WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has paid tribute to the late Hulk Hogan, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 71. In a statement posted to his Instagram account, Austin honored the man who, for many, defined an entire era of professional wrestling, calling his contributions to the business “immense.”
The tribute from Austin is particularly significant, as he and Hogan are widely considered to be the two biggest and most influential stars in the modern history of the industry. Austin’s “Attitude Era” boom in the late 1990s is often seen as the successor to Hogan’s “Hulkamania” boom of the 1980s.
Steve Austin’s Full Statement
Accompanying a photo of himself and Hogan, Austin shared his thoughts on the icon’s passing and his monumental legacy.
“Hulk Hogan was born to be a Professional Wrestler. Larger than life. Charisma for days. He was in a stratosphere all on his own,” Austin wrote. “His contributions are immense. His influence will be forever. Hulkamania lives on. My condolences to his family and loved ones.”
A Dream Match That Never Happened
Despite their status as the two biggest draws in wrestling history, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan famously never had a one-on-one match. The fantasy matchup is often at the top of fans’ “what if” lists, but the timing of their respective peaks and career trajectories never allowed for it.
The two legends did, however, share a WWE ring on two memorable occasions. The most famous was the opening segment of WrestleMania 30 in 2014, where Austin, Hogan, and The Rock created an unforgettable moment, standing together in the ring as three of the sport’s Mount Rushmore figures.
Their only in-ring encounter in a match setting occurred on a March 2002 episode of Monday Night Raw. In the lead-up to WrestleMania X8, the nWo (Hogan, Kevin Nash & Scott Hall) defeated the team of Austin and The Rock in a three-on-two handicap match. This was the closest fans ever came to seeing the two icons compete against each other.
The primary reason the dream match never occurred is that the two stars’ main event runs happened in different eras and, for a long time, different companies. When Hogan was leading the “Hulkamania” charge in the 1980s, Austin was just beginning his career. When Austin became the face of the “Attitude Era” in the late 1990s, Hogan was his chief rival as the leader of the nWo in the competing WCW. By the time Hogan returned to WWE in 2002, Austin’s career was winding down due to neck injuries, and he would have his final match just one year later.
