WWE

[luckysalt]

Hogan interview

Question: Can I ask you about your relationship with Vince McMahon? Is it still good?

Hulk Hogan: Brother, it’s a love-hate relationship, you know. I talk to him once in a while when he needs a main event for WrestleMania but right now, once I get done with this Australian tour, I’m going back to the Unated States where I signed a deal to run a company called TNA - Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. It’s another promotion that you guys are very familiar with here in Australia and I’m getting ready to take over the helm and it’s going to be the number one wrestling company in the world just like when I did back in the 90s when I formed the nWo and we took over the wrestling business. I’m gonna do that again.

Question: Now, when you’re at home watching wrestling as a fan who’s the wrestler that you like watching in the ring? Who’s someone that really captures your attention when you’re watching as a fan?

Hulk Hogan: Well brother, I really like watching Kurt Angle. He really understands this business. And also one of my favourite wrestlers of all-time Sting. I really love watching Sting in the ring. And now there’s a new kid that’s coming up through the ranks and is doing pretty good - a kid named AJ Styles. That’s one of the things I like about these new guys - they understand wrestling the old way, the way to really go out and fight for what they want. They don’t sit in the back and talk and choreograph the matches like some of the other promotions do and I’ve really enjoyed watching these guys.

Question: Can you give us any information about what your role in TNA will be? Will we see you as a wrestler in the ring? Will you be behind the scenes? What would your on-air role be? Can you let us in on a little bit?

Hulk Hogan: Well, I signed a deal with Dixie Carter to come in as her partner. I know there are several people on the show - storyline-wise - who say they are part of TNA (management) such as Mick Foley and Jeff Jarrett, but this situation is for real. I’m going in to turn this thing upside-down. I’m gonna pick the whole wrestling business up and bodyslam it and whoever’s not on my team - on Team Hogan at TNA - they’re gonna be at the bottom of the pile. Just like I did in the early 90s, once I went to work for Eric Bischoff and Ted Turner they became the number one wrestling promotion in the world.

Question: Hulk, if there was one thing you could change about the wrestling industry at this point in time what would it be? How will Hulk Hogan revolutionize the wrestling industry yet again?

Hulk Hogan: Well, the one thing I would change and I’m going to change is..I hate the writers. I cannot stand that they have a writing team sitting in the back telling the wrestlers what to say and telling the wrestlers what to do in the ring. That’s one of the reasons why I went to TNA because the other promotion that’s what they’re all about - scripting the verbiage and scripting the matches and telling the wrestlers what to do. They have a team of writers in the back that don’t understand this business, that have never been to the big show, that have never been in the big main events. All the writers are either wrestlers that are midcard wrestlers or they were family members that were handed a pen and paper and told, “You’ve learned what you’ve learned from our family now keep writing”. They’ve never learned the wrestling business from being in the middle of the ring in the main event in front of 20, 30, 40, 90 thousand people.

Question: You’ve been in the ring with the biggest names the wrestling industry’s ever seen but there’s one wrestler the fans would really love to see you in the ring with. There’s one wrestler that you never really got to take on in a one-on-one situation and that of course is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Steve Austin versus Hulk Hogan - what would the outcome be?

Hulk Hogan: I ran into Stone Cold one week before I came to Australia. I went to a Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California and there he was. He was working out during the day. He was doing a movie with my buddy Sylvester Stallone. And I told him, I said, “Brother, I’m going back to work. I’m getting back in the ring. If you want some come get some. Money’s not a problem. Your schedule’s not a problem. If you really want to get in the ring and you really want to make history then come get into the ring with Hulk Hogan”. I did not get an answer.

Question: So you threw the challenge out there but you did not get an answer?

Hulk Hogan: Face-to-face threw the challenge out, in his face.

Question: Back in the 80s with the WWF you helped bring them to the pinnacle of the entertainment industry, then later on you went to WCW and of course then to WWE. Which one of those runs was most memorable to you?

Hulk Hogan: The run that stood out the most was going to WCW with Eric Bischoff to prove who the most powerful man in the wrestling business was. I proved in a short amount of time that where I go the talent goes and that where I go the fans go. And I’m gonna prove it again this time. When I leave Australia - when I’m done with the Hulkamania tour - this may be the last time I ever wrestle. I’m going back to the Unated States and I’m gonna run TNA. I’m gonna be on camera, I’m gonna be behind the scenes taking care of business in the back and if the fans scream and shout loud enough I might even lace the boots up, brother, but I’m not planning on doing that. I’m planning on taking that company and turning it into the number one company in the business. When I leave here that’s the mission I’m on and if I do come back to Australia it would probably be with TNA.

Question: And I have to mention this, Hulk. One of my favourite memories of you in the ring was when you took on The Rock at WrestleMania 18 several years ago. You actually went into this match as the so-called bad guy and The Rock was the good guy but you ended up receiving all the cheers from the crowd. That was a unique situation. Can you describe that whole moment for us?

