One of the most famous wrestlers ever, Hulk Hogan made his first big splash in pop culture playing the character of Thunderlips in Rocky III. Soon enough, he became a wildly popular star in WWE, helping redefine pro wrestling in the 1980s and then proving influential in the 1990s with his famous heel turn and the formation of the nWo. He’s proven controversial over the years for various backstage reasons as well as his personal life, but there’s no denying that he was a big deal for a long time.
Less well-known about Hogan, however, are his pre-WWE days. Growing up inspired by Dusty Rhodes as a teenager, The Hulkster eventually got into wrestling himself, spending a few years in the territories before getting noticed by Vince McMahon, Sr. Let’s take a look at what he was up to during that time.
10 Scouted By The Briscos
Before embarking on a wrestling career, Terry Bollea was a bassist in a Tampa Bay area rock band called Ruckus that played the various bars in the area in the mid-1970s. The band would attract the attention of various Florida territory wrestlers, who would regularly check out Ruckus when they were playing. One of those wrestlers would be former two-time NWA World Champion Jack Brisco and his brother Jerry Brisco, who were impressed by the 21-year-old’s physique -- Bollea lifted weights in his spare time -- and invited him to undergo training.
9 Trained By Hiro Matsuda
The future Hulk Hogan would eventually be hooked up with Hiro Matsuda, a Rikidozan and Karl Gotch trained wrestler from Japan who settled down in the US, becoming involved in Championship Wrestling From Florida as a trainer and later an owner. Matsuda was known for subjecting his students to incredibly rigorous training (to put it lightly) weeding out all but the most determined students. There’s a famous story of Matsuda breaking Hogan’s leg on his very first day, but his desire to return as well as his work ethic eventually earned the respect of his strict trainer.
8 Donned A Mask
Once he was deemed ready to enter a wrestling ring, Hulk Hogan made his official in-ring debut for the aforementioned Championship Wrestling from Florida in August of 1977, losing a match to Don Serrano. However, Hogan did not debut as Hulk Hogan -- or even with an exposed face.
Hogan spent 1977 wrestling as the masked Super Destroyer, a gimmick used by a number of wrestlers over the years. Eventually, however, Hogan would take a break from wrestling, as he faced difficulty getting booked with CWF.
7 Terry Boulder
Hulk Hogan wouldn’t wrestle a match in 1978, instead working at a club and opening a gym. The wrestling bug didn’t go away, however, and he soon started seeking work in other territories outside of Florida. He’d end up finding regular work further north in Alabama, where he’d adopt the name Terry Boulder. As Boulder, he’d have some big matches, challenging Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight Title and even enjoying a quick transitional reign as NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Champion before dropping it to Austin Idol a week later.
6 The Boulder Brothers
Hulk Hogan had already captured the attention of Jerry Jarrett’s Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association and would end up taking a job there. Hogan also brought in a high school friend named Ed Leslie, introducing him to the wrestling business and forming a tag team. Leslie, of course, would go on to fame in WWE as Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, but during this period he was Eddie Boulder, Hogan’s kayfabe brother, eventually changing his name to Dizzy Hogan once Hulk Hogan was officially born.
5 The Hulk Is Officially Born
It was in Memphis that Hogan actually got his famous nickname -- and it’s all thanks to Marvel Comics. Lou Ferrigno, who played the jade giant in the Incredible Hulk TV show, was doing a local talk show appearance at the same time as Terry Boulder. The host of the show remarked that Boulder was bigger than the guy who plays The Hulk. Boulder ran with the comparison, becoming Terry “The Hulk” Boulder, which of course would continue on to his signing with WWE and becoming Hulk Hogan.
4 Meeting Jimmy Hart
Hulk Hogan would famously have “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart in his corner for many matches in both WWE and WCW, though some fans might not know how far back the two go. They were actually both in CWA at the same time, and Hart managed Hogan for the brief time he was there.
When Jimmy Hart came to WWE in 1984, Hogan was excited to be reunited with his old friend and manager, but it would be several years before the two would actually be aligned in that promotion.
3 Sterling Golden
Terry “The Hulk” Boulder would only spend a few months in CWA, and move on to NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling in September 1979, adopting a new ring name: Sterling Golden. There, he would take on a number of notable names including Stan Hansen, Tony Atlas, Bret Hart, and even future rival Andre The Giant. In December, he would beat Dick Slater for the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Title, only to drop it to Bob Armstrong a few weeks later.
2 He Almost Quit Wrestling
Despite working hard to prove himself in training and learning the ins and outs of the business, Hulk Hogan quickly found himself disillusioned with the business, enjoying the work but ultimately frustrated with the pay. Despite proving a pretty decent draw, little of that money would go to him. By the end of 1979, Hogan was back in Tampa, ready to quit the business and fall back on being a longshoreman and stevedore.
1 Catching The Attention Of Vince Sr.
During his return to Tampa, Hogan was hanging out at a bar frequented by wrestlers he ran into Terry Funk, Jack Brisco, and Jerry Brisco, who informed him that there was interest in him from WWE in New York. Apparently his work in CWA had paid off, Vince McMahon Sr. received word of the drawing power of Terry “The Hulk” Boulder in Memphis, and wanted to meet with him. It wouldn’t be long before the elder McMahon convinced him to join up with WWE, finally becoming Hulk Hogan.
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