Who's The Biggest Star, Hogan or Flair?

[The Missing Link]

Hogan put wrestling on the map, and was a shitty wrestler. Flair is one of the most talented, but is he in the same league with Hogan and his star power?

[donnie_darko]

fuck em both
give me sting bitches.
i loved that mothafucka when i was a kid.

when i was a kid i always wondered how lifting your foot into someones face and dropping your leg on their chest was a finishing move.

[Devo37]

when i was a kid i always wondered how lifting your foot into someones face and dropping your leg on their chest was a finishing move.


i got tired of the hulkamania thing pretty quickly as a kid. the ultimate warrior kicking out of the big-boot/leg-drop was the greatest!

flair is the true legend. as famous as hogan is, there will never be a teary-eyed "thank you, hulk" moment like flair's recent retirement.

THANK YOU, RIC!!!!!!

[ToddEVF]

when i was a kid i always wondered how lifting your foot into someones face and dropping your leg on their chest was a finishing move.

seriously that was always weak. Even though the figure four isn't as flashy, it does get the job done.

However, with that said. There is no bigger star than this man. . .

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The Great Muta

[smiler grogan]

Outside of the wrasslin world its Hogan by a mile. For someone whose more than a casual fans its Flair.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Todd, I think Muta is the Japanese equivalent of Hogan or Flair.

[cougarjake13]

flair

[CYYYFYYY]

Hogan. If you say Flair you are just kidding yourself.

[Heather 8]

Honestly, if you're going with the mainstream casual or non-fan, it's Hogan (though I'd put Steve Austin and the Rock right there with him as far as recognition goes). Flair will win out with die-hards and "old fogeys."

Devo kinda posted my feelings as far as the two goes. Flair's retirement left me teary-eyed. Every one of Hogan's "retirements" just left me with "Yeah, whatthefuckever, bitch. See you when Vince caves in to your ego again."

[sailor]

hogan. no poll?

[Bob Impact]

Hogan. But Todd's post got me watching Muta matches for most of the afternoon.

[JustJon]

Honestly, if you're going with the mainstream casual or non-fan, it's Hogan (though I'd put Steve Austin and the Rock right there with him as far as recognition goes). Flair will win out with die-hards and "old fogeys."

Devo kinda posted my feelings as far as the two goes. Flair's retirement left me teary-eyed. Every one of Hogan's "retirements" just left me with "Yeah, whatthefuckever, bitch. See you when Vince caves in to your ego again."

QFT

[Sinestro]

Hogan

[MagillaGorillaz]

Growing up in the north it is Hogan. That is who I saw wrestle. People older than me might actually say Bruno Sanmartino is the best. But the older I have gotten, and the more time I have seen Flair is the bigger star right now. The best anaolgy for the two is Hogan is The Beatles and Flair is The Stones.

[ToddEVF]

Hogan. But Todd's post got me watching Muta matches for most of the afternoon.

Wrestle Kingdom II got me watching a lot of Great Muta/Keiji Mutoh. And while he can be considered the Japanese equivalent of a Hogan or Flair (more Flair as he could put on an amazing match), I see him as a bigger star across the board.

I grew up with Hogan, and at the time it was entertaining, but looking back he was horrible. Flair had the charisma and could work.

I have heard a lot of wrestlers talk about how Flair and/or Muta inspiring them enough to join the business themselves. You don't hear many of them say "Hogan is the reason why I am a wrestler." He may be the reason they were introduced to wrestling, but during that era there were a lots of people who were more inspirational than Hogan.

In my book, Hogan is a name and Flair is the man.

Now between Flair and Muta. . . that would have to be settled in a cage.

[Mike Kingston]

The bottom line is that wrestling is about getting people to pay to see fake fighting and outside of a three year run in the late 90's...no one sold more tickets and merchandise in the US than Hulk Hogan.

Hogan was in movies, on TV, and on the cover of Sports Illustrated. If you stop anyone on the street and ask them to name a wrestler, Hogan is the name most likely to be said.

Sure Flair has the best matches but what does that mean? Is he a bigger star? Nope. Bryan Danielson currently has the best matches in the US but no one would even remotely argue that he's a bigger star than John Cena....hell he's not even a bigger star than Festus.

While Flair's matches were great, people forget that after the WWF took hold, no one paid to see his matches. While matches like Flair/Steamboat and Flair/Funk were legendary....they didn't sell a lot of tickets while Hogan's matches sold out nightly.

