Hulk Hogan is one of the most famous names in professional wrestling. He sold out stadiums, starred in movies, and became a household name in the 1980s and 1990s. Most fans remember his biggest moments: slamming Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, launching the New World Order, and headlining eight of the first nine WrestleManias.
But not every big moment happened in New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago.
Some of Hogan’s most unexpected, chaotic, and memorable appearances happened in Mississippi.
Mississippi has rarely hosted major wrestling events like WWE pay-per-views. But during the 1990s, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) saw potential in the state, especially in Tupelo and Biloxi. WCW used these cities to try bold, new ideas. Many of those experiments featured Hogan.
Here’s a look at Hogan’s wrestling history in Mississippi and why it still matters.
Hogan’s Known Appearances in Mississippi
| Date | Promotion | Event | City | What Happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 19, 1995 | WCW | Uncensored (PPV) | Tupelo | Beat Vader in a leather strap match |
| March 10, 1996 | WCW | Uncensored (PPV) | Tupelo | Teamed with Randy Savage in a Doomsday Cage match |
| October 20, 1997 | WCW | Monday Nitro (TV) | Biloxi | Promoted upcoming pay-per-view with Roddy Piper |
| May 23, 2002 | WWE | SmackDown (TV) | Tupelo | Gave a farewell speech after title loss |
WCW Uncensored in Tupelo
WCW didn’t treat Tupelo like a small market. In 1995 and 1996, they held back-to-back Uncensored pay-per-views there. These events were wild and unfiltered, filled with chaos and strange match types.
Uncensored 1995: Hogan vs. Vader
Hogan had just joined WCW and quickly became the top star. In this match, he faced Vader in a leather strap match. They were tied together by a strap, and Hogan had to touch all four corners of the ring to win. It was rough, wild, and filled with interference from Ric Flair. But Hogan won, showing fans he was still the hero.
Uncensored 1996: The Doomsday Cage
A year later, Hogan and Randy Savage took on eight wrestlers in a three-story cage. The match was confusing and over-the-top, with actors and strange gimmicks thrown in. It was criticized, but it was also unforgettable. And it only happened in Tupelo.
Nitro in Biloxi: The nWo Era
By 1997, Hogan had turned villain and was leading the nWo. On October 20, WCW held a live Nitro show in Biloxi. It was the last show before a major pay-per-view: Halloween Havoc.
The episode focused heavily on Hogan. He appeared in multiple segments, taunting Roddy Piper and trying to draw him into a fight. In the final moments of the show, Piper and others attacked Hogan and the nWo. Then Sting, one of WCW’s biggest stars, dropped from the rafters. The Biloxi crowd saw one of Nitro’s most memorable endings live.
The Tupelo Farewell on WWE SmackDown
In 2002, Hogan returned to WWE and won the Undisputed Championship. But he lost the title to The Undertaker just a month later. On May 23, at a SmackDown taping in Tupelo, Hogan gave a heartfelt speech. He said goodbye to the fans and hinted that his career might be over.
Why It Matters
Mississippi never got a WrestleMania, but it got something rare, major, experimental, and emotional moments involving one of wrestling’s biggest stars.
- Tupelo was the home of WCW’s wildest pay-per-views.
- Biloxi hosted a key episode of Nitro during the Monday Night War.
- Fans still remember Hogan’s quiet farewell speech—accurate or not.
The story of Hulk Hogan in Mississippi shows how wrestling connects with fans everywhere. It proves that you don’t need a big city or bright lights to witness something legendary.
Hulkamania ran wild in Mississippi—and left a mark that still matters today.
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