American professional wrestler, Bully Ray, has praised Hulk Hogan’s legacy, claiming that the WWE Hall of Famer’s impact on professional wrestling places him among the most influential figures the industry has ever seen.
Speaking on an episode of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, Bully Ray reflected on the 30th anniversary of Hogan’s shocking heel turn at WCW Bash at the Beach 1996, where he joined Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to form the New World Order (NWO).
According to Bully Ray, Hogan’s ability to transform from wrestling’s biggest hero into its biggest villain proved his unmatched importance to the business. He said,
“Hulk Hogan’s heel turn at Bash at the Beach 30 years ago today and joining the NWO was the turn of all turns. [Larry] Zbyszko turning on Bruno [Sammartino] was a big deal, but it wasn’t industry changing. It was a personal blood feud that they carried the animosity for years and years, but nobody really talked about that type of turn.
“What Hogan did is he proved to the world that he is the most important professional wrestler in modern history, maybe in wrestling, period. You’re the biggest babyface at one time, popped a territory, and created a boom. You were the biggest heel at one time, popped the territory and created a boom.
“Nobody else could do that. Nobody else can say that. And that’s why Hulk will always be the be all and end all.”
Hogan’s NWO alliance became a defining moment of the Monday Night Wars, helping WCW reach unprecedented popularity and contributing to WCW Nitro’s historic 83-week ratings victory over WWE Raw.
While several major stars have undergone memorable character changes over the years, Bully Ray believes Hogan’s transformation remains unmatched because he was able to create a cultural shift as both wrestling’s ultimate fan favourite and its most controversial villain.
The closest modern comparison came when John Cena shocked fans by turning against them at WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto 2025, but Hogan’s 1996 heel turn continues to stand as one of the most significant moments in wrestling history.
