logo
Hulk Hogan's storied wrestling career included iconic made-in-Canada matches

Hulk Hogan's storied wrestling career included iconic made-in-Canada matches

Yahoo3 days ago
TORONTO — At the fan festival leading up to WrestleMania X8, World Wrestling Federation chairman Vince McMahon wanted to get a sense of who the audience would be pulling for in the anticipated match between Hulk Hogan and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson.
Hogan was still in his villainous "Hollywood" persona while The Rock was the promotion's bankable baby face star heading into their March 17, 2002, showdown at Toronto's SkyDome.
Canadian wrestling crowds, however, were famous for resisting the force-fed storylines trotted out by the promotions, and those in attendance gave a full-throated endorsement of Hogan.
The ensuing fight, which has become something of a WWE legend, was one of many big moments in Hogan's wrestling career that came north of the border. Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, died Thursday at 71.
Hogan's matches in Canada included a headline title fight against the Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI in Toronto — an uncommon Hogan loss and even rarer title fight between two baby faces — championship bouts against Paul (Mr. Wonderful) Orndorff and Ric Flair, and even an arm wrestling match with then-Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (who died in 2016) at Fan Expo in 2013.
But Hogan's most memorable match in Canada came at WrestleMania X8 — and it wasn't even the main event. When he finally faced The Rock in the 'Icon versus Icon' showdown, the crowd's support for Hogan was unequivocal. In a remarkable display of adaptive storytelling, the two wrestlers switched attitudes mid-match.
Hogan broke out some of the signature moves that wrestling fans remembered from his rise from wrestling star to pop culture icon in the 1980s. He exhorted the throng of over 62,000 to cheer him on, cupping his hand to his ear and leaning toward the crowd and "Hulking Up," which involved glaring wide-eyed at his opponent while seemingly impervious to pain, often accompanied by a finger wag before he unloaded some offence.
The Rock cleanly won the match, but the Canadian response set up a storyline that would see Hogan break off from his heel New World Order faction and return to his do-gooder persona of the '80s.
That version of Hogan was arguably best known to Canadian fans leading into WrestleMania X8, and perhaps why the crowd at SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) was firmly in his corner. Another key fight at the same venue came 12 years earlier, when Hogan faced the Ultimate Warrior — a rising star whose popularity at the time rivalled Hogan's — for the WWF title.
The fight, which was well-received by the fans in attendance — which included future wrestling stars Adam (Edge) Copeland and Jay (Christian) Reso — was meant to be a passing of the torch as Warrior beat Hogan cleanly by pinfall — the first time that happened since 1981. However, Warrior's title run proved to be short-lived, and by WrestleMania VII Hogan was once again champion after defeating Sgt. Slaughter in the main event.
Hogan also had a couple of successful title defences in Toronto, notably a decision over Orndorff on Aug. 28, 1986, at Exhibition Stadium before a crowd of over 60,000. In a confusing ending that was typical of the ongoing feud between the wrestlers, Orndorff was disqualified despite appearing to win the match after his manager Bobby ("The Brain") Heenan laid out Hogan with a chair.
In another matchup between legends, Hogan defeated Flair on a May 13, 2002, episode of Monday Night Raw in Toronto to retain the WWE Undisputed Championship. In another messy ending, nWo member X-Pac interfered with a Hogan pin attempt of Flair in the no-disqualification match. Flair's attempt to win the match via submission was then interrupted by (Stone Cold) Steve Austin, who laid out the 53-year-old Flair, allowing Hogan to perform his signature leg drop and cover for the pin.
In a less heralded matchup, Hogan took the fall in an arm wrestling battle with Ford at the 2013 Fan Expo pop culture showcase in Toronto.
"I own this town, man!" Ford yelled after the dubious win as Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" played in the background.
Hogan's main-event appearance at the first-ever WrestleMania in 1985 also had a Canadian connection, as he teamed with "The A-Team" star Mr. T to defeat (Rowdy) Roddy Piper — born Roderick Toombs in Saskatoon — and Orndorff.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
Curtis Withers, The Canadian Press
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Obscure Old TV Shows No One Remembers
Obscure Old TV Shows No One Remembers

