One of the greatest, most popular, most hated and charismatic wrestlers of all time, Hulk Hogan is one of the men who helped parlay the circus-like world of professional wrestling from cult following into the forefront of American entertainment. What many people who know about Hogan don't know is he was in the "sport" for several years in virtual obscurity before hitting the big time. Hogan made his pro debut in 1978 and wrestled as "Sterling Golden" before becoming "Hulk." Hogan was getting main event matches while wrestling in the American Wrestling Alliance (AWA) in the early 1980s before he was cast as Thunderlips in Rocky III (1982).