A Hogan and Giant stinker for the ages: WCW Hog Wild 1996 | WON Flashback
August 10 1996 was the date of WCW Hog Wild 1996, which was the first ever Sturgis Rally PPV event that World Championship Wrestling would hold (the name was changed to ‘Road Wild’ in the years following). The main event of the card would see Hulk Hogan take on The Giant (also known as Big Show in WWE) in what was widely regarded as an absolute stinker of a match.
Our own Dave Meltzer would give a scathing review in that week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter of the main event, noting that the Hogan vs Giant had received a -*1/2 star rating.
You can find Dave’s review of the matches from WCW Hog Wild 1996 in the August 19, 1996 Wrestling Observer Newsletter (which you can read in full with a subscription).
Hulk Hogan vs The Giant – WCW Hog Wild 1996
Here is what Dave had to say about Hulk Hogan vs The Giant from WCW Hog Wild 1996:
“Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) pinned Giant (Paul Wight) to regain the WCW title in 14:55. Hogan was cheered and the fans were chanting for him as they had no idea about the heel turn. Hogan looked to be about 60 years old as he had obviously dieted down so much for his birthday that his face was drawn and the sun made his body look real old. Hogan stalled early and basically did 60s heel tactics. All the offense by Hogan looked awful and he doesn’t bump as a heel so that kills that idea. Giant did the Hogan superman comeback in one of the campiest spots ever in a wrestling match.
“It was like watching the worst movie ever made–or the worst wrestling match. Well, between that triple decked cage contraption earlier this year and Warrior-Goldust, this match is luckily eliminated for worst match considerations but would be up there in another year. The campiest part of all was Giant doing the Hogan foot to the face, and missing it by a foot. Hall interfered and was slammed off the top rope and choke slammed. Nash got Jimmy Hart’s megaphone and then got choke slammed. Hogan got the megaphone and hit Giant with it and scored the pin and got a huge babyface pop. Booty Man, wearing an NWO t-shirt as if he was the fourth guy, showed up with a birthday cake (Hogan turned 43 the next day) and Hogan thanked him. Then Hogan got Nash and Hall to turn on him. Hogan then spray painted NWO on the title belt. With the angle being everyone in WCW was uniting against NWO, it was ridiculous that nobody came to Giant’s aid although I guess had they done so it would have gotten in the way of the angle. -*1/2”
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