Number 1: Hulk Hogan
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Bash at the Beach in 1996 started it all. Seeing Hulk Hogan plant a leg drop on his long time friend, Randy Savage, will go down as one of the most memorable and biggest events in the history of professional wrestling. Hogan turned heel that night, and it shook the world. This was a guy who was as over as a face anybody ever was. Love him or hate him, what he did for the industry has not been compared to by any other superstar. Hogan is the man who entertained fans for a decade before this happened, especially his memorable moments in WWE with Savage, Andre, and Slaughter. Hogan turning heel told everyone that “anything can happen.” What a gutsy move by WCW to try and pull this off. Hogan aligned himself with Hall and Nash, became the infamous New World Order, and that is when wrestling became ultra popular in the eyes of many age demographics. The merchandise sales did not suffer, as the NWO shirts became a household item for anyone who watched WCW. This was the biggest reason, along with Goldberg and Sting, why WCW would dominate the WWE for 82 weeks.
