Hulk Hogan Interview

[Lil' Bitch 0]

By SIMON 'LILSBOY' ROTHSTEIN

HE'S the greatest wrestler who ever lived.

 

And Hulk Hogan is preparing to return to the squared circle for at least one more run.

 

In a world exclusive interview with SunSport Online The Hulkster - who is currently starring in his own MTV reality show Hogan Knows Best every Sunday at 9.30pm - revealed that he and WWE boss Vince McMahon are already planning his next comeback.

 

Hogan told us: "I really do miss wrestling.

 

"I'm 52-years-old, but I'm in pretty darn good shape and have been training hard.

 

"I spoke to Vince in New York on Sunday and he's asked me to come back. He wants to make me the Babe Ruth or Muhammad Ali of wrestling.

 

"Next April WrestleMania is back in Detroit, Michigan. Twenty years ago in the same city, at the same event, I bodyslammed Andre The Giant.

 

"Vince was saying to me: 'Oh my gosh, you have to be in the main event 20 years later.'

 

"We'll probably end up doing business."

 

That business may or may not include Stone Cold Steve Austin.

 

Alongside Hogan, Austin can lay claim to being the biggest superstar in wrestling history.

 

And putting the pair of them against each other for the first time would provide the dream match to end all dream matches - especially if it takes place at WrestleMania 23.

 

Hogan wanted the bout to happen at this year's event in Chicago, and told us he even took his wrestling gear to the Hall Of Fame ceremony the night before just in case.

 

The Hulkster said: "I've thrown the challenge out there and now it's up to Stone Cold if he wants to do the match.

 

"I really don't know why it hasn't happened already. I thought maybe Vince and Steve had fallen out, but I've since found out that they've done some sort of deal to keep Austin as part of the company.

 

"So if he's part of the WWE, I've got no idea why Steve wouldn't want to have a match at WrestleMania.

 

"I don't know if he has a problem with me personally.

 

"When we were in WCW, and he was Stunning Steve Austin, he talked to me a couple of times about different ideas he had to work with me.

 

"The ideas were OK, they weren't home runs but they were pretty good.

 

"Then when I came back to the WWE with the nWo, he was pretty much in charge there and we had a few storylines together. There were no problems at all.

 

"There aren't any 'dream matches' for me, because I've done so much I'm not on that level of 'oh my gosh, I'd love to work with him'.

 

"It's more that I want to do good business, help the sport and give the fans what they want. And working with Steve would do all three."

 

The Hulkster admits that one problem in any potential Hogan v Austin match would be how it would finish.

 

Wrestling results may be predetermined, but who wins is as important to a grappler as any star of a 'real' sport.

 

 

LEFT LYING ... HBK's promo made Hogan fume

 

When Hulk pinned Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam, Michaels went on Raw the next night and did an interview implying Hogan, the match and the business were a joke.

 

"That was all about his ego," Hulk blasted. "Shawn Michaels is a born-again Christian, but inside he's the same old Shawn Michaels. He hasn't changed a bit.

 

"At that point we were talking about doing more matches, but when I heard his promo I wasn't interested in working with him again.

 

"If Vince McMahon had told me to lose to Shawn Michaels it would have been no big deal, it's nothing personal just business.

 

"But I don't think he ever got in trouble for what he said, because backstage they think all that stuff is cute.

 

"I don't know how to explain it, but there was this attitude that came along with some of the guys in the late 1990s.

 

"They'd take the heat away from the matches and make opponents out to be ridiculous.

 

"You can only act like that if you don't care about the business."

 

Even though the Hulkster has no time for Shawn Michaels any more, he certainly isn't close to Shawn's arch-enemy Bret Hart.

 

HART ATTACK ... Hulkster blasts Bret

 

Hart refused to shake Hogan's hand at this year's Hall Of Fame and still holds a grudge about Hulk preferring to drop the WWE title to Yokozuna instead of him back in 1993.

 

"Bret Hart had a case of the ass at the Hall Of Fame," Hogan revealed. "He was mad at me and Ric Flair and a bunch of other people because we told the truth on the (never released) Screwed DVD about him.

 

"Bret says the business is a work but he really thinks it's a shoot. He really believes he's the greatest wrestler ever. Of course he's not, Kurt Angle or a lot of guys could beat him if it was a real wrestling match.

