Opinion

Wrestling Is A Metaphor for Life: Hulkamania vs. the Million Dollar Man

Published

7 years ago

July 29, 2018

As a young wrestling fan, I picked up some interesting knowledge I had yet to learn about in primary school; such as the names of American cities and states: As a formality before the matches, the ring announcer would introduce the wrestlers names, weight and their hometown (and country, depending on nationality). I also gained a valuable understating of music from how it was utilised in wrestling’s live atmosphere; from my own observation, music in wrestling triggered a fan’s reaction and immediately changed the mood of the crowd as soon as the sound played over the arena. During the 1980s, the WWF took advantage of this tool by giving most of their top wrestling stars customised entrance music to complement their characters. These themes provided the soundtrack to a wrestler’s story as they walked to the ring, and these songs also served as an introduction to a person that would be watching wrestling for the first time.

In addition to learning about geographical locations and music, I also learned about the different forms of good and evil on top of what was already taught to me at home and in Sunday school. Pro wrestling has often taught fans lessons about life on the basis of good vs. evil, and right and wrong; in fact, pro wrestling is crucially dependent on physical and philosophical conflict; most of these are taken from real life situations, thus inspiring the title of this article; ‘Wrestling is a Metaphor for Life’. In this piece, I will discuss wrestling’s benchmark of the hero vs. villain formula, ‘Hulkamania vs. the Million Dollar Man’.

HulkChamp

Hulk Hogan; the face of 1980s WWE, and to a greater degree, a pop culture icon. Hulk Hogan was the ultimate protagonist, the defender of all good. Although his theme music titled, ‘Real American’ should have confined Hulk’s popularity exclusively to the American audience, Hogan’s appeal instead broke barriers beyond the American market. Hulk Hogan was the leader of Hulkamania; a brand to the WWE, but in Hogan’s definition, Hulkamania was a way of life. Hogan referred to his fan base as his ‘Hulkamaniacs’, and since the start of his WWE championship reign in 1984, Hulk preached the same message of encouragement to his Hulkamaniacs “Train, say your prayers, and take your vitamins”. This message also coincided with the ‘Just Say No’ anti-drugs advertising campaign that was created by Barbra Bush the First Lady of the United States. Prior to the Million Dollar Man’s arrival to the WWE, Hulk Hogan’s reign was described as dominant; fending off challenges from worthy adversary’s. In 1987, during his third year as champion; Hogan had defeated his greatest rival, Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 3. Following that momentous event, Hogan entered a season where he took on challengers that resembled the stereotypical foreign monster. These menacing brutes often equalled or outsized Hogan’s 6’8, 303-pound physique. Such villains included Kamala the Ugandan Giant; Killer Khan, from Mongolia, and Sika the Wild Samoan. While Hogan went to war with Uganda, Mongolia and Samoa; a new villain had surfaced; the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase. MDM2 The Million Dollar Man was an American, unlike the non-western, pre-colonial savages that Hogan was battling. He did not seem threatening at first, nor did he possess the imposing stature of a giant; the Million Dollar Man didn’t have a manager to speak on his behalf (like most villains of that day). Rather, the Million Dollar Man had a regular wrestling physique, he spoke for himself, very well in fact; with a brash and arrogant tone. The fans would soon discover that the Million Dollar Man was a domestic threat – a corrupt, white-collar businessman.

MDMVirgil Joined by his bodyguard Virgil; The Million Dollar Man Dibiase showed off his wealth and power in a series of segments which were shown throughout the course of the year. These segments consisted of scenarios where the Million Dollar Man humiliated fans in disparaging acts for an exchange of money. The most memorable of these segments was the infamous ‘basketball’ angle. The Million Dollar Man brought a young African-American boy out from the crowd: Offering to give the boy $500 if he could bounce a basketball fifteen times, the young boy proceeded to bounce the ball. As the boy neared the proposed goal at the 14th bounce, the Million Dollar Man kicked the ball away from the boy’s hands! The Million Dollar Man then rubbed it in the boy’s face (who was at least 7 years old) with the malicious, condescending line “You’ve got to learn a hard, cruel fact of life: When you don’t do the job right, you don’t get paid”. As the Million Dollar Man added his signature laughter, the boy, shaken and confused from the incident walks back towards the crowd where his humiliated and teary mother awaited him. Of all the segments that helped illustrate the Million Dollar Man’s shady character; this particular episode with the young boy and his mother exposed the extent of the Million Dollar Man’s despicable demeanour.

MDM
After leaving fans weakened and traumatized from his actions, the Million Dollar Man targeted the WWE Championship belt; a possession which he desired. Realising that he could not defeat Hulk Hogan, the beholder of the WWE championship; the Million Dollar Man sought to challenge the Hulkster’s values through his multiple attempts of purchasing the WWE championship. Hogan stood his ground and outright refused to sell out. The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase was unable to successfully win the WWE title in his six years as an active wrestler with the federation: Even with the means to have the belt transferred over from Andre the Giant during the heinous 1988 ‘Evil Twin’ Referee episode, the championship was declared vacant by the WWE body. As Hogan and Dibiase would move onto rivalries with other wrestlers, they would occasionally find themselves crossing paths due to the nature of their ideological differences.

HoganDibiase

MDM I remember the Hogan/Dibiase rivalry with great fondness as the lessons aligned with what I had already known, and I believe this may have been the first time the WWE had put an emphasis on economics, politics and society into a ‘values vs greed’ story. My interest in this rivalry is focused on the segments which involve the fans; in particular two examples where a lady agrees to bark like a dog and a teenager (a young Rob Van Dam) kisses the Million Dollar Man’s feet: In contrast to the noted basketball segment which depicted the innocent young boy as one who was willing to work for his reward; the segments with the lady and teenager shows the lengths that people would go to gain a luxury item they may not necessarily need. The fans are usually depicted as the victims – never at fault; however, the segments with the lady and teenager serves as a lesson to the young fans about making the right choices and taking responsibility.

Hogan fans

The concept behind ‘Hulkamania vs. the Million Dollar Man’ reached a level of influence in the 1980’s that it wouldn’t have achieved in different eras of wrestling. It was at this period that the wrestling industry was experiencing a major growth in gaining the 80’s kids to its fan base. The ‘Hulkamania vs. Million Dollar Man’ story demonstrates that the WWE was not just entertainment, but also educating.

@Ite_Lemalu
Ite Lemalu Writings

About Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Up Next

Top 5 Matches: Week Ending 7/29/2018

Don't Miss

Tommasso Ciampa & The Plight of Today’s Pro Wrestling Heel

Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

2 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
Andrew – @IWCWarChief
Dave – @AttitudeAgg
DJ – @TheMindlessPod
DPP – @itsmeDPP
Jason – @JediFett
Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
Rey – @itsreycash
Rob – @rbonne1
Greg – @gregdemarco44
PC – @PCTunney
TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY – Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY – 4 Corners Podcast (sports)

WEDNESDAY – The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY – POD is WAR (Los Tres Friends)

FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY – Keeping the news ridiculous… The Oddity / The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE’s PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts… Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

Listen on your favorite platform!

iTunes | iHeart Radio | Google Play | Spotify
Listen, like, subscribe, and share!

About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

1 month ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1