Buzz Feed

timean hour ago

  • Buzz Feed

Obscure Old TV Shows No One Remembers

Recently, I rounded up some forgotten '90s TV shows, and there were some hidden gems in there! In the comments, BuzzFeed Community members of all ages shared obscure series from their childhoods. Here are 50 of their top responses: "Thirtysomething. Huge hit in the late '80s/early '90s. Literally so forgotten it isn't even streaming anywhere. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's about young boomers who have huge houses, kids, and high-paying jobs, and yet do nothing but complain about middle age and how they have to sell out to succeed. I doubt a single person could relate to it today. It was also kinda sexist. The women who were well-adjusted were the stay-at-home moms, and the independent working women had all the psychological issues." —colleend9 "Black Hole High (or if you were in the States, like me, it was Strange Days at Blake Holsey High). It was about a group of science-loving kids at a Canadian boarding school with a wormhole under their school, and they have to figure out what the local evil guy (and dad of one of the kids) wants with it. It has a surprisingly complex myth arc for a children's show, and a good twist near the end. I loved that show. It's streaming on a few different platforms in the US, including Prime." —lobster_lemon_lime "It appears that no one remembers Girlfriends. I always wanted to get Converse because of Persia White's character." —alice_follows_the_white_rabbit "Bosom Buddies had Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari. I can't recall why, but the aforementioned actors disguised themselves as women." [Note: The two male leads disguised themselves so they could live in an affordable female-only apartment building.] —pissedoffprofessor "What I Like About You. Most people forget that Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth were on a sitcom together for four seasons on The WB." —smellyunicorn211 "There was a show on Disney Channel called The Jersey, and it was a sports show. I think it transported the wearer into the body of a pro athlete, like they were playing in the Super Bowl." —ashlucky5 "Small Wonder was a comedy science fiction about a robotics engineer and his family. He secretly builds a robot that looks like a human girl, and they disguise her as their adopted daughter, Vicki." —grouchytoaster7815 "The Young Riders. I was madly in love with every single one of those boys at 11 years old. Actually, when I was a kid, I was a huge Civil War nerd (I still am, but not to the extent I was then), and that show's time frame, being right before the Civil War, made me even more interested in it. I still see that baby face every time I see Josh Brolin in anything. He and Stephen Baldwin were my favorites." —scorp599211 "How about Fifteen (aka Hillside in Canada)? Nickelodeon's version of 90210. Damn near a Canadian copy." —rebekahj6 "There was also a show on Nickelodeon called Fifteen that I still think I might have dreamed because no one remembers it." —vividavocado85 "A Mary-Kate and Ashley forgotten gem — So Little Time!" —emilyv11 "I have something really obscure for you guys. There was this TV show in the '90s about a guy who was a journalist, and then he gets fired but decides to reapply to the same newspaper, but now dressed up as a woman. It lasted for a season. The name of the TV show was Ask Harriet." —kpride895 "Dark Shadows had a brief reboot in 1991, which was good but unintentionally funny for various scenes, like when one female lead named Victoria was transported back in time. She ended up being suspected as a witch because of the tags in her clothing, which had symbols for stuff like dry clean only or iron on low." —henrylovedog "There's the Beverly Hills, 90210 spinoff show The Heights. Most people recall the song ('How Do You Talk To An Angel') but not the actual show." —henrylovedog "A sci-fi show with Lori Singer — VR.5. It's about a telephone lineworker who can enter a type of virtual reality, where she can interact with other people." —radpotato92 "One show I've never seen on these lists is Sisters. It was a great series with an amazing cast!" —happypumpkin137 "There was a New Kids on the Block cartoon (they had a random dog sidekick instead of a more believable roadie)." —justjen0178 "No one I know seems to remember the show Wake, Rattle, and Roll. The theme song is my morning alarm. 😬" —tcfranco "Kidd Video, anyone? '80s cartoon where a live-action band got transported into a cartoon universe called the Flipside. Popular songs of the day were played throughout the episodes, and the band would have one of their own music videos towards the end. I freakin' loved it." —laughingclown4451 "Way back in 1990, Carol Burnett came out with a series — Carol & Company. It was a great concept. This was a sitcom. Every week, Carol Burnett and the cast would play different characters in different cities. The people and places in the current week's episode were not the same people and places in last week's episode." —cutepenguin77 "Can't Hurry Love. I was only 6 when it was on the air, but I definitely remember it. It was kind of a Friends-type of show, but MUCH better. Mariska Hargitay? Yes, please!!!" —peacefulpotato62 "Our Hero. It's about a girl who was trying to be a blogger before YouTube, LOL. She