WCW was dying a slow death in the ratings with Flair as a headliner and was non existent on PPV. It wasn't until they signed Hogan in 1994 that things began to turn around.

With that being said, I think history will be kinder to Flair since the WWE essentially writes history now and the people in power like Flair more than Hogan. I think over time, Flair will eclipse him as a bigger star as history always gets distorted with time...

[conman823]

You can't say Hogan without adding Vince McMahon. In my eyes they are a duo, one would have failed without the other.

Flair would have to be the true "legend" of the ring. He sold seats BEFORE WWF blew the roof off the business. Whats more he was as popular in the North as he was in the South. Hogan was suppose to be a monster face in WCW and got BOOed because the mentality was Hogan was a northern wrestler (Even though he started off in the south).

Flair also put over and created more stars than Hogan. Someone mentioned Sting, there would have been no Sting if Flair (who booked at the time) didn't put him over himself. Hogan on the other had jobbed to nobody unless Vince was wet for some noob. (i.e.-Warrior).

Money wise, its Hogan by a mile. Again though it was VINCE who marketed him. Flair drew houses but his merch was almost nonexistant. That wasn't his fault most promoters didn't give a shit if a 10 year old wanted a Nature Boy shirt.

Without Vinces mind behind him Hogan falls flat on his face. In his own book Hogan admitted to saying "The Undertaker" would be a stupid gimmick. Well thank god Vince thought otherwise.

Finally IMHO, Flairs class in and out of the ring outshines Hogan by far. If I had to walk over to one or the other and shake a hand it would be the Nature Boy. Hogans an egomaniac dickwad.

[dino_electropolis]

STooooooooooooooooooopid thread:

Hogan, no question.


Lock it up!

[conman823]

The bottom line is that wrestling is about getting people to pay to see fake fighting and outside of a three year run in the late 90's...no one sold more tickets and merchandise in the US than Hulk Hogan.

Hogan was in movies, on TV, and on the cover of Sports Illustrated. If you stop anyone on the street and ask them to name a wrestler, Hogan is the name most likely to be said.

Sure Flair has the best matches but what does that mean? Is he a bigger star? Nope. Bryan Danielson currently has the best matches in the US but no one would even remotely argue that he's a bigger star than John Cena....hell he's not even a bigger star than Festus.

While Flair's matches were great, people forget that after the WWF took hold, no one paid to see his matches. While matches like Flair/Steamboat and Flair/Funk were legendary....they didn't sell a lot of tickets while Hogan's matches sold out nightly.

WCW was dying a slow death in the ratings with Flair as a headliner and was non existent on PPV. It wasn't until they signed Hogan in 1994 that things began to turn around.

With that being said, I think history will be kinder to Flair since the WWE essentially writes history now and the people in power like Flair more than Hogan. I think over time, Flair will eclipse him as a bigger star as history always gets distorted with time...

Two issues with your point:
-Those matches did sell out in the south. There was a lot of people who viewed WWF brand as a kids show. Older fans still flocked to see the NWA/WCW greats when they came to town.

-True WCW was dying a slow death. That cannot be attibuted to Flair totally. WCW, at the time, was shifting bookers left and right. There was a clamp on the younger guy imposed by the old timers like Ole Anderson and Sullivan. They didn't wanna "change" with the times. WCW changed when Bischoff took over and cleared out the good ol'boys club. To some extent he also wanted to get rid of Flair, but couldn't because he was a fucking National Landmark in the south.

I recommend "The Death of WCW" to anyone who grew up as I did during the boom period. It is written by lifelong fans and its an eye opener.

Also Bobby Heenans book "Wrestings bad Boy Tells all", and Flairs book.

God, I'm a wrestling geek.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

You're a geek? Dude, my job is editing classic wrestling videos for on demand PPV and DVD distribution to South American and European countries. I beat you all.

[conman823]

You're a geek? Dude, my job is editing classic wrestling videos for on demand PPV and DVD distribution to South American and European countries. I beat you all.

Fuckin hate you so much right now.:lol:

[dino_electropolis]

You're a geek? Dude, my job is editing classic wrestling videos for on demand PPV and DVD distribution to South American and European countries. I beat you all.

