rewrite this title 4 Ways WWE can pay tribute to Hulk Hogan on SmackDown this week

WWE fans received shocking news yesterday. Hulk Hogan, an absolutely legendary performer, passed away at the age of 71. Many in the industry paid tribute to the Hall of Famer on social media following the news being broken.

For younger fans who may not be aware, Hulk Hogan’s legacy is difficult to sum up in one article. He was a popular heel before the rise of Hulkamania in the AWA. Once he joined the then-WWF under Vince McMahon Jr., Hogan became one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.

Hogan helped to lead the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling era and then aided World Championship Wrestling by becoming a key figure in the New World Order. Effectively, The Hulkster was front and center for two of the biggest boom periods in wrestling.

With such a historic wrestling legacy, it is clear that World Wrestling Entertainment and Triple H will pay tribute to Hogan in some way on SmackDown. This article will look at a handful of ways the legend can be honored on the blue brand.

Below are four ways WWE can pay tribute to Hulk Hogan on SmackDown this week.

#4. WWE can offer a 10-bell salute

Pro wrestling has been around in various forms for well over a century now. WWE itself, under various names and ownerships, has been around for over 70 years. To say there is a lot of history would be an understatement.

That long and storied past obviously comes with stars passing away. All-time greats have been lost over the years, including WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino, Bray Wyatt, Terry Funk, and Owen Hart, among others. All of these stars were honored with a 10-bell salute.

A 10-bell salute features silence from commentary and those in attendance, and oftentimes talent out on stage. The ring bell is then rung 10 times in honor of the late superstar. On SmackDown, this could be done for Hulk Hogan.

#3. The company could air a special video package retrospective

WWE has incredible production. From the entrances and lighting to the way matches are shot, there is no doubt that World Wrestling Entertainment is the best at doing it on the production end of things. It has gotten even better in the Triple H era.

Arguably, the biggest strength the promotion has on the production end of things are video packages. Be it for WrestleMania or even just RAW and SmackDown, WWE’s video package game has always been extremely impressive.

On Friday Night SmackDown tonight, Hulk Hogan could be honored through a video package. Triple H or someone else in the promotion could narrate it as Hogan’s illustrious career is highlighted. From world title wins to the New World Order, there is an abundance of footage to utilize.

#2. Various superstars could wear armbands with Hogan’s initials

When Eddie Guerrero passed away in 2005, WWE fans and talent alike were devastated. Latino Heat was then paid tribute to on both RAW and SmackDown that week.

In honor of Eddie, many performers wore black armbands with “EG” on them. Some just wore the armbands for the night, but other WWE stars continued to wear them afterwards. This was later done by various stars for other fallen performers, both from the company and for some names not affiliated with WWE.

Tonight, some stars could wear a “HH” or “TB” armband to honor the Hall of Famer. This would be a less direct tribute than a video package or 10-bell salute, but it would still honor the legendary Hulkster.

#1. A performer could use the Hulk Hogan leg drop and mannerisms

Hulk Hogan was an iconic performer. Sure, he wasn’t tearing it up in the ring like an AJ Styles or a Kurt Angle, but he was extremely charismatic, and everything Hogan did caused the crowd to come unglued. In that sense, he was the model pro wrestling star.

Hogan had what became a standard comeback in WWE. He would often fire up after getting punched, wag his finger at his opponent, hit a series of punches, a big boot, then drop a leg on his fallen foe. Many of the matches ended in this manner.

As a tribute to the legend, somebody such as Drew McIntyre or Damian Priest could do the Hulk Hogan comeback. Who knows, they could even potentially defeat their opponent with the leg drop as a tribute to the legend.

Edited by Rahul Madurawe