On March 17, 2002, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confronted Hulk Hogan in the primary occasion of WrestleMania X8 in what turned one of the vital iconic matches in WWE historical past. On Friday, in the future after Hogan died at 71, Johnson posted a message thanking one in all his “wrestling heroes” for his or her time collectively, which dated again to when he was a baby.
Johnson grew up within the wrestling enterprise together with his father, Rocky Johnson, crossing paths with Hogan in WWE (then WWF).
“Relaxation in Peace, Terry Bollea aka The Immortal Hulk Hogan,” Johnson wrote on X. “To thousands and thousands of little youngsters you have been a childhood hero — myself included.
“In 1984, I gave you your “HULKSTER” headband again, within the locker room in Madison Sq. Backyard — I used to be the fortunate child caught it whenever you threw it within the crowd. You have been wrestling “Mr Fantastic,” Paul Orndorff that evening in the primary occasion. You have been shocked and so comfortable after the match since you informed me that was your final headband and if it weren’t for me, you’d haven’t any approach of getting that precise one made once more. You promised me that you’d get extra made and provides me a Hulkster headband of my very own as a thanks reward.
“A month later in Madison Sq. Backyard, you probably did simply that. You stored your phrase, with a handshake and a ‘thanks child.’
And that meant the world to that little 12 12 months previous boy.”
After leaving for WCW in 1994, Hogan would ultimately discover his approach again to WWE in 2002. He shortly discovered himself in a program with Johnson, resulting in their WrestleMania X8 “Icon vs. Icon” match.
“Simply 17 years later, and nonetheless a child on the age of 29 years previous — I am standing in the midst of the ring and dealing with you — one in all my wrestling heroes in the primary occasion of WRESTLEMANIA,” Johnson stated. “The match was to resolve who would go down in historical past, as The Biggest of All Time.
“Once you kick out of my Rock Backside finisher — simply hear and FEEL that crowd go ELECTRIC…all for you. I’ve by no means felt something like that in my complete wrestling profession. It takes two to tango, however that historic crowd response was all for you.”
Forward of this 12 months’s WrestleMania 41, WWE ranked The Rock vs. Hogan because the third-best WrestleMania match of all time.
“You might have ‘handed the torch’ to me that evening, however you, my good friend… you ‘drew the home’ which means you bought out each enviornment and stadium throughout the nation in your prime as Hulk Hogan, in your approach of changing into the best of all time,” Johnson wrote. “From deep in my bones, and on behalf of this wild and loopy world {of professional} wrestling that we love, I say to you now, and ceaselessly.
“Thanks for the home, brother.”