WWE Region, Chiyoda Subregion, First Round: (1) Hulk Hogan vs. (32) Yokozuna

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round match in the WWE Region, Chiyoda Subregion. It is a standard one on one match held under WWE Rules. It will be held at Budokan Hall in Chiyoda, Japan.

#1. Hulk Hogan

Vs.

#32. Yokozuna

​

Polls will be open for three days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[Tastycles]

I'm going to pre-empt the "Yokozuna beat Hogan" argument by saying 1) this was in 1993, not 1989 and 2) he also lost to him in about 30 seconds at WrestleMania as I recall. Yokozuna served a purpose and dos it well, but there's absolutely no way he's have beaten Hulk Hogan in his almighty pomp.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I'm going to pre-empt the "Yokozuna beat Hogan" argument by saying 1) this was in 1993, not 1989 and 2) he also lost to him in about 30 seconds at WrestleMania as I recall. Yokozuna served a purpose and dos it well, but there's absolutely no way he's have beaten Hulk Hogan in his almighty pomp.

He lost to Hogan in a 30 second match AFTER a grueling match with Bret Hart. Not to mention, Yoko has a HUGE Home field advantage....The Japanese sumo hero against possibly the most jingoistic American wrestling character ever....IN JAPAN.


Vote Yoko.

 

[Tastycles]

Yes, because I'm sure Japan will love the appropriation of their culture by a fat Samoan.

Look, this is the last I'll say as it would be funny if Hogan lost, but he really shouldn't.

 

[Lee]

The thing with Chiyoda is there are a lot of cameras. Hulk Hogan's biggest weakness in matches against Yokozuna have been cameras. With a lot about, surely one or 2 of them will explode.

This leads the Japanese native and hero Yokozuna to go through.

 

[Shocky]

Yokozuna is returning to his native Japan to do what he's done already, end Hulkamania in the WWE. As Lee pointed out, there will be an arena full of Asians, and they'll probably have cameras. You simply never know when a camera could explode in Hulk Hogan's face. Yoko has already defeated Hogan, now he's on his home soil, surrounded by Asians, and potentially exploding cameras. I can't see how Hogan logically makes it past the big man from Japan.

 

[SSJPhenom]

Last year's tourament seen Yoko win in a huge upset in the first round against Roddy Piper. While that win was a logical one for Yoko, I'm afraid that this one isn't.

In Hogan's prime, he made a career out of defeating heel big guys like Yoko. Yes, while Yoko did defeat Hogan once in 1993, Yoko also lost to Hogan in mere seconds at Wrestlemania 9.

There is no way that Hogan should lose this match. Now, I'll laugh my ass off if he does, but he really shouldn't.

Vote Hogan.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Folks, Tastycles has had an irrational hatred of those he perceives as "fat" for years. He's the quintessential bully. Despite professional wrestling being a businesses long dominated by those with a less-than-flattering BMI Index, Tastycles has made it his personal crusade in life to eviscerate everything flab.

It's a real shame, too, because as pro wrestling history has shown us, muscularity and physique are not automatic indicators of success.

It's time for a 1-seed to go out in the first round.

It's time for Hulk Hogan, the immortal legend, to watch his tournament come to an end uncharacteristically early.

It's time for Yokozuna to defeat Hulk Hogan. And he're why.

1. Despite a 1-1 major match record against one another, the legitimate match between the two ended with Yokozuna winning - and Hulkamania going on hiatus for nearly a decade. Yes, Hogan "defeated" Yokozuna at Wrestlemania 9. This occurred immediately following Yokozuna's exhausting victory over a very formidable Bret "Hitman" Hart. 128 seconds, to be exact. Hogan jumped in the ring, Mr. Fuji accidentally threw salt in Yoko's eyes, and Hogan hit the legdrop of doom for the pin. 3 months later at King of the Ring, Yokozuna DOMINATED Hogan. Despite the controversial ending, Yoko cemented his place as the new top heel in the WWE and Hogan was sent out to WCW.

2. Yokozuna is one of the few to kick out of Hogan's leg drop. Controversy notwithstanding, long before the end of the match, Hogan hit the leg drop and Yokozuna kicked out. With authority.

