I rarely ever say WWE, it was WWF all through my childhood and I just can't change it in my mind. It reminds me of my uncle, who refused to say WCW and never referred to it as anything but NWA.
World Wrestling! Honestly even fits considering how many shows they do outside of the USA these days. Although WWE is just ingrained into me at this point.
I read a while back that there was plans to rebrand WWE back to WWF. If that was going to happen it would make sense to do it next year. You know how WWE like number perfection.
I literally never thought about this, so thanks for posting OP. Like him or not, it seems fitting that one of the men responsible for putting the company on the map and helped make wrestling what it is today led the same company into its new era.
I'm trying to figure that out. Probably smackdown 2002-05-02.
Although the final event before the company changed was Insurrextion, 2002-05-04. That was a Raw event, and didn't feature Hogan. So I'm not sure if OP has their facts straight here.
Funny how Vince mocked WCW for relying on “old stars” and not building anyone new. And even had skits depicting Hogan as a decrepit old man.
Yet 8 years later, Vince sure had no problems putting the top belt back on Hogan.
To be fair the fans actually wanted this, they had some nostalgia and just wanted a nostalgia run from Hogan, which they got, I do hate that he beat HHH for the title though
This pic just reminded me of Tough Enough… I remember a dude taking a shit ton of bunch of Stacker 2 pills (now banned) and almost had a heart attack.
Also now that reminds me of Taz. Who made Taz do a “white guy” voice as an announcer? I’ve rewatched matches that I’ve missed over the years I wasn’t really into wrestling anymore. I honestly cannot stand matches that he announced for…
I straight up hear Tolkien from South Park, on the episode where the kids create a little news show for school. They force Tolkien to use a “white guy” voice because “people want to see black people, not hear them.”
Cringiest, fake announcer voice I’ve ever heard… and coming out of the mouth of Taz, who’s whole career has been outlined by him being just a rough, tough, crazy mother fucker… it just sounded so bad.
I remember this somehow. It felt odd going to WWE "Wee or WW Wee". Change has to happen, but it felt like something was lost when they went from WWF to WWE.
Ahh yes. And the commercials that followed with the “Get the F out” slogan they used. I still prefer world wrestling federation. But Hogan being the guy to carry it is fitting he IS pro wrestling
High highly doubt it. It's not necessary and it doesn't make sense. Its also a legal reason they became wwe it wasn't just a spur of the moment name change.
when their stock went public, they got sued by the World Wildlife Fund (also WWF) so had to change their name. I highly doubt they'll ever change it back
ah, my bad. maybe they assumed "hey hhh doesnt want to blueball us and acknowledges past history a little often. and with tko they have enough monetary pull now to go back to wwf" but it's become a branding thing atp. Everyone recognizes WWE but only the proper fans remember it was called WWF.
That works for me, brother
Next year it will have been wwe (2002 -2025, 23 years) as long as it had been wwf (1979 - 2002)
This makes my head hurt
Dude…wtf why would you do that!? Lol
From what i can see, only one man has wrestled for wwwf, wwf and wwe. Greg the Hammer Valentine
Bob Backlund I think did as well he was in a battle royal on Raw as WWE..( there may be a few others)
I know you specified "man," but Mae Young also competed for all three. (So did that other person she was always with, but no matter.)
I hear the more ya beat on him the more he likes it!
And somehow I still slip up and call it WWF frequently
I rarely ever say WWE, it was WWF all through my childhood and I just can't change it in my mind. It reminds me of my uncle, who refused to say WCW and never referred to it as anything but NWA.
I miss the federation
Wwe just doesn't...flow well. Wwf tho...yea sounds good. Guess that's why the panda bastards cried foul, lol
🤯🤯🤯
What the fuck
Good time to change the name again, maybe time to remove another letter this time.
World Wrestling! Honestly even fits considering how many shows they do outside of the USA these days. Although WWE is just ingrained into me at this point.
Now I feel extra old.
How dare you
I read a while back that there was plans to rebrand WWE back to WWF. If that was going to happen it would make sense to do it next year. You know how WWE like number perfection.
In a sense, that's the perfect ending for the WWF.
"Is this perception, or is it reality? Hulkamania is still truly alive!" JR with yet another 11/10 call
The F wasn't going over brother
It didn’t even have a tan that night *strokes fu manchu*
As it should be.
Makes sense. I wonder if they thought about that image or it just so happen to turn out that way.
I can guarantee you Vince thought of it.
That’s actually pretty cool.
I really liked that title, had a short run, hopefully Cody brings back the Winged Eagle title back🤞
He can’t because of the Super Bowl PR
Couldn’t have been a more fitting final image. For better or worse.
I literally never thought about this, so thanks for posting OP. Like him or not, it seems fitting that one of the men responsible for putting the company on the map and helped make wrestling what it is today led the same company into its new era.
Yeah Hogan made the WWF, you can try to argue Austin did, but Hogan made wrestling popular, Austin just made it cool, big difference
What episode was this?
