The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan are known as two of the all-time greats, but their matches together were never viewed as all-time classics.
In fact, their 1991 WWE Championship match is shrouded in infamy. It saw The Undertaker, just one year into his WWE career, winning the belt from The Hulkster, something Hogan did not agree with.
To make his point, Hogan feigned a neck injury, claiming The Undertaker had broken his neck when he hit him with a Tombstone Piledriver onto a chair.
This was something The Deadman believed for decades, until he finally saw the footage and realised Hogan’s head was nowhere near the floor, or the chair.
The pair did not have a good relationship together after that, especially given the animosity between WCW and the WWE during the Monday Night Wars.
The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan finally came together again at Judgement Day 2002, in a battle for the coveted Undisputed WWE Championship.
The Undertaker vs Hulk Hogan
The Undertaker wrestled Hulk Hogan at Judgement Day 2002, in a match for the WWE Undisputed Championship.
Hogan had beaten Triple H just a month earlier for the belt, marking his final World title reign in the WWE of his illustrious career.
The win also made him the final WWF Champion (and first WWE Champion), as the company changed its name from WWF to WWE during his reign with the belt.
The title reign was one to capitilise on the unexpected popularity of Hogan, following his match with The Rock at WrestleMania X8.
While they expected fans to boo the Hulkster, he actually became one of the most popular faces in the company, with young Hulkamaniacs back to watch their childhood hero again.
They were equally as excited to see him wrestle The Undertaker at Judgement Day, with the fans clearly on the side of the WWE Hall of Famer.
Neither Hulk Hogan nor the Undertaker could be described as being in their physical prime. They were two lumbering heavyweights, close to 300lbs and sporting decades of wear and tear.
However, this helped make the match great. Every single hit they took felt big, every bump was huge, and each step was a step toward victory.
They started off the match with a brawl before the match started. When the bell rang, The Deadman focused on Hogan’s injured knee, while Hogan employed all his usual underhanded tactics to get ahead.
The match was slow and laboured, each man dragging their near-300lb frames across the ring. Normally, this would go against them, but it actually added to the action.
In a show full of fast-paced action, this slower-style of match was a welcome changed. Hogan made sure that everything he did counted, and any breaks in the action was filled with him working the crowd, hyping them up ready for the next step.
They took some big bumps in the match, to their ultimate credit. Hulk Hogan even managed to hit a Superplex onto Undertaker at one point.
I don’t know if you’ve ever seen Hulk Hogan go to the top rope, but I certainly haven’t, and don’t think I ever will again. Both men hit the ground with almighty thud, almost expecting the ring to crash a la Brock Lesnar vs Big Show.
This match was actually very good, but is mostly remembered for the terrible chokeslam sell by Hulk Hogan.
Claiming he couldn’t take it due to a bad back, Hogan refused to take the move, trying to fight his way out of it. Due to previous issues with the Tombstone, and his size making the Last Ride impossible, this move had to be the finish of the match.
However, Hogan fought it, initially sandbagging the Deadman and refusing to take the move. Eventually he managed to hit it, but it was the worst looking Chokeslam ever.
It took a Vince McMahon interference to distract the referee, leading to ‘Taker hitting Hogan with a chair shot and a chokeslam, pinning The Immortal and winning the match.
This was also the last time Undertaker would win the WWE Championship, despite wrestling for another 17 years.
Undertaker vs Hulk Hogan Full Match
If you liked the sound of the Hulk Hogan vs Undertaker match from Judgement Day 2003, you are in luck!
The WWE official Youtube Channel uploaded the match in full this week, so you can watch the two WWE Hall of Famers battle it out over the WWE Undisputed Championship for free!
Click this link to see the full match, or watch it via the video below.
