--- title: "Remembering the time Hulk Hogan won the Gulf War (after it ended)" date: "2025-07-28" modified: "2025-07-28" authors: - name: "Jos Joseph" job_title: "Marine Corps Veteran, Contributor" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/joslinjoseph/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/hulk-hogan-gulf-war/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Gulf War" - "History" - "Sports" - "War History" tags: - "Entertainment" - "Gulf War" - "WWE" --- # Remembering the time Hulk Hogan won the Gulf War (after it ended) ![wrestlemania hulk hogan sgt slaughter wwe]() *Hulk Hogan meets an Iraqi sympathizing Sgt. Slaughter for the championship belt at WrestleMania VII in 1991. (WWE)* Hulk Hogan, the superstar who took professional wrestling to stratospheric heights, passed away this past week at the age of 71. While Hogan leaves a complicated legacy outside of the squared circle, there is no doubt that his impact on sports entertainment may never be matched. From the first time Hogan, a towering 6’7” (with 24-inch pythons), made his ring entrance to Rick Derringer's “Real American,” it resonated with fans all over the country. He came to symbolize the American rebound of the 1980s after decades of war, inflation, civil strife, and, though Jimmy Carter never actually used the word, malaise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lZDgGr1PO0 He would come to symbolize the All-American hero and played the part every chance he got. So when the United States found itself on the brink of another war after Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded Kuwait, the WWE (then WWF) decided to send Hulk Hogan to represent the United States – in the ring. In a story that would never even begin to fly nowadays, WWE decided to turn Sgt. Slaughter, a "face" (whose character was a tough-as-nails drill sergeant) into a "heel" – an Iraqi sympathizer who supported Saddam. Slaughter was accompanied to the ring by manager General Adnan, who was himself an Iraqi immigrant (and was actually a classmate of Hussein's). Slaughter then went on his own campaign of shock and awe, defeating opponent after opponent and eventually winning the WWF Championship. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkx1W4vvdM8 Wrestling fans, known for their deep understanding of geopolitics and world affairs, took the story in stride by threatening Slaughter with, well, [manslaughter](). For real, the guy got death threats, and WWE had to tighten up security for the guy. And of course, they also had to call for someone to stand up and defend America’s honor in the ring. Enter the Hulkster. Hogan, who was the dominant name in wrestling, had recently seen his star status challenged by fellow superstars Randy “Macho Man” Savage and the Ultimate Warrior. While still a big draw, he had not been in contention for the title and had been relegated to other events, such as the Royal Rumble. But at the 1991 Royal Rumble, which took place days after the Gulf War shifted from Desert Shield to Desert Storm, WWE saw its opportunity and took it. Slaughter shocked the world and won the belt from the Ultimate Warrior. In an interview after winning the Royal Rumble, Hogan revealed that he “saw” Slaughter and Adnan desecrate the American flag backstage and decided that he had to “fight for the right of every man,” (if they were American, of course). He then proceeded to challenge Slaughter to the mother of all wrestling matches at WrestleMania. Hogan even guaranteed that his beating Slaughter would ensure the end of the Gulf War. Of course, the Gulf War ended relatively quickly, but Hogan still had to avenge America’s honor (forget that back then it was pretty hard to change character arcs so quickly). So the match went on. WrestleMania VII was supposed to be at the massive 100,000 Los Angeles Colosseum but was moved to the smaller 16,000-seat Los Angeles Sports Arena. WWE officials said it was because of the security threats to Slaughter, but in all likelihood, it was poor ticket sales. But the smaller crowd, got their money’s worth. Marla Maples, the future second and ex-wife of now-President Donald Trump, was the guest timekeeper. Slaughter, accompanied by Adnan, entered brandishing the Iraqi flag. Hulk Hogan entered with Old Glory, to a thunderous ovation. The match went back and forth with pins, submission holds, steel chairs, manager interference, referee incompetence, and more steel chairs. Finally, Slaughter got Hogan down and proceeded to retrieve his Iraqi flag. He placed it on Hogan's body and pinned him. Of course, you know what happens next. The kick out, the hulking up, the big boot, and the pin. As "Real American" played and Hogan won the belt, he hoisted up the flag and celebrated as if he had won the actual war. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDyKMcyh7OE Slaughter would later team up with Colonel Mustafa (who was formerly "the Iron Sheik") and form the "Triangle of Terror" (which sounds so much cooler than "Axis of Evil"), but the Iraqi angle quickly fizzled out. Hogan, on the other hand, regained his spot at the apex of sports entertainment and added another memorable moment to a legendary career. ## Author Joslin Joseph is senior contributor for We Are The Mighty covering sports, entertainment, news, and history. He is a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq. After the service, he worked in the sports industry for organizations including the San Diego Padres, the Farmers Insurance Open, the University of Texas Athletics, Baylor Athletics, and Ohio State Athletics. He also helped build GovX’s sports, concert, and travel discount program for military veterans and first responders. His contributions to We Are The Mighty have included interviewing celebrities such as David Robinson, Craig Morgan, and Justin Fields. He also covered sports events and military participation in sports events such as the Super Bowl flyover. In addition to We Are The Mighty, Joslin’s writing has been published in The Hill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, San Francisco Chronicle, AOL, Yahoo News, Task & Purpose, and the Brattle Street Review. Born and raised in New Jersey, educated in Ohio, and currently living in Southern California. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()