was making a hand-drawn magazine about her day-to-day life. Loved it." —liraelkl "As a tween, I remember the show Herman's Head. It definitely inspired the recent movie Inside Out, but it was tongue-in-cheek, raunchy, and hilarious!" —clevertable50 "Ok, Sports Night. I might literally be the only person who remembers. Imagine if Aaron Sorkin wrote about a fictional ESPN (he did)." —silkytortoise5038 "One of my favorite shows no one remembers is The Odyssey. It's about a boy who falls into a coma, but he ends up in a fantasy world in his mind and tries to get back. Ryan Reynolds is the antagonist. I loved this show very much, but people don't remember it." —liraelkl "Ghostbusters the cartoon (The Real Ghostbusters). I'd fake sick to stay home and watch it." —progamer795 "Dark Skies starring Eric Close, Megan Ward, and J. T. Walsh. 'History as we know it is a lie.'" —dizzytrash587 "This one is from the '80s. USA Network had an all-night variety show. It was called Night Flight. Nobody remembers that." —grouchylight4345 "I always come to these looking to see if anyone else remembers Seven Days — a show about a CIA agent who goes back in time seven days to prevent bad things from happening." —sparklylion861 "Does ANYONE remember What-a-Mess? I just had to Google to make sure it wasn't some weird false memory I'd created, LOL." —emilyv11 "100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd, where he gets turned into a dog and has to do 100 good deeds before getting turned back..." —larisadavis "Dangerous Women was 🔥. Casper Van Dien was in it." —odddog14 "Strange Empire. It was a Canadian show full of cool female leads set in the plains, I think, circa the passing of the 'Indian Act' in 1876. It seemed like there were some really interesting storylines emerging about Indigenous people and women before it got cancelled." —deadpanship144 "My Secret Identity! Starring a young Jerry O'Connell." —jim9219771 "I badly miss Doctor Doctor! It's not streaming anywhere either, and it doesn't appear to have ever gotten a home video release, so unless you taped it when it was on, you can't watch it at all now. 😠" —toothlessfeline "Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, which was a Dan Aykroyd show. They changed much of the cast after Season 1, and Matt Frewer became the star, with Michael Moriarty." —dizzytrash587 "How about Battle Creek with Dean Winters ('Mayhem' in insurance commercials)? Great show that was canceled too soon." —silkytree253 "Now, who else watched Andy Richter Controls the Universe?" —oddrocket298 "Spyder Games was one I feel like NO ONE talks about that was on MTV." —cherielovee "Popular! Whenever I bring it up, no one else has any clue what I'm talking about. It had an amazing cast — Leslie Bibb, Carly Pope, Sara Rue, and Leslie Grossman!" —denaet "I'm a fan of the forgotten cartoon Cybersix, based on the Argentinian comic about an android who fights crime at night in black leather and disguises herself as a male high school teacher during the day. Only lasted one season." —five_star "I loved a show called Second Noah. I think it got two seasons, and I've never met anyone other than my sister who watched it." —vividavocado85 "Roar, with a young Heath Ledger and Vera Farmiga. It was an Aussie show that was broadcast in the US. It only aired for one season. I was obsessed and had the hugest crush on Heath. It's set in fifth-century Ireland and the conflict between the Celts and the invading Romans with fantasy elements. It was cheesy but fun, and not as ridiculous as Hercules with Kevin Sorbo." —amandac4b39f8d18 "Does anyone remember a show called Homefront? Set right after WWII ended, and the boys were coming home. Only two seasons, but it was so good!" —jwilliams5041311 "Does anyone remember Alien Nation? It was based on the movie, but way better. Unfortunately, it only lasted one season and ended on a cliffhanger." —smileydragon76 "Punky Brewster the cartoon (It's Punky Brewster). Used to air on Saturday mornings. No one ever remembers that show." —casualmug964 "Anyone out there remember The World of David the Gnome?! My husband and I have talked about it a hundred times, but I swear we're the only people who seem to have seen it." —fionaelkins82 "Headbangers Ball on MTV, hosted by Riki Rachtman, was tight!!" —elsag1 "This reminds me of a show called The Tribe from New Zealand. It was about a bunch of teenagers in a post-apocalyptic world following a plague that killed off all adults." —pbbt "I miss Talk Soup but with John Henson, which led me to love all those VH1 commentary shows in the early 2000s like the I Love the '70s and Best Week Ever. I miss my pop culture snark shows." —lilpeas35 And finally: "There was an Australian show that aired in Canada called The Girl From Tomorrow about a teen girl who travels back in time. She has this headband thing called a Transducer that allows her to control things. I'm not Australian, so if that show is still remembered there, Aussies, LMK." —five_star Are there any super weird "forgotten" shows you remember from decades ago? Tell us all about them in the comments or in the anonymous comments box below! Do you love all things TV and movies? Subscribe to the Screen Time newsletter to get your weekly dose of what to watch next and what everyone is flailing over from someone who watches everything!

