In his big 1984 to 1993 run with WWE, Hulk Hogan established himself as a pro wrestling icon thanks to over a dozen World Title reigns — including one lasting four years — his classic storylines and matches with Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, and the Ultimate Warrior, and a killer theme song. But before Hulkamania ran wild in WWE, it was pretty much established in a different promotion: the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association.

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During his 1981 to 1983 run with the AWA, Hulk Hogan proved to be a top star in the company, becoming a wildly popular main eventer. Because it happened outside of WWE, fans might not know much about this pivotal time in the Hulkster’s career, so let’s go over it.

10 Followed An Early WWE Run

Starting his career in the Southern territories, the future Hulk Hogan made a name for himself in Memphis, Tennessee under the ring name Terry “The Hulk” Boulder. This led to his initial run with WWE, which lasted from 1979 to 1981. There, he was a heel managed by Classy Freddie Blassie and first performed as Hulk Hogan. While he had a few years before he became the Hulk Hogan fans recognize, he did have a pretty major match, taking on Andre the Giant in New York City’s Shea Stadium for the event Showdown at Shea.

9 Started Off As A Heel

Hulk Hogan wrestled his last WWE match in April 1981, and arrived at the American Wrestling Association four months later. Once again, Hogan performed as a heel in the company, and promos painted Hogan as an outsider coming into the Minneapolis-based promotion, wearing a vest with NEW YORK CITY emblazoned on the back. However, it wasn’t long before Hogan turned babyface when he saved Brad Rheingans from a beatdown at the hands of Jerry Blackwell, subsequently feuding with Blackwell in the process.

8 Bolstered By Hogan’s Role In Rocky III

Reportedly, the reason for Hulk Hogan’s initial WWE departure was his role in the film Rocky III, in which he played a pro wrestler named Thunderlips who took on Sylvester Stallone’s titular boxer in a charity event. WWE boss Vince McMahon Sr. disapproved of one of his wrestlers working in Hollywood, so Hogan took his business to the AWA instead.

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Rocky III dropped in May of 1982, and its success was undeniably a boon to Hogan as well as his new employer. Despite AWA boss Verne Gagne’s reservations about Hogan’s championship credibility (see below), the promotion certainly capitalized on the Hulkster’s pop culture relevance, with Hogan even coming out to the film’s theme song, “Eye of the Tiger.”

7 Originally Managed by Johnny Valiant

Over the course of his career, Hulk Hogan had notable managers in Jimmy Hart and the aforementioned Classy Freddie Blassie, but he also had a bit of a forgotten representative in AWA. Upon arriving, he had as his manager “Luscious” Johnny Valiant, who in kayfabe took credit for bringing Hogan into the AWA. The idea made sense, as Johnny Valiant was previously a two-time Tag Team Champion in WWE: once with the legendary Jimmy Valiant and once with another kayfabe brother, Jerry Valiant.

6 Feuded With Bobby Heenan

Fans of 1980s WWE — particularly as Hulkamania ran wild on the promotion — certainly remember that Hulk Hogan had a rivalry with manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. In WWE, Heenan not only led several clients to take on Hogan in the ring like Andre the Giant, King Kong Bundy, and Paul Orndorff, but also regularly trashed the Hulkster while doing color commentary. That rivalry actually began in the AWA, as Heenan had his own stable of wrestlers in the Heenan Family — Nick Bockwinkel, Ken Patera, and Bobby Duncum — to oppose Hulk Hogan.

5 Teamed With Andre The Giant

The aforementioned Andre the Giant proved to be one of Hulk Hogan’s biggest rivals — literally and figuratively — as the former friends famously clashed in the main event of WrestleMania 3. Portrayed as friends turned enemies in 1987, the two were actually buds earlier in the decade in AWA. In the fall of 1982, Hogan challenged the entire Heenan Family to a match, and enlisted Andre the Giant to join him in tag team bouts against the group, including several two-on-four handicap matches.

4 Hulk Hogan Almost Won The Title From Nick Bockwinkel

One of the American Wrestling Association’s top champions was Nick Bockwinkel, one of the great heels of his era who ended up holding the AWA World Heavyweight Title four times during the course of his career. While Hulk Hogan’s first challenge for Bockwinkel’s belt in April 1982 didn’t work out, one year later the stage appeared to be set for the massively popular Hogan to finally reach the pinnacle.

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On 4/24/1983, fans were clamoring for a Hulk Hogan victory, but the title eluded Hogan yet again. After scoring a pinfall victory over the champ, the decision was reversed into a disqualification due to Hogan throwing Bockwinkel over the top rope.

3 Verne Gagne Didn’t Want Hogan To Hold The World Title

The decision to not put the title on Hulk Hogan was certainly a baffling one, and it all came down to AWA founder Verne Gagne himself. A 10-time World Champion with legitimate wrestling skills, Gagne believed the belt should be held by capable technicians and not powerhouse showmen like Hogan, regardless of how the crowds were reacting. For many fans looking back, it was a crucial blunder, as it made the AWA seem out of touch compared to the ever-expanding WWE.

2 Hogan Never Challenged For The AWA Belt Again

Hulk Hogan’s unsuccessful title shot against Nick Bockwinkel would be his last in the company, but not by any means his final match. Rather, Hogan stuck around for about seven more months, but never challenged for any belts during this time. In addition to bouts with Mr. Saito and Jerry Blackwell, Hogan developed a rivalry with “Dr. D” David Schultz, who would later follow Hogan to WWE and gain some notoriety for slapping journalist John Stossel in the name of keeping kayfabe.

1 Reportedly Quit AWA With A Letter

If Verne Gagne’s booking decisions weren’t bad enough, he also had a financial dispute going on with Hulk Hogan over royalties from lucrative merchandise sales and bookings in Japan. By late 1983, Hogan ended up getting a much better offer from WWE, resulting in his departure from AWA. According to Verne Gagne’s son Greg, Hogan reportedly quit the company by writing the elder Gagne a letter. However, Verne Gagne assumed it was a prank being played on him by another promoter, and ignored it, only to find out the truth once Hogan wasn’t showing up for AWA events.