30 years ago today, Hulk Hogan shocked the wrestling world when he nailed Randy Savage with leg drops and revealed himself as the mystery partner to Scott Hall and Kevin Nash at WCW Bash at the Beach. The moment itself famously marked the NWO's introduction, and as WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray points out, the heel turn of Hogan, a fan favorite of the previous 15 years."Hulk Hogan's heel turn at Bash at the Beach 30 years ago today and joining the NWO was the turn of all turns," Ray said on "Busted Open Radio." "[Larry] Zbyszko turning on Bruno [Sammartino] was a big deal, but it wasn't industry changing. It was a personal blood feud that they carried the animosity for years and years, but nobody really talked about that type of turn. What Hogan did is he proved to the world that he is the most important professional wrestler in modern history, maybe in wrestling, period. You're the biggest babyface at one time, popped a territory, and created a boom. You were the biggest heel at one time, popped the territory and created a boom. Nobody else could do that. Nobody else can say that. And that's why Hulk will always be the be all and end all."Hogan's long-time babyface run stretched across WWE, NJPW, the American Wrestling Association (AWA), and WCW. Coming out of WCW Bash at the Beach 1996, he transformed into "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, a monochromatic villain.For a number of years, Hogan's heel turn was widely regarded as the most impactful within the pro wrestling industry. In 2025, though, fans and pundits began comparing it that of John Cena, which cemented the 17-time world champion in the Guinness World Records book for the longest WWE face run before turning heel. Based on Ray's comments then and now, it's clear that he still believes Hogan's to be the most influential.If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
