Very few moments in wrestling have the visceral energy and grand spectacle of Hulk Hogan ripping his shirt from neck to belly button before the start of a match, his veins erupting, the crowds roaring, the music blaring. But aside from the spectacle and showmanship, the story behind that vastly important “shirt rip” is more than that: It involves an interesting combination of the performance, the planning, and social/pop culture influencers long before Hulkamania was even in full effect.

‘Shirt rip’ became a part of his persona

In a recent, and now last, very touching interview with famous wrestling journalist Bill Apter, Hogan relates the story behind the iconic shirt rip and how it became a part of his persona. It wasn’t a last-minute gimmick or a simple demonstration of strength. In fact, Hulk’s then-wife Linda was the one to make sure the rip would work perfectly every single time. She went as far as pre-cutting three or four very small slits in the back of the shirt with a small notch at the neckline. This ensured that the shirt would rip cleanly and Hulk didn’t have to worry about fumbling when performing the action.

But the roots of the gesture go even deeper. It all started in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), with promoter Vern Gagne serving as the steward of the idea. The concept was for Hogan to appear like he was exploding from his clothes, very much like the popular television version of The Incredible Hulk, played by Lou Ferrigno. At that time, Hogan was even using the moniker “The Incredible Hulk Hogan,” an homage to the character that inspired a larger-than-life image. The shirt rip was not simply performance, it was identity. It presented a visual cue that.

The tag of All American Hero

Hulkamania had arrived and things were about to get wild. Millions of kids emulated the act, not to mention parents who were horrified by their tattered t-shirts. Although Hogan would wear red and yellow instead of the red, white, and blue you would expect from an “All-American” hero, the shirt rip was bigger than color. It became a representation of power, charm, and an era when professional wrestling resembled illusions of grandeur. In this moment when fans are mourning the death of Terry Bollea, the man who portrayed the legend, they will not remember the shirt rip as a stunt but as the very heartbeat of Hulkamania.

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