"My hero" - When Hulk Hogan declared former WWE Champion as the greatest of all time

Fans who grew up idolizing Hulk Hogan during the 1980s would always view him as the most influential personality in professional wrestling history. The Hulkster, though, doesn't consider himself the greatest, as he reserved that honor for his former rival.

Hulk Hogan might be a controversial figure due to his personal life, but very few wrestling superstars drew crowds for WWE like him back when he was Vince McMahon's top guy during the golden era.

Hogan became a cultural icon owing to his larger-than-life persona, but he admittedly would not have been as successful without the groundwork laid by his hero, Ric Flair.

The Nature Boy is among professional wrestling's most famous figures who also had his fair share of battles against Hulk Hogan in WWE and WCW.

While both legends played pivotal roles in the wrestling boom, during an interview with India Today in December 2020, Hogan explained why Ric Flair was rightfully the undisputed GOAT:

"The guy who is my hero, and who I think is the greatest wrestler of all time, that's Ric Flair. So I do appreciate the comment, but I have a different opinion about who is the best wrestler and the greatest of all time, I have to go with Flair. It's in his blood… He laid the groundwork. He raised the bar that no one has really been able to follow as far as work ethic."

Ric Flair on Hulk Hogan being amongst the three most famous people in professional wrestling

The past few years might not have seemed smooth sailing for Hulk Hogan, but fans and pundits can never deny his contributions to making WWE a global sensation. The audience still pops whenever Hogan's music hits, and it's a testament to his character and how appealing it continues to be to the audience.

Ric Flair spoke to WWE UK a couple of years ago and, when asked about the Hulkster, had glowing praise for the former nWo member.

Flair felt that alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan was the most recognizable wrestling star to have performed for the masses over the years.

"I think Hulk is one of two or three guys that are the most famous people to ever be around, part of, or participate in the history of WWE. The others being, in my estimation, Steve Austin and The Undertaker. The three of them, I think, stand out more than anybody I can think of."

Do you agree with Hogan calling Ric Flair the greatest of all time? Sound off in the comments section below.