I couldn’t have been more than five or six years old when I sat down with my parents on a Saturday evening to watch WWF’s Saturday Night Main Event. I had been watching wrestling for a little while with my dad, but I remember this night in particular. During this broadcast, NBC reran the iconic WrestleMania III broadcast. If you’re a wrestling fan, you know what WrestleMania III represents. It was labeled as “BIGGER! BADDER! BETTER!” It would be the culmination of events between Andre The Giant and WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan. I sat between my parents on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. Mom ended up going to bed before the match — she could only take so much of the masculinity between Dad, myself, and what was playing out on our console television. I sat there, with my Hasbro Hulk Hogan figure in my hand, watching the “biggest main event in sports entertainment.” I remember the fans booing Andre The Giant and Bobby the Brain Heenan as they rode in a cart down to the ring. But then, the Pontiac Silverdome exploded as Hulk’s music hit. I sat up a little straighter and was ready. Not long into the match, Hulk tried body slamming Andre, but failed and Andre fell on top of him, nearly pinning him and costing him the championship. The match went back and forth. Andre sent Hogan into the ropes and tried to give him a big boot, but the Hulkster ducked and came back with a clothesline that would send Andre to the mat. And as Andre got to his feet, Hulk “hulked up” and lifted the 525 lb Giant and slammed him to the mat. Hogan bounced off the ropes and delivered his patented leg drop to get the win.

That was my first vivid memory of being a Hulkamaniac. And it only grew from there.

My mom would always get me riled up and tell me that guys like Ric Flair would send her flowers at work. I don’t think I was mad at the fact that Ric would do this to my dad, but more so, I was pissed that Hulk wasn’t the one sending flowers or hoping that Hulk would take care of Ric doing this.

Whenever my dad and I would play “big wrestling,” I always got to be Hulk. I’d give him the big boot and then the leg drop and pin him before it was time to go to bed.

Every night, I got to go to sleep as the WWF World Heavyweight Champion.

My Hulk fandom reached its peak when my parents surprised me with tickets to the 1993 King of the Ring.

My dad and I traveled to the Nutter Center to watch our very first WWF pay per view in-person. (The ongoing joke for years was about how we froze at this event our seats were the second to last row from the top and the air conditioners were right on top of us). I had the perfect game day fit: I wore my sleeveless, yellow Hulkamania shirt with the yellow and red sweat bands on both wrists and black jean shorts (never saw Hulk in these, but you never know). Hulk was set to defend his championship against Yokozuna. Unfortunately, I did not go home a happy camper. Hulk was just about to end the match when a planted photographer jumped to the apron to get a picture and the camera exploded in the Hulkster’s face! Blinded by this, Yokozuna gained the upper hand and pinned Hogan to win the title. And after the match, Yoko sent all the little Hulkamaniacs into a tizzy when he delivered a banzai drop to Hogan. Like Hogan, I was crushed.

Time marches on though and Hulk would regain that title the next year at WrestleMania against Yoko and all would be right in the world.

Eventually, Hulk would leave the WWF and my fandom would have to shift to other wrestlers.

After several months, Hulk would show up on WWF’s competition, WCW. And eventually, being part of one of the biggest moments in wrestling history:

If I was still six or seven, this moment would have crushed me. But being a much more mature nine, going on ten years old, I appreciated the Hulk Hogan heel turn and the birth of the Hollywood Era.

Hulk Hogan becoming a “bad guy” was cool. He became the anti-hero, but he was still our hero. The black and white washed out the red and yellow. The black beard. It was cinema!

Years later, once the WCW folded, Hulk returned to the WWE for a bit and we got the dream match many had always wanted.

WrestleMania 18.

Icon vs. Icon.

Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock

The match went on to be a classic.

Hogan would continue to make appearances from time to time in the WWE and it was always a pleasant surprise when we would see him.

My fandom for Hulk did not stop at wrestling. I remember being six years old and going to Action Corner Video down the road and picking up Suburban Commando for the weekend!

A couple years later, I was an avid viewer of Hulk’s Thunder in Paradise show on TNT!

Finally, I also enjoyed watching VH1’s “Hogan Knows Best.” Who doesn’t love a trashy reality show?

Whether it was in the ring or on a television or movie set, Hulk Hogan always had a grip on wrestling fans. Hulk transformed wrestling into what it is today. In a time of territories, Hulk Hogan blew up the industry. He was bigger than big. He was the first mega star.

As years pass, my view on Hulk Hogan has changed due to listening to wrestling historians and podcasts.

However, if it wasn’t for Hulk Hogan, I would not be a wrestling fan today. Hulk Hogan was my first “hero.” I ate my vitamins and I said my prayers each night. You cannot tell the story or history of professional wrestling without Hulk Hogan.

While Terry Bollea was a mortal man and left this world on July 24th, Hulkamania is immortal and will live forever.

Rest In Peace, Brother.