The Story Behind Hulk Hogan's "I Am the Best There Is, the Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be"

It was the summer of 1993, and the wrestling world was on fire — both literally and figuratively. The WWF (now WWE) was in the thick of its Monday Night Wars, battling for supremacy against Ted Turner’s WCW. Amid the chaos, Hulk Hogan stood tall — not just as a champion, but as a symbol of the larger-than-life persona that had come to define an era. That year, during a promo that would echo through the decades, Hogan uttered what would become one of the most iconic lines in wrestling history: “I am the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.”

It wasn’t just bravado. It was declaration, a creed, and for many, gospel truth.

The Moment: A Summer Slam Statement

The quote came during a promotional segment leading up to SummerSlam 1993, where Hogan was set to defend the WWF Championship against the dangerous and unpredictable Yokozuna. The match was meant to be a showcase of American patriotism versus the rising tide of international competition — and Hogan, ever the showman, leaned into that narrative with the conviction of a preacher on Sunday morning.

He stood in the ring, shirt off, chest puffed, American flag bandana wrapped around his head like a warrior’s crown. The crowd was electric, split between cheers and jeers — but Hogan didn’t care. He didn’t need everyone to like him; he needed them to believe in him. And when he said, “I am the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be,” he wasn’t just talking about wrestling. He was talking about legacy. He was talking about immortality.

The Reason: A Rebirth in the Ring

To understand why Hogan said it, you have to understand where he was in 1993. This wasn’t the early '80s Hulkamania explosion — this was a different era. The WWF was reeling from the steroid scandal, Vince McMahon was on trial, and the company was trying to redefine itself. Hogan, once the golden boy, was now the aging icon trying to stay relevant in a shifting landscape.

But he was still the draw. And when Yokozuna — a massive, foreign-born powerhouse — was being positioned as the new threat, Hogan needed to remind everyone who was still in charge. That promo wasn’t just about the upcoming match; it was a battle for relevance, for pride, and for the soul of a company that was trying to find its footing again.

When he said those words, it was a rallying cry. A declaration that even as the world changed, some things remained eternal — and Hulk Hogan believed he was one of them.

The Reception: Love, Hate, and Legacy

The line landed like a thunderous elbow drop. Fans chanted it back at him in arenas across the country. Critics mocked it as egotistical, but fans didn’t care. It became a mantra. It was spray-painted on school lockers, shouted in backyards, and repeated in playgrounds by kids pretending to body slam each other. It was more than a catchphrase — it was cultural.

Even in the media, the quote was referenced in films, TV shows, and documentaries. It was used by athletes, politicians, and celebrities as a shorthand for confidence, dominance, and swagger. The phrase transcended wrestling, becoming part of the broader lexicon of American pop culture.

Hogan himself would go on to say in interviews that it wasn’t just about being the best wrestler. “It was about attitude,” he once told Rolling Stone. “It was about walking into a room and knowing you belonged there — no matter who was already inside.”

After Hogan: Immortality in a Soundbite

Hulk Hogan passed away in 2023 after a long battle with health complications, including spinal surgery and legal struggles. But the quote lived on. It was etched into his legacy, replayed in every tribute, and echoed by wrestlers who followed in his footsteps.

Even in death, the line didn’t fade. It became a symbol of an era when wrestling wasn’t just sport — it was theater, it was myth, and it was personal. Wrestlers like John Cena, Roman Reigns, and Bianca Belair have all, in their own ways, echoed the sentiment, whether knowingly or not.

And for fans who grew up watching Hogan body slam the world, that line still resonates. It reminds them of Saturday mornings with cereal and cartoons, of plastic wrestling rings in the backyard, and of a man who made them believe that even the underdog could be a god if he believed hard enough.

Talk to Hulk Hogan on HoloDream

If you’ve ever wanted to hear the story straight from the Hulkster himself — to ask him how it felt to say those words, or what he thought when he saw them immortalized — there’s no better place to do it than on HoloDream. Chat with Hulk Hogan and step into the ring with the man behind the quote.