Pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan died Thursday of an apparent heart attack at his home in Clearwater, Florida. He was 71.
Previous Coverage: Hulk Hogan, iconic professional wrestler, dead at age 71
As fans around the world mourn the loss of one of wrestling's biggest stars, a West Bend man is reflecting on his own personal experiences with the wrestling legend.
Chris Multerer, who wrestled professionally under the name Chris Curtis, faced off against Hogan several times in the ring during the early 1980s, just as Hogan's career was beginning to take off.
Previous Coverage: Local wrestler paid to lose professional wrestling matches as a 'Job Man'
"He was probably the most well known, put over the top wrestler in the history of the business," Multerer said. "You know once, once Vince McMahon got a hold of him and really pushed him. The people loved him, because he had such a great personality."
For Multerer, being in the ring with Hogan was a career highlight, even though his role was to make the star look good.
"We got paid to take a fall for the stars, make them look good, put over their strengths, and that's how they drew money," Multerer said.
Many wrestling fans may not realize the trust that develops between performers in the ring while trying to tell a story.
Watch: Wrestler reminisces on facing late legend Hulk Hogan in the '80s
"When he went to hit you, he would put his his hand on your head, and he would hit his own hand, and he barely grazed it, and then just sold for him and took a big bump. I mean, that's how light he was," said Multerer.
He expanded on what it was like to work with someone of Hogan's caliber.
"When he gave you part of the match, he trusted you to make sure that you didn't do anything to him, hurt him, or do something that would, you know, reckless, that would ruin the match," Multerer said.
Despite never winning against Hogan, Multerer treasures those experiences both in and out of the ring.
"It kind of put a feather in my cap as a wrestler," Multerer said. "It was a joy to be in the ring with him, because he, he respected you, he took care of you. I mean, he was a big, big man."
Multerer documented his career, including his matches against wrestling's biggest names like Hogan, Brutus Beefcake, and many more in his book "Job Man." The book details how wrestlers like Multerer helped make the sport's brightest stars shine even brighter.
While Multerer's career included some unusual matches – including wrestling against a bear named Victor at the Milwaukee Sports Show – his encounters with Hogan remain among his most cherished memories.
Upon hearing of Hogan's passing, Multerer offered a simple tribute: "Rest in peace, big guy."
Learn more about the book Chris wrote here: https://www.amazon.com/Job-Man-Life-Professional-Wrestling-ebook/dp/B07Y41BWNK
This story was reported by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
