10 WWE superstars who benefitted from controversy

#4 Hulk Hogan

Hogan has developed a legendary reputation for backstage politicking that has made him highly controversial

Hulk Hogan has caused a lot of controversy over his decades-long career. He was the centrepiece of WWE’s initial golden era when they transcended into the mainstream for the first time. During the 1980s, Hogan was everywhere: doing commercials, acting in films, making appearances all over the world, and wrestled in the highest-profile matches.

But things weren’t always so rosy for Hogan. He has long been reviled as a masterful backstage politician who changed things to benefit him. He also exercised immense creative control to ensure that he made his way to the top in virtually all rivalries and storylines. Why else do you think WrestleMania IX ended with Hogan winning the WWE Championship without actually being in the match?

Hogan also courted controversy in other promotions as well. His decision to join the NWO and turning heel for the first time in nine years caused fans in attendance to actually throw garbage at him when he did this.

But while doing so, he brought WCW considerable fan interest, which enabled them to out-do WWE in the Monday Night Wars for over a year. He did the same thing in TNA by trying to change things in his vision in 2010 and onwards, but it did far more harm than good.