 

"My view on the 1997 Survivor Series - that match where Bret screwed Bret in Montreal - is that Vince needed to get the belt off him, because he wasn't drawing any money, and Bret acted totally unprofessionally.

 

"So I gave that opinion on the DVD. I said when Vince McMahon asked him to lose the belt, then he should have lost it.

 

"Because wrestling is not real, it's entertainment."

 

As for the title he never lost to Bret, Hogan commented: "There were several miscommunications that happened over that.

 

"Basically I was leaving and had some problems about putting the belt on the right person, because if you put the belt on the wrong person when you come back it's hard to get the business going again.

 

"If Vince had told me to drop the belt to Bret I would have done it, but since he asked me I said: 'I need to drop to Yokozuna, he's red hot right now. He can carry it.'

 

"But it's just an ongoing saga with these guys. I have to focus on what's good for me and my family. I can't worry about these personal b*****s with everybody. It's not what business is about.

 

"If Vince McMahon told me to lose the belt tomorrow to you, then I'd do it with class and charisma."

 

During his time in the wrestling business Hogan has fought almost everyone from King Kong Bundy to The Rock.

 

He rates Austin, Macho Man Randy Savage, Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff, Mr Perfect Curt Hennig, Andre The Giant and One Man Gang as the best of all time.

 

And canvassing opinion before this interview there were three very different opponents everyone we spoke to wanted to know about - Randy, Andre and The Ultimate Warrior.

 

Hogan was happy to oblige, telling us: "Andre was always fun to work with. For the first seven or eight years he didn't like me and would shoot style beat me up all the time - I'd get sick just thinking about wrestling him. Then we became friends later on in my career.

 

"Macho Man was awesome at what he did and someone who I could always draw a lot of money with.

 

"Whenever I was taking time off to do movies or have surgery he was a good person to keep the belt on and I didn't have a problem with Macho Man being the champion even when I was there.

 

"Sadly in his later years, Randy got wacky and crazy and bipolar.

 

"He accused me of everything - when his wife left him, when he got divorced and when he lost his job, he blamed me for it all. But he never said anything about me getting him a job with WCW or that is was for a couple of million dollars more than they were offering.

 

 

FAMILY MAN ... Hulk at home with wife Linda and kids Brooke and Nick

 

"Ultimate Warrior had a hell of a gimmick, but wrestling is about so much more than that. You have to be consistent, work main events every night and have matches that people really believe in and want to see.

 

"Warrior wasn't one of those guys that had the wrestling business in his blood, he didn't love wrestling like Randy Savage and Bret Hart did.

 

"I knew as soon as he made a little money he would get lazy or disappear - and that's basically what happened.

 

"We had a great match at WrestleMania 6, but I remember five minutes in he was breathing very heavily and he wanted to go home - he wanted to end the match.

 

"I said: 'We're not going home until you Gorilla Press me over your head and I kick out of your finish. We'll give the people a huge reaction then you can kick out of my Leg Drop then we'll go home.'

 

"I had to hold him down in a rear chinlock until he calmed down and stopped freaking out!"

 

Warrior was the first man to beat Hogan cleanly by pinfall for around eight years - but like much of Hulk's career it wasn't without controversy.

 

Hogan admits that after Warrior defeated him, he purposely hogged the limelight by handing over the title and therefore set the new champion up to fail.

 

He told us: "Hulkamania was so powerful at the time, but Vince had fallen in love with The Ultimate Warrior gimmick.

 

"Vince wanted another force in the WWF as strong as Hulkamania, as that would give him control, a bigger business and protection in case I got hurt.

 

"I'm loyal to a fault - even though I've been to hell and back with Vince McMahon, I would never to do anything to hurt him.

 

"But it's also survival of the fittest out there.

 

"I knew he picked the wrong guy and at the end of the match I had to take care of myself, and one of the ways I did that was stealing the spotlight from The Ultimate Warrior.

 

"I showed that a real champion was more gracious in defeat than victory so that in the end nobody cared about the belt.

 

"All they cared about was Hulk Hogan."

 

And almost 30 years since he first stepped foot inside a wrestling ring, people do still care deeply about the star.

 

It's the same feeling of love Hogan has for all his Hulkamaniacs.

