Background: Still reeling from his loss to The Rock at “Wrestlemania 18”, Hulk Hogan wanted his shot at the Undisputed champ at “SummerSlam”. But after winning the 2002 King of the Ring tournament, Brock Lesnar was slated to be The Rock’s opponent. In an effort to determine the rightful number one contender, Hogan and Lesnar did battle in their first & only match.
Smackdown
August 4, 2002
Richmond, VA
Hulk Hogan vs. Brock Lesnar
Though his manager Paul Heyman wanted Brock Lesnar to go in for the kill early, Lesnar had no problems trying to stare down Hulk Hogan at the sound of the bell. The fans were going wild for “The Hulkster”, yet Lesnar wasn’t fazed in the least; especially when he was able to push the former World champion across the ring with ease off the collar & elbow tie up. Slipping behind Hogan, Lesnar stomped a mudhole into Hogan before slamming him. As Brock posed, Hogan got to his feet and started unleashing right hands with the crowd cheering louder for each connected strike including the big clothesline that sent Lesnar to the floor. Lesnar lured Hogan to the turnbuckles, tripping him to pull Hulk groin first against the steel ring post. Reentering the ring, Lesnar mixed elbow drops & stomps on the mat and shoulder rams when he let Hogan attempt to stand. Pitching Hogan to the floor, Brock wanted to put Hulk through the announcers’ table. “The Hulkster” had other things in mind, fighting back and sending “The Next Big Thing” face first against the steel ring post. Hogan mounted Lesnar in the ring, raining down punches when Lesnar muscled his opponent in position for a power bomb that give him a two count.
Hogan was hulking up and ready to make Lesnar pay. Brock took all of Hogan’s patented strikes in preparation for the Big Leg Drop when Lesnar popped off the mat and went for the F5. Hogan blocked the maneuver, only to feel the Big Boot-Leg Drop combo after Hulk knocked out Heyman … that gave him a near fall!
The fans were going wild as Hogan went for another Leg Drop. Heyman tripped Hogan, leaving him open to the F5 when Lesnar pulled Hogan around. Rather than going for the cover, Brock hoisted Hogan up for the bear hug. Hogan was fading fast & bleeding from the mouth; giving the referee no choice but to stop the match in Lesnar’s favor.
Winner: Brock Lesnar (10:05)
Is It A Classic: It was a classic spectacle as you had the icon of an entire generation being destroyed by what many believed was going to be the face of the new era. It definitely helped Brock look like a monster and gave Hogan a great sendoff (for the time being), but wasn’t necessarily a classic match bell to bell.
