>>18037016Hogan putting over Brock on a random show actually did more than if it had been a PPV. Nobody expected Hogan to job on a random Smackdown but if they had built up a PPV it would have been at least a 50/50 on who was going over.
Brock winning the the bear hug sold it even more too. Kids at school were legit buzzing about that because nobody ever wins with a bear hug so people started saying Brock was legit out of control and going into business for himself. Hogan's entire run had been pretty much feel good nostalgia up to that point so it was a major whiplash to see him beaten to a bloody pulp and getting the life squeezed out of him. There was a definite vibe that Brock had gone too far and was taking liberties with an old man who was just there to have a good time with the fans.
t. saw it happen on TV and talked about it in the lunch room