For such a good wrestler, he has been stale in the ring for a very long time, basically since the crap "burn it down!" thing started. A new moveset to protect his knees might hrlp refresh his matches as well. First good WWE show in a long time. I'd argue it was as good as All In, if not slightly better, due to the run time. All In was great, but needed to be at least 2 hours shorter.
I've long been burned out of wrestler interviews and podcasts just always having the same guests, making up bullshit and telling the same stories so I don't tend to listen to any now, but my head was immediately turned when I saw this. Getting a Steve Blackman interview in 2025 is such a treat. Seems like a good man, very humble with what he achieved. Still has that same aura of a cold blooded killer. Really glad to see he's healthy and doing well.
Bit of just for men & you’d have no idea it was 2025. Always enjoyed Steve Blackman - lower mid cards (…and mid carders) just seem to have more personality back then. A lot seem quite generic these day. There is definitely less enthusiasm for the lower card now than there was for people like Blackman, Bossman, Snow, Hardcore Holly, Crash Holly, Two Cool, Kaientai, the Godfather etc. I would pop for a Steve Blackman nostalgic Rumble appearance
Such an iconic entrance too, in the modern era I wouldn't change a thing about it. Instantly recognisable. My only concern would be for whoever's brave enough to try to eliminate him
Blackman and Shamrock were two of my favourites back then. Even though I was a kid and knew nothing about combat sports, I still knew those two were properly lethal. Sent from my SM-S938B using Tapatalk
I’ve definitely always been partial to those who had the aura of ‘I’m gonna let my wrestling do the talking’ so Mr. Perfect (to a certain extent) Blackman, Shamrock, Benoit, Malenko, Lance Storm, early Angle, debut year Lesnar, Cesaro, Bryan.
Blackman has been one of my all.time favourites ever since him and Shamrock beat each other to pulp every month. The great hardcore title run, which imo was even better than Crash Holly's, was the best title run of the attitude era, other than maybe Austin's 1998 run and HHH's early 2000 world championship run.
Never, ever really stopped to think about the best title runs of the attitude era. They played hot potato will all the belts so much. So many good champs, so many enjoyable storylines around the titles. Some absolutely classic feuds over the titles but it’s actually really had to think of a singular uninterrupted reign that had longevity, multiple decent storylines & great matches. For example - Jericho & Benoit had all those things several times but that would have been over several IC title reigns by both of them.
Tag division alone was stacked with some absolute GOAT teams who had superb matches. Made for great television… …but outside of E & Cs first reign establishing themselves as proper heel - singular interrupted title reigns; nothing springs to mind
I kind of staple reigns together when they are interrupted by a night or week, to cover a run. Austins first reign ended for one night, for example. His run was really reigns 1 and 2 combined. Likewise HHH's first run really was August 99 to June 2000. He hot potatoed it with Vince, then Show had it for one PPV IIRC. Likewise The Rock took it for a PPV. HHH's run at the top didnt rwally end until that second loss to the Rock at KotR.
so after months of smoke and mirrors, its finally happened he was by no means my favourite wrestler, but he made the Rock N Roll era what it was RIP Hulk Hogan Dead at 71
Even though I was a Warrior man Hogan was the big name that was a major reason Vince and WWF went worldwide RIP Brother
My first exposure to wrestling was a Hulk Hogan tape given to me by my cousin. While some will argue if he is wrestling, there is no doubt he WAS wrestling in that boom period in the 80s. And despite the revisionism that some like to engage in, a LOT of what we know wrestling as and the journey it’s been on wouldn’t have been a thing without Hulk Hogan. That said, he was a shit human being once away from wrestling.
Can't say enough bad things about Hulk Hogan, but can't deny his legacy and influence in the business. Was also pretty nice to me when I met him back in the day.
Massive Hogan fan as a kid, depaute being a WCW guy. He made wrestling a worldwide phenomenon. Despite turning out be a twat, I will always appreciate his contribution to wrestling. RIP.
It's some, complex, legacy he leaves. He was the star, the draw, the Golden Era is synonymous with Hulk Hogan. The third man, the greatest heel turn of all time. Not workrate (but better than given credit for), but he was spectacle, as a wrestler Hulk Hogan is one of the greatest. Influence wise there isn't anyone above him. He was not a good person. At all. He was also perhaps the greatest liar who's ever lived, by type and by sheer volume. A worker 'til the end, brother.