 

"I love to give the fans what they want," he told us. "They're what I miss most when I'm not wrestling.

 

"That time in the ring is like being in heaven for me."

 

Credit: The Sun

 

I'm glad to know HBK won't ever get one job back at least.

[Guest Princess Leena]

"Vince was saying to me: 'Oh my gosh, you have to be in the main event 20 years later.'

 

Oh, goody.

[Annabelle 0]

hilarious.

 

he slams hart for not dropping the belt to michaels. then on the next questions admits to refusing to drop the belt to bret. whatta guy, that hogan. of course everything with him is a work, but still.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

But Hogan was pretty consistent with his reasons - Bret should have dropped the belt because Bret wasn't a draw, he didn't want to drop the belt to Bret because Bret wasn't a draw.

 

Hogan is all about the money. Sure he's a liar, but I can't think of another wrestler -if I were to be a wrestler- I'd rather learn from. Can you imagine a Hulk Hogan seminar? Day 1, Hour 1: Headlocks, wristlocks, bodyslams, and legdrops. Day 1, Hour 2: How to get the most money possible.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I'm not going through the whole thing...

 

But this is Gold:

 

"When we were in WCW, and he was Stunning Steve Austin, he talked to me a couple of times about different ideas he had to work with me. The ideas were OK, they weren't home runs but they were pretty good."

 

Not good enough to elevate him instead of...you know...Kevin Sullivan and his Dungeon of Doom...

 

But...Ok.

 

I mean...seriously it's not like there were any good ideas with Hogan in that company pre-NWO.

 

He main evented Starrcade with BRUTUS BEEFCAKE.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

If Steve Austin grabbed him a sammach or two, maybe cleaned his house a few times, maybe be would have gone somewhere.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

What is with people all of a sudden that they can't spell sandwich?

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Sandmach?

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Sammich.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Newt Gingrich.

[The Tino Standard 0]

I can't believe he outright admitted to trying to show the Warrior up after their WM 6 match in order to protect his own best interests. Talk about breaking the fourth wall.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Especially considering that whole WMVI postmatch hooplah looked to be planned to a tee. Even Warrior shooed away the WWF Title belt when Hebner tried to give it to him immediately after the match. Then, as Hogan gets on the cart, it magically raises 15 feet as if he's resurrecting to the heavens.

[Maztinho 0]

I always thought that was a killer move, former champ handing the new guy the belt. I loved that moment as a kid. Looking back I can see how that takes away the spotlight, but still it's a great visual.

[Maztinho 0]

My first double post. Here's a picture of a guy dressed like the Warrior.

 

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Not a bad read.

[Hawk 34 0]

But Hogan was pretty consistent with his reasons - Bret should have dropped the belt because Bret wasn't a draw, he didn't want to drop the belt to Bret because Bret wasn't a draw.

 

Hogan is all about the money. Sure he's a liar, but I can't think of another wrestler -if I were to be a wrestler- I'd rather learn from. Can you imagine a Hulk Hogan seminar? Day 1, Hour 1: Headlocks, wristlocks, bodyslams, and legdrops. Day 1, Hour 2: How to get the most money possible.

 

I understand where you are coming from but If I would to attend a seminar from a wrestler? Foley. Hands down. Only 3 guys ever had real pull with Vince. Hogan, Hunter and Foley. I don't include Shawn because Hogan trumped him, so he isn't worth mentioning now.

 

So Foley is just as capable at teaching a seminar for making the most money out of using the business to have a credible life after it.

 

Hogan might be a rich dude but he's a joke to general public, Foley is a slightly less rich but more reputable name in general public.

 

Foley would teach part 2 just as well but in addition, he'd teach you how to tell and sell a story.

 

Just like Hogan, Foley has always been a master at playing to the crowd despite serious limitations or need for effort.

 

The best "seminar" I've seen have been the Secrets of the Ring series with Raven. Really great stuff as he breaks down every detail of storytelling from the story itself, the execution and pacing of a match, story and how it all comes together. Spent 3 hours on how NOT to be a babyface.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Summerslam 2005 Buyrate.

[benn 0]

"If Vince McMahon told me to lose the belt tomorrow to you, then I'd do it with class and charisma."

