A Look At The Career Of Who Was Considered "The Mexican Hulk Hogan"

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Odelay! Viva La Razaaaa! Many fans probably remember Konnan, aka K-Dogg, from his time in World Championship Wrestling from 1996 until the end in 2001. His time in the New World Order (and specifically, NWO Wolfpac), was quite memorable for his, "Yo yo yo, let me speak on this..." promos, and for getting, "bowdy bowdy and rowdy rowdy." However, Konnan is much more than that goofy, fun guy from WCW. He's had a legendary 30+ year career in professional wrestling, and was once known as "The Mexican Hulk Hogan." Let's dig in to the outstanding career of Konnan, one of the biggest stars in the history of Mexican wrestling.

Konnan Had A Very Brief Stint With WCW From 1990-91

Konnan met a guy named John Roberts -- who claimed to be a wrestling manager/agent -- in San Diego, and the two traveled to Tijuana to a United Wrestling Association event. Roberts took Konnan backstage and introduced him to the promoter, only for Rey Mysterio Jr. to tell him that Roberts was merely a big fan who sat in the front row for all the shows. Nonetheless, Konnan's physique and look impressed the promoter, and he debuted that night in UWA as El Centurión.

Konnan wrestled for a number of Mexican promotions during the early part of his career. While he is certainly remembered for his WCW run from 1996-2001, Konnan actually had a very brief stint with the company in 1990-91. He debuted at Starrcade 1990, teaming with his trainer and mentor Rey Mysterio Sr. for Pat O'Connor Memorial International Cup Tag Team Tournament held at the event -- winning one match but falling to eventual winners, the Steiner Brothers. Konnan wrestled one more televised match in early 1991, and would not return to the company until 1996.

Konnan Became Max Moon In WWE

Konnan wrestled in dark matches and on house shows for WWE in 1991-92 as his popularity began to rise in Mexico. He became the first-ever CMLL World Heavyweight Champion in 1991 after winning a tournament consisting of four matches at four events. Konnan made his official WWE debut on September 1, 1992, as The Comet Kid, defeating famed jobber Barry Horrowitz on Superstars. He quickly became Max Moon, a cyborg from the future. However, due to his popularity in Mexico, Konnan didn't focus on WWE, and would often miss shows in favor of Mexican shows, leading to a strained relationship with Vince McMahon. They boys in the locker room didn't care for his attitude, but Konnan's star was skyrocketing in Mexico, and he eventually departed WWE in early 1993.

Konnan Was Part Of The Dungeon Of Doom Prior To The NWO

By 1996, Konnan had established himself as one of the biggest stars in Mexican wrestling, and he made the jump back to WCW. He re-debuted on the January 22, 1996, edition of Nitro, and was billed as the "Mexican Heavyweight Champion." Konnan received a quick push, winning the United States Championship the following week. He held the title for 160 days, defending it at multiple PPV's before dropping it to Ric Flair at Bash at the Beach 1996. Shortly after, Konnan turned heel and briefly joined the goofy Dungeon of Doom before they disbanded. He was also instrumental in bringing over many of the luchadores that eventually starred in WCW's cruiserweight division.

Konnan joined the NWO on July 14, 1997, and his hip-hop gimmick began to blossom. He would feud against many of the luchadores he helped bring in, before aligning with the NWO Wolfpac after the split. He won the WCW Television Championship and held it for about a month. When the NWO re-united in January 1999, Konnan was tossed out for standing up for Rey Mysterio, and the two of them would align with Master P and his No Limit Soldiers, before forming the Filthy Animals stable.

Konnan Became Part of TNA, Lucha Underground, & MLW Later In His Career

After the end of WCW, Konnan began wrestling on the American indies before joining TNA in 2003, where he was part of the 3 Live Kru stable along with Ron Killings (R-Truth) and B.G. James (Road Dogg). Beginning in 2005, he wrestled simultaneously for TNA and AAA in Mexico. As time went on, he became more involved behind the scenes at AAA, helping write and produce the shows. In TNA, he was best known for his time with the Latin American Xchange (LAX), wrestling alongside Hernandez and Homicide, and later on managing Homicide, Santana, Ortiz, and Diamante.

Konnan was a key part of El Rey's Lucha Underground beginning in 2014. He acted as the on-screen manager for Prince Puma (Ricochet), and was responsible for bringing the likes of Pentagon Jr., Fenix, and Drago to the show. Konnan debuted in MLW in 2018 as the manager of Pentagon, Fenix, and other AAA wrestlers. He even challenged Low-Ki for the MLW World Title, but took the L. He has since restarted LAX with Slice Boogie, Danny Rivera, and Julius Smokes. He has even made a few appearances in AEW supporting his old LAX mates Santana and Ortiz. Konnan has had an outstanding career and has still found ways to remain relative in today's wrestling landscape.