Finnish professional wrestler Michael Majalahti was very close to getting superstar Hulk Hogan to perform in Finland. But one clear obstacle came.
-Few people become as great from Hulk Hogan, recalls Michael “Starbuck” Majalahti, a Finnish-Canadian professional wrestler.
American wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan died on Thursday morning at the age of 71. Majalahti tells Iltalehti that Hogan’s importance for professionalism in professional print is significant.
With Hogan, the sport changed from local entertainment to an international phenomenon.
-Hogan was the biggest star of the so-called golden age, says Majalahti.
“Bruce Willis would be cheaper”
Majalahti has been involved with professional print for over 30 years. Marko Simonen / Slam! Wrestling Entertainment
Majalahti is a pioneer in her kind in Finland and was very close to having Hulk Hogan performed in Ideapark, Lempäälä in 2008.
– At that time, I knew a entertainment manager who said that if a wrestling event was held in Lempäälä, a world -class star would be needed. Two names emerged: Kurt Angle and Hulk Hogan. We ended up in Hogan, says Majalahti.
Majalahti started pursuing Hogan’s manager. He called the famous Wrestling Manager Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Hartwho was known to be a good friend of Hogan and got a connection with the Hogan agent in New York.
According to the media, Hulk Hogan died, 71, in a heart attack. No official cause of death has been reported. Aop
– I got a price tag for performing. When Ideapark heard how much Hogan’s price would have been, it was answered that even actress Bruce Willis would get cheaper, says Majalahti.
According to Majalahti, the Hogan manager had demanded everything from Hogan and his staff, from a five -star hotel to security guards and business class flights. The performance would have become too expensive.
– It would have been such a big stitch that no reason would have been worthy of this job anymore. I think the manager was overpriced.
Hogan’s enormous meaning
Hulk Hogan was one of the most famous wrestling stars of all time. Aop
Hulk Hogan made his debut in 1980 at the World Wide Wrestling Federation (wwwf). It was the predecessor of the World Wrestling Federation, the current World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). At that time, the organization was led by Vince McMahon Sr.
McMahon Sr. He was convinced and so Hulk Hogan started.
When Sylvester Stallonewho was a big wrestling fan, saw Hogan’s charisma, he offered him a role in Rocky III. But McMahon Sr. Didn’t give Hogan permission to go for a description. He was a traditional promoter who firmly believed in the old rules.
– Hogan was told that if you take a movie role, you will be fired. And that happened. But thanks to the film, Hogan became a star and he gained global visibility, says Majalahti.
After the film, Hogan moved to other wrestling organizations in New Japan Pro Wrestling and American Wrestling Association and further developed his character.
Another start to Hogan’s career was the first Wrestleman in 1985. The broadcast was a fierce hit.
– At the time of the broadcast, Hogan was already ready for oats as a superstar. The wrestling boom was born and Hogan was at the forefront, says Majalahti.
– The professional wrestling conquered the whole of America. Without Hogan, it would not have been possible because he was a stylized hero and just right for his time.
Majalahti also says that Hogan was smart. Back in the 1980s, wrestlers were paid on the basis of how much the audience was on the spot. The biggest roads got the main events.
– But Hogan knew his sales asset and position. He negotiated himself that if he was a selling point, he wants certain percentages of every single event. Hogan’s rewards were absolutely astronomical compared to that era. Hogan became an extremely rich man, says Majalahti.
– The other lower card wrestlers were crying on their knees in front of Hogan, who could feed their families with this enormous popularity in the evening in the sold out arenas.
American hero
Majalahti also points out that for Hogan, the stars hit. He gained popularity in the era when the United States won a Cold War and entertainment was consumed only from certain channels.
– Times are changing and new stars are constantly coming. Today’s society is tremendously fragmented with Tiktok, Instagram and all the soma. There are hits here and there and popularity is momentary, Majalahti explains.
– But Hogan hit the right era. In his time, society was simpler and the whole people knew the person clearly about one thing. Nowadays, everything is so fragmented unless a publicity person has shockingly large money in the background to get him or her to every possible channel.
Hulk Hogan wrestled his way to the Americans in the 80s. Zumawire / mvphotos
Hogan became more than a wrestler; He was a cartoon-like superhero who performed in movies, TV series and murmur packages.
– Hogan touched the emotions of the Americans. He was americana an embodiment that fought against all the strangers.
Hogan wrestled his way into the hearts of the people finally in 1984 when he won his first WWF championship by defeating The Iron Sheikin. The Iron Sheik was the perfect bad guy in the early 1980s in America. The Iranian hostage crisis was in fresh memory and Sheik’s character aroused genuine anger in the audience.
– When he won the championship from the Iranian champion, Hogan became an American hero in one evening, says Majalahti.
According to Majalahti, Hogan’s character hit such a suitable situation that he rose to world star.
– Today, few wrestlers can be as a big name as Hulk Hogan. Hogan’s awareness is illustrated by the fact that if even one name Finns know about a professional press, he is, Majalahti sums up.
– So something has been done right when everyone knows his name. It’s not about who you know, it’s about who knows you. And everybody Knows Hulk Hogan. (Finnish is not about who you know, but who knows you. And everyone knows Hulk Hogan.)