Bro...the most interesting thing about that whole thing, is that that job actually exists! Its fkn great.
One question: how the hell did you land that gig?

Two questions: are the films dubbed in foriegn languages, and if so, are the actors assigned to a particular wrestler whereby that actor, and only that actor, dubs for that wrestler???

[Bob Impact]

Two issues with your point:
-Those matches did sell out in the south. There was a lot of people who viewed WWF brand as a kids show. Older fans still flocked to see the NWA/WCW greats when they came to town.

-True WCW was dying a slow death. That cannot be attibuted to Flair totally. WCW, at the time, was shifting bookers left and right. There was a clamp on the younger guy imposed by the old timers like Ole Anderson and Sullivan. They didn't wanna "change" with the times. WCW changed when Bischoff took over and cleared out the good ol'boys club. To some extent he also wanted to get rid of Flair, but couldn't because he was a fucking National Landmark in the south.

I recommend "The Death of WCW" to anyone who grew up as I did during the boom period. It is written by lifelong fans and its an eye opener.

Also Bobby Heenans book "Wrestings bad Boy Tells all", and Flairs book.

God, I'm a wrestling geek.

The Death of WCW book is quite possibly the worst researched book i've ever seen. Its 99% this marks opinion.

[FezPaul]

Who's The Biggest Star, Hogan or Flair?

Bigger. :bye:

[Mike Kingston]

Two issues with your point:
-Those matches did sell out in the south. There was a lot of people who viewed WWF brand as a kids show. Older fans still flocked to see the NWA/WCW greats when they came to town.


Right and I agree which makes Flair a regional draw and Hogan a national superstar. Most of Flair's really historic matches post WWF expansion rarely drew more than 5,000 fans while the WWE were selling twice that for B shows. I went to monthly shows in Syracuse headlined by tag title matches that outdrew any Clash of Champions ever held...

Look I like Flair far more than Hogan as a wrestler and I enjoyed his matches far more but Hogan, with the WWF machine behind him made far more money for Vince than Flair made for Crockett or Turner.

And I write a wrestling comic book, my geekdom trumps you all!

[hit11man]

You're a geek? Dude, my job is editing classic wrestling videos for on demand PPV and DVD distribution to South American and European countries. I beat you all.

oh my God, can i send you my resume?

[conman823]

Right and I agree which makes Flair a regional draw and Hogan a national superstar. Most of Flair's really historic matches post WWF expansion rarely drew more than 5,000 fans while the WWE were selling twice that for B shows. I went to monthly shows in Syracuse headlined by tag title matches that outdrew any Clash of Champions ever held...

Look I like Flair far more than Hogan as a wrestler and I enjoyed his matches far more but Hogan, with the WWF machine behind him made far more money for Vince than Flair made for Crockett or Turner.

And I write a wrestling comic book, my geekdom trumps you all!

See heres my big stick with Hogans a National Superstar. It is true, but not without Vince McMahon. Hogan has fallen on his face consistantly without Vince McMahon there to keep the Hulkamania machine lubed up. Movie Star, hardly. TV Star, you gotta be kidding me. Wrestler, he is the reason they call it Sports Entertainment. There is no denying the man was a cash cow during the Boom Period. Again it was his promoter who made it that way. This was VINCE's vision, he just stole Hogan away from the AWA, made him the figure head the people in the north wanted and ran it to the moon.

5,000 a night sell outs were good considering what Vince was doing. Do you deny that the only reason GCW/WCW survived is because of Ric Flair? Don't you think that Gagne would have wanted Flair there at the end to help AWA survive? As I said before Flair endured poor booking for a lot of years. These guys wanted 'rastlin to stay the same it had been for 40 years and Vince changed everything. They were left in the dust, but I feel GCW/WCW survived, in large part, due to the drawing power of Ric Flair.

Finally, when Flair finally came north he was accepted and loved by the fans. Proof of that was when he returned in 2002 people still loved and admired him. hogan went to the south and got BOOed. Then Bischoff said "Lets turn ya heel" and he got a minor repreave. Also Bischoff stuck him with must "hipper" dudes then Hogan to try and give him a youthful appearence when he was over the hill. Now had Flair gone to WWF at the point WCW was killing WWF in the rating I believe fans would have followed, and Vice would have won sooner.

[SyndicateParish]

NWO 4 LIFE, Hogan bayybeee.. 2nd place Goldberd.