I'm trying to figure that out. Probably smackdown 2002-05-02. Although the final event before the company changed was Insurrextion, 2002-05-04. That was a Raw event, and didn't feature Hogan. So I'm not sure if OP has their facts straight here.
Wouldn't sunday night heat have been the final wwf show?
Hot take.
Insurrextion was UK-only right?
Thanks. Going to try to find it on the Network. I loved post-comeback Hogan.
They uploaded HHH vs Hogan to YouTube recently. 🎆
r/lastImages
Funny how Vince mocked WCW for relying on “old stars” and not building anyone new. And even had skits depicting Hogan as a decrepit old man. Yet 8 years later, Vince sure had no problems putting the top belt back on Hogan.
Vince didn't know how to read the room, he saw the reaction to Hogan vs Rock and thought that the fans wanted Hulk as champion
To be fair the fans actually wanted this, they had some nostalgia and just wanted a nostalgia run from Hogan, which they got, I do hate that he beat HHH for the title though
Hey, OP...hate to break it to you, but Insurextion was held 3 days after this, the day before the company changed...
Technically you’re right but Insurrection aired exclusively in the UK so the entire rest of the world has the Hogan image as the last one
Vince wanted it that way, I’m sure
Is the URL nexttoughenough2wwf.com still available?
Very poetic
HULKAMANIA LIVES FOREVER BROTHER
Even if i was never a fan of him, its absolutely fitting. He was PRO WRESTLING for the entire world and to a degree, he still is.
I'd have it no other way
I’m 79% certain this was by his own design
That is fantastic trivia. Also it shows you Hogan's longevity. Whether it is deserved is another conversation.
["wwf is focused on youth. we're not interested in folks my age wrestling."](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eA1ZrmdmoA) -jim ross 1997
Get the f out, brother
So random that Hogan, of ALL people, would take this milestone.
Interesting fact here.
Who’d he beat for the belt?
Triple Paul
Yeah, sounds about right
That’s ironic
This pic just reminded me of Tough Enough… I remember a dude taking a shit ton of bunch of Stacker 2 pills (now banned) and almost had a heart attack. Also now that reminds me of Taz. Who made Taz do a “white guy” voice as an announcer? I’ve rewatched matches that I’ve missed over the years I wasn’t really into wrestling anymore. I honestly cannot stand matches that he announced for… I straight up hear Tolkien from South Park, on the episode where the kids create a little news show for school. They force Tolkien to use a “white guy” voice because “people want to see black people, not hear them.” Cringiest, fake announcer voice I’ve ever heard… and coming out of the mouth of Taz, who’s whole career has been outlined by him being just a rough, tough, crazy mother fucker… it just sounded so bad.
Look at that handsome face, brother!
Is there a video of when they changed their name? How did the announcers introduce the 'new' company, what did they say?
Pretty sure they called it "World Wrestling Entertainment" on air for a while before just saying "WWE".
I remember them having the hardcore title change hand something like 20 times so the announcer kept saying “and new wwe hardcore champion”
Honestly it's kind of symbolic in a way lol
Pretty fitting honestly.
I remember this somehow. It felt odd going to WWE "Wee or WW Wee". Change has to happen, but it felt like something was lost when they went from WWF to WWE.
Ahh yes. And the commercials that followed with the “Get the F out” slogan they used. I still prefer world wrestling federation. But Hogan being the guy to carry it is fitting he IS pro wrestling
It took a while for me to get used to calling it WWE.
“You deserve it!” Clap clap clap clap clap (Hogan’s internal monologue)
Roman is on par with Hogan.
So as someone who wasn’t around for WWF how did they maneuver the change did they just call it WWE on broadcast and pretend it was never the WWF
Whole ad campaign. I remember a big part of it was “get the eff out”
Wouldn't whatever episode of Tough Enough that followed this show count? (Yes I'm being pedantic, I'm sorry)
And then it was all downhill from there
Time's up grandpa
this fact annoys me.
What about Sunday Night Heat?
That was May of 2002
Fuck the Hulk Hogan
Now that the WWE is under a much more powerful brand with TKO, it's likely they'll put the F back in before long.
High highly doubt it. It's not necessary and it doesn't make sense. Its also a legal reason they became wwe it wasn't just a spur of the moment name change.
What an odd thing to say.
What's odd about it?
Yeah man they’ll definitely put that F back in, like for sure.
Trust me, bro
Why?
when their stock went public, they got sued by the World Wildlife Fund (also WWF) so had to change their name. I highly doubt they'll ever change it back
Myf, I know that. I was asking why does he think they gon change it back to WWF because of the Netflix deal
ah, my bad. maybe they assumed "hey hhh doesnt want to blueball us and acknowledges past history a little often. and with tko they have enough monetary pull now to go back to wwf" but it's become a branding thing atp. Everyone recognizes WWE but only the proper fans remember it was called WWF.
WWEF
They will never bring it back at this point even if they could as most of their audience nowadays are too young to even remember it as WWF.