world.
Hogan wrestled a number of times in Montreal, including a legendary match when he turned heel and squared off against Quebec legend Jacques Rougeau in 1997.
'What he gave to me, that man, he gave me so much,' said Rougeau. 'He gave me my victory in Montreal. It came from him. He said, 'Jacques, I want you to win this match tonight in Montreal.' He had this respect for me and you could talk to any other wrestler, it's hard to understand.'
Jacques Rougeau
Jacques Rougeau
The Green Phantom wrestles in multiple independent circuits in Montreal and abroad, and he models a lot of his act on Hogan. He uses Hogan's 'brother' throughout his promos and interviews, and stands on the top rope with one arm pointed to the sky and the other flexed a la Hogan.
HULK HOGAN
Wrestler Hulk Hogan flexes as he jokes with the Toronto Raptors mascot during a break in the play against the Miami Heat during NBA play in Toronto Friday December 20, 2002. (Kevin Frayer/ The Canadian Press)
He said seeing Rougeau pin Hogan was shocking to many.
'Hulk Hogan almost never, ever, ever, ever got pinned, and he did Jacques Rougeau the favour of letting him pin him,' said the Phantom.
'Is it because of the Rougeau family? Is it because I stood up to the British Bulldogs and the bullying in the dressing room? There are so many reasons why but I never got to the bottom of it,' said Rougeau. 'I never wanted to ask him either out of respect, but I know he loved me.'
The fans that night apparently loved Hogan too. The Phantom said that even though Hogan was the villain against the hometown hero Rougeau, fans were for the Hulkster.
'Even though Hulk Hogan was a bad guy, the crowd was way more on the side of Hulk Hogan, and wanted Hulk Hogan to win,' said the Phantom. 'The crowd erupted in boos like this hometown guy, even though it was his moment, like, 'oh yeah, I beat Hulk Hogan.' I know everyone I heard was really upset that Hulk Hogan was able to be pinned by this guy.'
The Green Phantom
Noted Hulk Hogan fan The Green Phantom was influenced by the pro wrestling legend.
Matt Viviani wrestles in the IWS and saw Hogan at WWE Smackdown in 2002.
'He got this, like, five-minute-long standing ovation,' said Viviani. 'It was one of the craziest, I think to this day, the biggest ovation I've ever seen, like, up there with like, you know, Carey Price, P.K. Subban in the playoffs, big. It was something else for it to not be the Montreal Canadiens or like Celine Dion. It was pretty impressive how big of innovation he got.'
Viviani met Hogan at a comic con later and spoke about that night.
'He said, he still thinks about it to this day,' said Viviani. 'It had a personal effect on him, the connection he had with the fans here in Canada and Quebec in general.'
Matt Viviani
Matt Viviani has travelled the world wrestling and credits his success with the IWS dojo that opened in Montreal North in 2016. (Daniel J. Rowe, CTV News)
Mad Dog Wrestling promoter Andy Ellison said that, though opinions may vary on Hogan, his impact on wrestling was immense.
'Montreal has always been a mecca for professional wrestling and they really set the stage and the bar quite high, and Hulk Hogan, whether you liked him or not, because he wasn't everybody's cup of tea, he was really someone who could captivate an audience and that really was what someone by the name of Vince McMahon Jr. was looking for in the mid-'80s when he really changed wrestling completely,' said Ellison.
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