Hulk Hogan: Brother, that goes back to what I’m talking about right now. You have to give the fans what they want and that’s what I’m getting ready to do. I’m gonna do the Hulkamania tour and then when I leave here I’m going back to the Unated States and when I work for TNA I’m gonna turn the wrestling business upside-down. That’s the same thing that happened with WrestleMania 18. Vince McMahon wanted me to be the bad guy. Vince McMahon wanted to put a bullet in Hulkamania. Vince McMahon put me up against his number one good guy The Rock who had a big push. And when I went out in front of 70,000 people in Toronto the fans told Vince McMahon what they wanted and they booed The Rock out of the building. They proved that the fans predict this business. These fans predict what the atmosphere and the environment in this business is all about. And that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna go back to TNA and I’m gonna listen to those fans and give them what they want. I’m not gonna keep shoving a bunch of terrible, horrible, stale programming down their throats. I’m gonna listen to the fans. I’m gonna take the writers and tell them, “Go get another job. Sit in the back. If I need you to write a jingle for a commercial, maybe we’ll use you for that”. This is the wrestling business. If these wrestlers can’t talk and these wrestlers can’t wrestle then they need to head for the door.

[luckysalt]

Intersting interview, at some points he says he is wrestling and others he says he isn't, of course though we all know he will, but it won't be very often by the sounds of it, Hogan seems to feel the same way I do about WWE though, and im guessing thats what the last part of the interview is about not TNA

[Uncle Liam]

Hogan is awesome because he never not be Hulk Hogan.

Threw the challenge out! Haha! Its a shoot, brother!

Not only am I convinced this challenge never happened, I still imagine Austin sitting on piles of cash at home just laughing everytime he sees Hogan. I bet Austin LOVES the fact that he holds the key to Hogans financial well being after the whole TNA thing collapses.

Anyway, Raw. Fantastic. By f**k was Ventura awesome.

[luckysalt]

I agree that I seriously doubt that ever happened, as if Hogan would say all that and then walk away without getting one word out of Austin's mouth. Bullshit

Hogan v Austin is NEVER going to happen. But if promoted right the PPV buyrate would be HUGE if it did

[luckysalt]

Do you know what the next WWE PPV doesn't look that bad

and you know why

ECW Title - Ladder Match - Christian v Shelton Benjamin

THAT could be a show stealer

the rest though, just look bland

World Title Chairs match - Unertaker v Batitsa

WWE Title Tables match - John Cena v Sheamus

Tag Titles- Jericho & Show v DX

Why the hell is Sheamus getting a title shot at a PPV?

[Uncle Liam]

Because he's Hunters mate!

[When Jokers Attack]

Because he's Hunters mate!

[Elbear]

"Two stars who WWE have the most faith in right now are Sheamus, who is a workout partner of Triple H, and Drew McIntyre, who Triple H and Shawn Michaels have endorsed"

Very strange, personally don't like Sheamus, but i do like McIntyre and i thought the feud with R-Truth was pretty good.

[When Jokers Attack]

That Mcintyre can certainly Execute a DDT

[jk1]

A month or so on Raw and they expect PPV buys for one of the main events that includes Sheamus?

Standard WWE bruiser character who will have no shelf life. HHH buddy, well built etc or not. He does not have the image or the charisma to be face, all he can be is another heel bruiser that will soon bore the tits off everyone (if he doesn't already)

They won't bury him so soon, but a year down the line he'll be in ECW like Kozlov.

[Halcyon]

The only two things wrong with sheamus is his tan (or lack of it) and his ridiculous finisher mover. You need a finisher you can pull out of thin air, and although he's got the leg kick; the Razors Edge is a preposterous move, dangerous, and requires too much setting up to get over.

Other than that he's fine. He can work in the ring and good on the mic, and has a ring presence that someone like Diggler or Morrison doesn't. If WWE stick with him, and continue to book him strong then he has a chance, but as has already been said... a month of squashes and one strong ppv do not make a star ready for a title shot. It would have been more plausible for Kofi to win the battle royal, and then Orton cost him the match at the ppv to further their feud.

[Uncle Liam]

He's not bad in the ring. But, lets be honest, to be a true WWF main eventer you have to be able to have a good match with Cena. Is Sheamus that good? I guess we'll find out.

I think he's acceptable in the ring. But his look screams comedy act. I will say that at least facially he looks different, which is a plus. Personally, I think they should have given the shot and the title (yep) to Dibiase and gone down the storyline route with Orton that they should have done with Orton and Hunter a few years ago. Obviously, you cant do that since its been established Orton doesnt care about legacy at all.

[Uncle Liam]

So we can from Jesse Ventura to Mini me? FAIL.

[luckysalt]

Heres a question

The whole Hulk v Flair tour in OZ

Do you think TNA could do one big European tour with one show in each country with that as a headline match?

