Back on April 21, 2002, Hulk Hogan somehow convinced Vince McMahon to somehow convince Triple H to job the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of Backlash, just one month after "The Game" won the title(s) from Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 18.
It was at that same WrestleMania that Hogan had resurrected his career in a way no one thought possible, in a match against The Rock, in front of some 68,000 screaming Hulkamaniacs at the Skydome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In fact, it was because of this crowd that Hogan quickly ditched the latest incarnation of the nWo to turn babyface for a nostalgia run with the title.
That run would prove to be short-lived, however, as he was made to drop the belt to Undertaker on this date in WWE history (May 19) at Judgement Day 2002. Actually, the only notable thing about this particular run with the belt was he was the last man to hold the title before the company was forced to drop the famous WWF initials in favor of WWE.
The match against Undertaker was also notable, if only for the fact that it was one of the worst main event pay-per-view (PPV) matches in pro wrestling history.
Really, there's nothing good to say about this match.
It's a basic kick-punch style bout between two fossils, one of which was damn near geriatric, who looked disinterested in the entire proceedings. Undertaker delivered perhaps the most pathetic choke slam of his entire career, with Hogan completely mistiming his jump and barely getting off the ground as a result.
To make matters worse, he went into his Hulk-up routine on the ensuing pinfall attempt. The fact that 'Taker, who had gone away from "The Deadman" gimmick partially because he was tired of playing cartoon, was even willing to go along with this is a testament to his professionalism, although he hardly sold for the punches and his guaranteed victory likely made it far easier to agree to it.
The problems don't stop there. Hogan frequently stares up the ramp in anticipation of McMahon's run in, taking away from the teased finish on the leg drop. In fairness, the crowd reacts appropriately despite this. That is until they totally miss the counter DDT spot from 'Taker leading to another near fall just seconds later. Of course, Hogan's kick out was perhaps the lamest of his career.
It's at this point that McMahon finally makes his way out and this leads to a convoluted, silly finish. The particularly sad part is Undertaker using a chair on Hogan while the referee attends to McMahon after "The Hulkster" lays him out. Undertaker then dumps the chair outside and Jim Ross on commentary can be heard saying, "The Undertaker getting rid of the evidence. The smoking gun has been destroyed."
The problem with this, of course, is the referee was less than one foot away from Hogan when he got hit with the chair and what's more, he was actually knocked over by the impact of Hogan getting hit by it.
Nonetheless, Undertaker's second choke slam goes far better than the first and this one gets the pin to give "Big Evil" the title in just over 11 minutes.
Hogan would lose most of his appeal not long after this and would be out of the company in 2003, while Undertaker would lose the strap to The Rock at Vengeance in July before jumping over to the SmackDown brand where he has remained to this day.
Watch the entire match, including the promo before it and the aftermath once it ends, right here:
And now, from the desk of our CSS Senior Editor; for your viewing pleasure we have freshly dusted off our old archived posts from the CSS Archives -- ENJOY!
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19 - MAY
CSS ARCHIVES
19 May 2012
- Jim Ross says NXT has not replaced FCW as WWE developmental territory by Geno Mrosko May 19, 2012 8:33 PM CDT - 2 comments
- Austin Aries re-signs with TNA by Geno Mrosko May 19, 2012 7:06 PM CDT - 14 comments
- Rosa Mendes car accident update: WWE Diva suffers minor injuries, released from hospital by Geno Mrosko May 19, 2012 6:00 PM CDT - 7 comments
- Video: WWE Smackdown from May 18, 2012 -- The Over the Limit go home show by Geno Mrosko May 19, 2012 5:34 PM CDT - 21 comments
- WWE names top 20 entrance themes of all time by Geno Mrosko May 19, 2012 11:00 AM CDT - 74 comments
- On this date in WWE history: Hulk Hogan and Undertaker have one of the worst main event matches of all time at Judgement Day 2002 by Geno Mrosko May 19, 2012 9:00 AM CDT - 65 comments
- WWE Diva Rosa Mendes involved in car accident in Las Vegas, condition currently unknown by Geno Mrosko May 19, 2012 1:17 AM CDT - 9 comments
19 May 2011
- Chael Sonnen update: UFC fighter cannot reapply for license for a year by bix May 19, 2011 7:20 PM CDT - 4 comments
- WWE mandates that wrestlers carry insurance, but won't pay for it by bix May 19, 2011 5:49 PM CDT - 3 comments
- UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill Conference Call LiveBlog by Kevin Haggerty May 19, 2011 1:10 PM CDT - 2 comments
- Kendall Grove: "I'm going to try and destroy Tim Boestch" by Kevin Haggerty May 19, 2011 12:13 PM CDT
- Dan Henderson Wants to Fight Jon Jones ASAP by Kevin Haggerty May 19, 2011 10:14 AM CDT - 7 comments
19 May 2010
- Dixie Carter is far too nice to ever be a succesful wrestling promoter by Keith Harris May 19, 2010 7:30 PM CDT - 1 comment
- Chris Benoit's father Michael writes anti-Linda McMahon/WWE editorial for The Hartford Courant by bix May 19, 2010 11:14 AM CDT - 2 comments