Brad ‘Lodi’ Cain reflects on Hulk Hogan’s impact on wrestling

MATTHEWS, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — There’s a unique way professional wrestlers on TV attack the ring. The intensity is different than amateur wrestling, but the power can still be felt.

And Terry Gene Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, was one of the best to ever do it.

“As a kid growing up, every wrestling fan, every kid idolized and looked up to Hulk Hogan,” said former WCW wrestler Bradley “Lodi” Cain. 

The 71-year-old athlete and entertainer died at his Florida home Thursday morning from cardiac arrest, officials confirm.

Hogan is one of the reasons Cain became part of World Championship Wrestling and a member of Raven’s flock.

“71 was very early, I think, in Hulk Hogan’s life today. But I’ve lost so many other guys that 35 and 36 and 37 that I wasn’t expecting him to die today. But I’m happy knowing where he is,” Cain said. 

Cain worked with Hogan briefly during his career. He says the Hulkster was larger than life and his presence could always be felt in a room.

“The things he did in the ring and outside the ring, from an entertainment standpoint, it’s hard pressed. The only guy that’s come close to it’s probably The Rock. But outside of that, there’s Hogan, and then everybody else is a step down. And he was the first to take it to the level he did,” Cain said. 

Now, he runs a training academy in Matthews, passing on his knowledge gained by working with the TV wrestling greats.

“For me not to take that knowledge passed on to me from guys like Diamond Dallas Page and Dusty Rhodes and Raven and those guys, Nikita Koloff and Arn Anderson and Ric Flair. And not to be able to pass that on to kids that are out there today, that are growing up and don’t necessarily know that kind of history.. I’m blessed,” Cain said.