WWE has a long history of incorporating patriotism into their storylines.
For example, Sgt. Slaughter’s iconic rivalry against The Iron Sheik had this very theme at its core. Their Boot Camp match remains one of the most brutal yet awesome displays of storytelling in the history of this business.
It’s true that many superstars have employed the red, white and blue gimmick in this industry, but only a few have been truly been able to evoke the patriotic spirit. These are the five most patriotic stars in WWE history.
“The All-American” Lex Luger
Lex Luger was pushed to the moon following Hulk Hogan’s departure from WWE in 1993. The former Narcissist became the fan favorite against the then-world champion Yokozuna. Luger would bodyslam the superheavyweight at the USS Intrepid on July 4 after multiple superstars failed tried and failed.
Despite the impressive feat, Luger couldn’t solidify his run as “The All-American” because of his controversial win over Yokozuna at SummerSlam 1993. He did captain “All-Americans” against Yokozuna’s “Foreign Fanatics” at Survivor Series later that year. Luger, Undertaker and The Steiners would go on to beat Yokozuna, Crush, Ludvig Borga, and Quebecer Jacques.
The Undertaker reinvented himself during WWE’s hottest period
The Undertaker will forever be one of WWE’s greatest gimmicks. Taker would reinvent himself multiple times during the Attitude Era. He’d debut his “American Badass” character during the closing moments of Judgment Day 2000. American Badass Taker would be a major fixture on WWE television till Survivor Series 2003, when his “little brother” Kane helped Vince McMahon defeat him in their infamous Buried Alive match.
While Taker admittedly enjoyed playing the ass kicking American Badass, he believes the gimmick would’ve struggled to survive in the long run. “With something like the American Badass, there’s not a whole lot of places to evolve to. I’m a big badass biker who gets in fights and talks sh*t. There’s just not a lot of places to go with that,” Taker said on his Six Feet Under podcast in November 2023.
“The Olympic Hero” Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle‘s Olympic Gold Medal win in 1996 is one of the most talked-about accolades in the history of sports entertainment. A 28-year-old Kurt defeated Iran’s Abbas Jadidi with a “broken freakin’ neck.” Angle’s legit wrestling credentials came in handy following his move to pro wrestling in the late nineties.
WWE gave Angle The Patriot’s theme song to go with his wrestling presentation. “Medal” would soon become synonymous with “The Olympic Hero,” who went on to have a Hall of Fame career in both amateur and professional wrestling. Whether you’re a fan of Kurt Angle or not, this list of his greatest WrestleMania matches is worth checking out.
Hacksaw Jim Duggan
U-S-A! U-S-A!
Being a proud patriot was literally Duggan’s gimmick. “Hacksaw” proudly carried a 2×4 and an American flag to the ring throughout his decorated career. He won fans over with his “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chants throughout arenas across the globe.
Duggan was one of the biggest stars in the 1980s, winning the King Of The Ring title from Randy Savage in 1989. (The crown was defended like a title several times before KOTR became a regular pay-per-view event in 1993.)
One of Duggan’s most iconic looks was actually a one-time deal. He teamed with Demolition at SummerSlam 1989 and painted his face with the stars and stripes of Old Glory. It was fondly remembered enough that it was immortalized in action figure form in 2016.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan defined the eighties pro wrestling scene. His theme song “I’m a real American” personified the American Dream. Every pro wrestling fan who grew up on that era had the lyrics memorized. From his battles with Iron Sheik to his feud with Nikolai Volkoff, Hogan was constantly fighting foreign heels while telling kids to say prayers and eat vitamins.
Hogan’s charisma made this patriotic fervor work like charm over millions of his fans around the world. The Hulkster stayed at the top of the industry for a lengthy period of time before jumping ship to WCW in mid-1993. There, he tried to push through “The Real American” before turning his back on the fans at WCW Bash at the Beach 1996.
Also read: Hulk Hogan Teases Running For President: I Know Right From Wrong, Brother