3. Yokozuna is one of the few men Hogan could never bodyslam. He tried. He failed. The immortal Hulk Hogan, with America by his side, failed to even budge the big man. It took Lex Luger, and later Ahmed Johnson, to turn that trick. Hogan couldn't do it. He wasn't strong enough.

4. Yokozuna was so much more than size. Yokozuna was one of the most agile Superheavyweights in history, hitting fast belly-to-belly suplexes and deadly rear thrust kicks with ease.

5. Despite the stereotypes that posters like Tastycles want you to buy into, Yokozuna routinely wrestled longer matches against "in shape" guys, and never appeared to be running out of gas. He is a guy who could wrestle good time with Bret Hart and Lex Luger, but because of his skill and size, it took just one power move to entirely turn a match in his favor.

6. Yokozuna was the owner of one of the most devastating finishing maneuvers in history - the Banzai Drop. When he hit that, it was over. Just over. I thought he was going to kill Hacksaw Jim Duggan after he hit 4 Banzai Drops on the man. On the other hand, Yokozuna kicked out of Hogan's finisher.

7. If it comes down to the managers, give me Mr. Fuji AND Jim Cornette over Jimmy Hart. Hands down.

Yokozuna was a transcendant Superheavyweight the likes of which the world had never seen. He dominated 1993. Not because he was popular. Not because he was beloved. Not because he was good looking or charismatic. Because he was so good and so dominating that he was downright scary.

Folks, Yokozuna is the right choice here. Make history, vote down the #1 seed. Yokozuna beat Hogan in a legitimate match at King of the Ring - he does the same thing here.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Last year's tourament seen Yoko win in a huge upset in the first round against Roddy Piper. While that win was a logical one for Yoko, I'm afraid that this one isn't.

Yes, it is.

In Hogan's prime, he made a career out of defeating heel big guys like Yoko.

In Yoko's prime, he made a career out of defeating top faces, including Hogan.

Yes, while Yoko did defeat Hogan once in 1993, Yoko also lost to Hogan in mere seconds at Wrestlemania 9.

Yoko beat Hogan in a match where both men had months of notice. Hogan could only beat Yoko after Yoko had just wrestled Bret Hart. That's the 1993 equivalent of a MITB cash-in.

There is no way that Hogan should lose this match.

Yes there is. Pinfall. Same way Hogan lost to Yokozuna at King of the Ring.

Now, I'll laugh my ass off if he does, but he really shouldn't.

Prepare to crack up, then.

Vote Hogan.

No, don't. That would be silly and illogical. Vote for Yokozuna.

You're better than this, Phenom.

Aren't you?

 

[Theo Mays]

Not that I put much care into the tournament but I had plans on making a post here to defend Yokozuna but it looks like my thoughts have a solid following. Don't get me wrong, I love Hulk Hogan but there really isn't a reason for Hogan to go over here.

Hulk Hogan needed a make shift match to beat Yokozuna. Like others have said, a match that happen mere minutes after a grueling match with Bret Hart. Hogan lost the only fair match the two had.

Yoko is at home, going against a guy who doesn't have a decisive win over him, and a guy he beat decisively. So decisive as IC stated it killed Hulkamania for a long time.

Hulkamania ran wild, but it didn't run wild on Yokozuna. And it should stay that way.

投票横綱
Vote Yokozuna.

 

[Dmbfantomas]

It's NCAA Tournament time, so upsets are in the air. Mercer beats Duke, Butler makes back to back Cinderella runs to the title game, and now Yoko beats Hogan...again.

In a match where they both had advance notice that they were going to face off against each other fresh...Yoko won. Crushing Hulkamania like a bug.

Vote Yoko, because March Madness.

 

[Bernkastel]

Oh goodness me the kayfabe argument. Seriously. The kayfabe argument is dumb. We nearly got Khali over Taker one year because of it, and Kane went over Bret Hart. Vote Yokozuna. Then I expect you all to OVERWHELMINGLY vote Goldberg over Lesnar when they inevitably meet later. Also HHH goes out in round 3 if he gets Daniel Bryan.