Like a big 30,000 stadium or maybe even bigger and come over do Germany, Spain, Italy, England and maybe Ireland and some others?

Surely they would be quids up on this and Flair and Hogan would be up for it, I think they would make more money than the OZ tour and with the talent on the TNA roster it would appeal to different types of crowds, they could even run the shows on TV and release each event on DVD in each region?

Good idea? I think its the next step TNA should take, they already have gotten their highest gate here, with Hogan and Flair on the show too the event would do even better business

[luckysalt]

Im just watching impact, what a great show, angle v the pope (formally burke in wwe) was a quality match! The pope is a great lil talent that wwe shudnt have let go. But tna's gain!

[Lithium05]

Raw was pretty good again this week. Santino went through a table, there was casual swearing,.. it was like the WWE have begun to grow some balls back!

My only gripe is how bad the writing is for the heels. Vince is so determined to have nothing but heat for Seamus that he's turned him into another cowardly heel with no personality. Seriously, Cena called him out and he came out, then just walked away. I remember a time when heels were allowed to have balls and they would have brawled all over the arena. This is why people like Sheamus don't stay in the spotlight long, they're made out to be nothing but punks!

At the risk of sounding like a broken record - they need to turn Cena heel. When Carlito came out to confront him I don't think what he was saying can be that far from the truth! Also why is it that they make people like Cena so untouchable?! Why should he be able to put Carlito down so quickly?! It would have been better if he went for the FU, Carlito got out of it, goes for the backstabber, Cena counters then FUs him. Little things like that would improve the crowds interest in the undercard, and generate more interest in the PPVs. But no. Cena has to be invincible unless you're booked in a match with him.

Good thing is that apparently they are very close to signing Cena Vs The Rock for Wrestlemania. If done right this would be the perfect way of constructing a heel turn for Cena.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Lithium05

[Uncle Liam]

Good thing is that apparently they are very close to signing Cena Vs The Rock for Wrestlemania. If done right this would be the perfect way of constructing a heel turn for Cena.

[Lithium05]

Really?

Cant see it myself.

[swede]

The guy who does the "Wrestling wrap-up" on IGN seems to think it's close to happening. It's possible it's been in the works since the rock did his appearance on the Smackdown aniversary show. Would make sense for the match to be born out of a Raw hosting slot.

[Lithium05]

If it does happen it makes you wonder who theyve got in line for 'taker.

[Uncle Liam]

The guy who does the "Wrestling wrap-up" on IGN seems to think it's close to happening. It's possible it's been in the works since the rock did his appearance on the Smackdown aniversary show. Would make sense for the match to be born out of a Raw hosting slot.

[swede]

Good point. Kane maybe? Though it's been done a million times before. There's no shortage of potential opponents, but there is a shortage of opponents (Batista, Kane, Big Show, Orton, Mysterio, one of the up and comers) who would make it worth watching (HHH, Jericho)

[Lithium05]

Jericho will get Edge if hes fit and well.

[Halcyon]

First of all, I'd eat my hat if the Rock ever wrestles again. It's never going to happen. Him and Austin are done with wrestling in the ring. Rumours pop up and die within the space of a week, so never believe any of them. In any case, IGN? Really? They've hardly got the 'scoopz' have they now.

Similarly, Cena isn't going to turn heel any time soon. He simply sells far too much merchandise, and by turning him heel you'll be writing all that money off. He won't turn heel until either he's old and on the way down, or there's a new face more over than he is. Considering he's only 32, he'll still be around for at least another decade, and I don't see anyone other than Orton becoming a more over face when he eventually turns.

As for Batista winning the rumble... sure that's probably the plan now. But if WWE has taught us anything over the last year or 5, it's that all plans can and do change week to week. Whatever the plan is now, isn't necessary what the plan'll by the time the rumble rolls round. At least that's one thing TNA has going for them... they have a plan and they stick to it. Stupid plans yes, but plans none the less.

Not that the Rumble matters now anyway because you have nonsense of the elimination chamber between RR and WM anyway... and that always screws things up.

At the end of the day, until they make some new stars, everything is going to be something we've seen before. And that's why I have no problem with them pushing Sheamus the way they are. Yes, it'll do no buys, yes he'll return back to the under/mid card afterwards, and yes Sheamus has no chance of winning, but at least it's new.

[luckysalt]

On the Rock v Cena thing

I read a Rock interview last week, and Ive also heard the same rumours on numerous websites

Anyway he said that he doesn't want to just guest host and he and WWE are working at trying to do something next year that will give something back to the fans but he's not allowed to talk about what it is yet

I know wahtever plans they had WWE would drop everything to work The Rock into their Wrestle Mania plans.

I think he could do one more match. And Rock v Cena would be nice, especially if Rock won Cena snaps and turns heel.