Fans Announce 'Boycott' Of ESPN Over Hulk Hogan Article
Fans Announce 'Boycott' Of ESPN Over Hulk Hogan Article

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Fans Announce 'Boycott' Of ESPN Over Hulk Hogan Article

Fans Announce 'Boycott' Of ESPN Over Hulk Hogan Article originally appeared on The Spun. Fans have announced a "boycott" of ESPN over their story on Hulk Hogan's death. Hogan, the iconic wrestling star, died on Thursday. He was 71 years old. The legendary wrestler, perhaps the most important in the history of the sport, had a controversial life. The legendary wrestler was caught on video using the N-word 18 years ago. He ultimately apologized and was allowed back into the WWE. But to many fans, that was the final straw. ESPN posted an Andscape article on its homepage with the headline: "Professional wrestling star's career is no match for his racism." ESPN writer David Dennis Jr. wrote that Hogan's legacy was being a racist. "When you are a racist that is your legacy above all else," Dennis says. "Hulk Hogan died being known a racist who also became famous as a professional wrestler." Dennis Jr. didn't hold back. "Hulk Hogan admitted that he is a racist. He once told his son he was scared Karma would bring them back as Black men. When you are a racist that is your legacy above all else. It's not complicated. This is what I wrote," he wrote. Not everyone agrees, though. Some fans are now "boycotting" the story. "Hey jerkoff, a question for you… When Kobe Bryant died, did you post an article saying he should only be remembered as an adulterer, or for the homophobic slurs he used? Exactly.👍🏼," one fan wrote. "His good and positive impact on culture and society far outweighs the bad," one fan added. "EVERYONE'S legacy is complicated, including yours. What if we were all judged by the single worst thing we had ever done or said? The world would certainly look like a much different place. Be a little more introspective in your life and less judgmental," one fan added. "Posting this while HH's body was still warm tells us everything we need to know about you," one fan added. "No one is reading that," one fan added. What do you make of ESPN's controversial story on Hulk Hogan's death this week? Fans Announce 'Boycott' Of ESPN Over Hulk Hogan Article first appeared on The Spun on Jul 27, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.

Hulk Hogan's son, Nick, speaks out on father's death: ‘Would do anything to have him back'
Hulk Hogan's son, Nick, speaks out on father's death: ‘Would do anything to have him back'

New York Post

time2 hours ago

  • New York Post

Hulk Hogan's son, Nick, speaks out on father's death: ‘Would do anything to have him back'

Hulk Hogan's son, Nick, penned an emotional tribute to the wrestling icon, his 'hero' and his 'best friend' following Hogan's death Thursday. 'This has been overwhelming and extremely difficult,' Nick Hogan, whose real last name is Bollea, wrote in an Instagram post that featured 20 pictures of the pair spanning decades. 'Hearing so many kind words and stories about my dad's life, interactions and experiences with everyone has been incredible and comforting. My dad was the most incredible person I've ever known and will always be my hero.' 4 A young Nick Hogan (l.) and his father are pictured. Screengrab via Instagram/nickhogan Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, died at 71 years old following what Clearwater, Fla. police described as a 'serious medical issue,' with a 911 call being placed Thursday morning for cardiac arrest. Hogan reportedly dealt with health issues in the weeks leading up to his death. 4 Nick Hogan (r.) poses with his father. Screengrab via Instagram/nickhogan 4 Nick Hogan (l.) poses for a picture with his father. Screengrab via Instagram/nickhogan 'I spent a lot of time with him the past few years after moving back to Florida to be closer to him and I am so grateful for those memories,' Nick Hogan wrote in his Instagram post. 'They are the best moments in my life. I would do anything to have him back but I know now that he will always be watching over me. I will always remember the lessons and advice he gave me and carry on in a way that I know would make him proud. 'Thank you for being the best dad in the world and thank you for being my best friend. I love you so much Big Dog and I will miss you forever.' 4 Nick Hogan (r.) is picured with his father Hulk Hogan Screengrab via Instagram/nickhogan Hulk Hogan and his ex-wife, Linda, shared two kids — Nick and their daughter, Brooke — together, and the couple filed for divorce in 2007. All four of them starred on the 'Hogan Knows Best' VH1 reality show from 2005-07. Nick Hogan's wife, Tana Lee, posted a picture of their wedding day in January on Instagram following Hulk Hogan's death, as tributes from around the wrestling community poured in for the polarizing individual who shaped the rise of the World Wrestling Federation.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store