It won't happen because people are dumb and will switch on a heartbeat. Hogan should win. Overwhelmingly. For reasons that should not be explained.

Vote Hogan. Seriously.

 

[Dave]

I'm going to be voting for Yokozuna but it was a tough call. Hulk Hogan is a legend in the wrestling world who beat everyone that there was to beat. He did beat Yokozuna at one point, too. But he was completely dominated by him at a later date and really found it difficult to beat him. Yokozuna was pretty much Hogan's match and with this match being in Japan, I really have to give the match to Yokozuna.

Big result for Yokozuna. Lets see how the vote goes...

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

My initial reaction was to vote for Hogan, it's HULK F'N HOGAN for god's sake....but I reckon Yoko could get the win here.

As IC pointed out, the one legitimate match between the two led to Yoko defeating Hogan and he's kicked out of the legendary leg drop before, and without being exhausted after a gruelling match with Bret Hart (which caused his loss to a fresh Hulk at Wrestlemania he would do so again.

For his size Yokozuna was so fast and agile, and in Japan he'd have the fans on his side- even against Hogan. A tournament such as this always has a few surprises, and I think this could be one of them. Yoko to win after Fuji's interferance and 3 Banzai Drops.

Vote Yoko.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Oh goodness me the kayfabe argument. Seriously. The kayfabe argument is dumb. We nearly got Khali over Taker one year because of it, and Kane went over Bret Hart. Vote Yokozuna. Then I expect you all to OVERWHELMINGLY vote Goldberg over Lesnar when they inevitably meet later. Also HHH goes out in round 3 if he gets Daniel Bryan.

It won't happen because people are dumb and will switch on a heartbeat. Hogan should win. Overwhelmingly. For reasons that should not be explained.

Vote Hogan. Seriously.

Such a smark response. If not for the kayfabe argument, why even run the tournament? Or at least, why have more than just 4 people in it? Why run this every year if the penultimate argument, according to you, is "who would be booked to win? Who was the bigger draw? It's sickeningly nihilistic. I cannot stand this response, because what you're saying to people is that enjoying professional wrestling for what it historically was is sill, and we should look at it from the depressing view of how someone would be booked by management.

And in other news, "for reasons that should not be explained!?" This is a discussion forum. THE POINT OF THE ENTIRE DAMN TOURNAMENT IS TO EXPLAIN IT!!!

Why don't you just go kick a kitten and tell an 8 year old that he's adopted or that Santa isn't real while you're at it, you black hole from which no fun can escape?

I hope Yokozuna sits on your face. After he pins Hulk Hogan and kicks his crippled ass to WCW for 9 years.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I came in here thinking 'Hogan, obviously', as I imagine many did.

I did not expect to be swayed, but by IC and others who have laid down sufficiently good arguments, I can see a path where Yoko wins.

For the sake of making the tournament interesting, and for the fact that it's actually viable, I'm voting Yokozuna. I salute you Zuna-ites.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

This is in Japan, where Yokozuna should be the overwhelming fan favorite against the invading 'Real American'. So basically, potential memories of Rikidōzan defeating the Yanks...

Just one problem, when positioned as a good guy - Yoko stunk and up against a guy who regenerated his career by embracing his dark side, that would make me think that 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan would sneak past the behemoth.

 

[L@RISANO]

Yokozuna is a proud Samoan family member, Roman Reigns is also a proud Samoan family member.

Yoko gets my vote here over the Hulkster because its all about family!

 

[Bernkastel]

Such a smark response. If not for the kayfabe argument, why even run the tournament?

For the augment of objectivity. And I'm not just talking drawing power. You can use multiple categories and Hogan would be easily better than Yoko in all of them.

Or at least, why have more than just 4 people in it? Why run this every year if the penultimate argument, according to you, is "who would be booked to win? Who was the bigger draw? It's sickeningly nihilistic.

I personally use 7 categories to decide my winners IC. Not just drawing power. If chose just kayfabe to decide the winners then Ed Lewis or Lou Thesz would be the winners practically every year.