 

"I knew he picked the wrong guy and at the end of the match I had to take care of myself, and one of the ways I did that was stealing the spotlight from The Ultimate Warrior."

 

I'm one of the last guys that would ever jump on the Warrior bandwagon but that is pretty fucking hypocritical.

[Guest Human Highlight Reel]

Christ, Hogan's such a dick. Actually seems proud of the fact that he made no-one care about the belt.

"I knew he picked the wrong guy"

In Hogan's mind, the wrong guy is anyone but him.

[jester 0]

"I knew as soon as he made a little money he would get lazy or disappear - and that's basically what happened."

 

Pot to kettle. Pot to kettle. Come in, kettle. You're black. Over.

[CanadianChris 0]

All good points, but no one has gotten to the most ridiculous statement Hogan made:

 

He rates Austin, Macho Man Randy Savage, Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff, Mr Perfect Curt Hennig, Andre The Giant and One Man Gang as the best of all time.

[Black Lushus 0]

come on, how can you hate Hogan after dropping THIS line?

 

"Bret Hart had a case of the ass at the Hall Of Fame,"

[Maztinho 0]

All good points, but no one has gotten to the most ridiculous statement Hogan made:

 

He rates Austin, Macho Man Randy Savage, Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff, Mr Perfect Curt Hennig, Andre The Giant and One Man Gang as the best of all time.

 

Gang wasn't bad. I mean you have a 400 pounder dropping the 747 _off_the_top_ plus we don't know if Gang was giving out handjobs or gummi bears backstage. He might be the nicest guy in the locker room, and that is where Hogan comes up with his "best of"

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

"If Vince McMahon told me to lose the belt tomorrow to you, then I'd do it with class and charisma."

 

"I knew he picked the wrong guy and at the end of the match I had to take care of myself, and one of the ways I did that was stealing the spotlight from The Ultimate Warrior."

 

I'm one of the last guys that would ever jump on the Warrior bandwagon but that is pretty fucking hypocritical.

 

Hogan lost clean and handed the belt to Warrior, that was very classy and he did it with charisma. Not hypocritical at all. Hulk Rules.

[haVoc 0]

When Hulk pinned Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam, Michaels went on Raw the next night and did an interview implying Hogan, the match and the business were a joke.

 

"At that point we were talking about doing more matches, but when I heard his promo I wasn't interested in working with him again.

 

"If Vince McMahon had told me to lose to Shawn Michaels it would have been no big deal, it's nothing personal just business.

 

Bullshit at it's finest. There reason Shawn shooted was because they wanted to have a few matches but Hogan refused to job. He wanted to go over in every match. Hogan has full creative control and unlike HBK, Austin is smart enough not to trust Hogan.

[cabbageboy 0]

From Hogan's perspective why would he put over Shawn anyway? We've established that Hogan is all about who drew what money, so why would he put over a guy that was a mediocre draw at best?

 

I think ironically enough that the Warrior didn't get over as champ because he was the first guy to beat Hogan. If they had for instance done the opposite booking of what they did (have Slaughter get a cheap win over Hogan, then Warrior crushes Slaughter for the belt) then I think Warrior would have been mega over as champ.

 

Transition champions. They are there for a reason.

[benn 0]

"If Vince McMahon told me to lose the belt tomorrow to you, then I'd do it with class and charisma."

 

"I knew he picked the wrong guy and at the end of the match I had to take care of myself, and one of the ways I did that was stealing the spotlight from The Ultimate Warrior."

 

I'm one of the last guys that would ever jump on the Warrior bandwagon but that is pretty fucking hypocritical.

 

Hogan lost clean and handed the belt to Warrior, that was very classy and he did it with charisma. Not hypocritical at all. Hulk Rules.

Sabotaging "the wrong guy"s title run, whether justified or not, is still hypocritical when you're claiming that you're more than happy to drop the belt to anybody that you're told.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

But he did drop the belt. He never said he was willing to take a backseat to people he thought were not fit for the spot.

[Maztinho 0]

But he did drop the belt. He never said he was willing to take a backseat to people he thought were not fit for the spot.

 

Dropped the belt CLEAN.

[The Decemberists 0]

Well, was pinned then popped right back up afterwards then made sure all the focus was on him rather than the guy Vince wanted to make the focal point of the company.