So just because Yoko beat Hogan once doesn't mean anything. Especially when Hogan beat Yoko 9 out of 10 times they met. Or at least according to Cagematch.

Yoko's one victory was a fluke. Obviously.

I cannot stand this response, because what you're saying to people is that enjoying professional wrestling for what it historically was is sill, and we should look at it from the depressing view of how someone would be booked by management.

Nope. Not at all. I'm telling people to approach matches from a logical point of view. To vote with their heads and not with their hearts. To use multiple categories instead of just 1 of 2. To me kayfabe is but one category I could use to make my decision.

And in other news, "for reasons that should not be explained!?" This is a discussion forum. THE POINT OF THE ENTIRE DAMN TOURNAMENT IS TO EXPLAIN IT!!!

Fine then...

Drawing power - Hogan wins obviously
Charisma - Hogan wins obviously
Longevity - Another Hogan point
Accolades - Point Hogan
Consistency as a main eventer throughout career - Hogan again
Overall legacy - Hogan again. Clearly.
In ring ability - Most subjective category. Hogan had more classic matches. Against multiple different opponents. Across multiple continents. Hmm... vote Hogan.

0 categories won for Yoko.

And finally kayfabe - out of the 10 odd documented times Hogan and Yoko have meet Hogan always comes out the clear winner. Even if Yoko had Hogan's number somehow, it doesn't offset the fact that Hogan is objectively better.

I hope Yokozuna sits on your face. After he pins Hulk Hogan and kicks his crippled ass to WCW for 9 years.

Right. Hogan still wins. Obviously.

 

[nightmare]

Yokozuna has what it takes to take out Hogan here. The big leg is not much of a match ender here like it is against other opponents & Yoko has proven he can handle Hulkamania running wild. I am sure many of you will vote Hogan just because, but honestly this is one of those times that Hogan being taken out is logical & should outweigh your love for red\yellow bandanas.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Isn't it fun when people have to be contrary just for the sake of it?

Are we simply voting for Hogan to lose...

or are we being honest?

Because I have yet to see a single argument here that's anything but people just simply voting for Hogan to lose.

The 'it's in Japan' so obviously Yoko has the advantage here thing

Yeah, not even close. Hogan was revered in Japan. He worked there far more than Yokozuna ever did... especially after he became Yokozuna. Honestly, after he took that gimmick, the only time he worked in Japan where it wasn't a WWF tour, was a single WAR event where he was sent by the WWF with a couple other of their guys.

Also the Japanese HATED the fact that this foreigner was billing himself as Yokozuna. They considered it to be extremely disrespectful since he wasn't a trained Sumo, let alone a champion.

There is zero home field advantage for the Samoan here. If anything, he has to deal with one of the most hostile crowds he's ever experienced

He beat Hogan in their only 'fair' match

I suppose we have to completely ignore all the behind the scenes politics around this. Like Hogan politicking his way into the title in the first place... and refusing to put Bret Hart over instead for the title (like the WWF wanted). Yoko beat him, because Hogan wouldn't let anyone but a monster beat him, and even then, it could only be done in a way that Hogan felt wouldn't make him look weak.

The truth is... is that one of the biggest parts of Hogan's act was beating guys exactly like Yokozuna. If Yoko's run happened at any other time than when it did, that is precisely what would have happened. Yoko would have been made to look like the guy Hogan couldn't beat in the build up... until they finally met in the ring and Hogan would have persevered.

Seriously, did no one here ever watch him?

 

[Bagpipes]

Seriously, did no one here ever watch him?

Yes, and that's precisely why I'm voting Yokozuna. As a kid, Hogan was the penultimate professional wrestler, the "real life superhero" that Vince McMahon talks about, Hulkamania ran wild and made you want to eat those vitamins and say those prayers.

Then you grow up. As I don't want to speak for anyone else, I'll say and then I grew up.

Before Hollywood Hogan ever existed, Hulk Hogan, through the eyes of an (almost) adult who smartened up after being a mark as most children are, Hulk Hogan became a joke.

Hogan was never a prolific in ring worker. Sure he could hit the big boot and the leg drop and play to the crowd extremely well, but his matches, from a work stand point, were very average. He didn't do anything out of the ordinary for his body type (large man doing a moonsault, small man superplexing a large man, etc), his gimmick had not really gained any significant depth beyond salute the flag, say your prayers and beat up bad guys in decades and his promos were increasingly uncomfortable and overdone reruns of things you heard him say time and time again.

I guess to summarize, as my understanding of pro wrestling developed, I became bored of Hulk Hogan. The Hollywood gimmick did reenergize him, but for me it was too late. I have zero interest in anything Hogan does in the present day, which is sad to say about arguably the biggest star the industry has ever known.

Yoko for me, maybe I should have prayed more.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I have Hulk Hogan getting far into the brackets, but ultimately I am voting Yokozuna here. Why? Because I'm tired of seeing the same thing happen annually here; people treating a subjective sport as something that should be argued objectively. It's not. There are zombies and renegade employees in this damn thing. Wrestling is borderline live action cartoons. Might as well argue Scooby Doo could beat up Mighty Mouse because Scooby Doo has earned more royalties. Fuck that. Go with Yokozuna and take down a member of the Elite Four.

Vote Yokozuna. End Hulkamania a 2nd time.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Isn't it fun when people have to be contrary just for the sake of it?

Are we simply voting for Hogan to lose...

or are we being honest?

Did you read my post?

First off, I'm not buying into the whole "Home Court Advantage" argument, but if others want to vote for Yokozuna because the match is in Japan, so be it. But I thought I had made very clear why I felt Yokozuna should win, NOT just why Hogan should lose.

1. Yokozuna was not only one of the largest Superheavyweights ever to grace the squared circle, but he was also one of the most agile. Guys like Vader, Bigelow, and DeMott may have transcended the way we think of 325+lb guys and agility with moonsaults and top rope headbutt dives and such, but Yokozuna at his best was between 505 - 550 lbs, and moved with EASE. While many SHW's (Typhoon / Tenta / Awesome Kongs / Haystacks / Monsoon / late career Andre) could only do the menacing looking power moves, Yokozuna put guys lights out with lightning quick back thrust kicks and belly to belly suplexes and stopped momentum DEAD in its tracks.

2. Yokozuna is one of only three men I recall kicking out of a babyface Hogan's leg drop - the others being Sid Justice at Wrestlemania 8 (which he had to do because Papa Shango missed his cue) and Big Van Vader (who kicked out at a count of 1!) This was before the attitude era where kicking out of finishers in big matches was more commonplace. In the meantime, I do not believe Hogan was ever hit by a Banzai drop in a match, and for the life of me I cannot recall ANYONE kicking out of that. Only reason Bret Hart beat Yoko at Mania 10 was because Yokozuna fell off the middle rope.

3. Before anyone could even THINK of defeating the 1993 Royal Rumble winner, first they needed to have a competition for someone to knock him off his feet. It took weeks - FINALLY, Hacksaw Jim Duggan did it. Crowd went APE SHIT for nothing other than a knockdown. Think about that. Yokozuna was such an imposing figure that a live crowd thought it was a massive victory just to see the man KNOCKED DOWN. Then, after Hogan failed to slam the big man, they sold out the Intrepid for a 4th of July Body Slam Challenge when Lex Luger finally managed to slam the man. A BODY SLAM. There are only 3 all-time great bodyslams - Andre slamming Big John Studd, Hogan slamming Andre, and Luger slamming Yokozuna. Luger didn't defeat or pin Yokozuna, mind you - he simply managed to pick him up and put him down.

4. Yokozuna had the tutelage of not one, but two all time great managers in Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji. Potential for outside interference aside, those were two brilliant wrestling minds who undoubtedly had Yokozuna prepared for every match, day-in, day-out. It showed in how dominant Yokozuna was in 1993-94.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Question, so the Japanese people at this arena don't know that Yoko isn't really Japanese. I can tell you Indians don't think Sabu was really from Bombay, India you know.

Anyway, Hogan wins this. Hogan in his prime beat every top monster and that was his deal. The Hulk that Yoko faced was being phased out.