Felix Upton on June 9, 2023
Hulk Hogan is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer, but his name doesn’t come without controversy. From his backstage politics to that troubling racist leak years later, Hulk Hogan has seen his share of trouble. It seems that there were always difficulties working with Hulk Hogan.
Jim Ross has seen it all in the pro wrestling world. Through his decades on commentary, he also had an opportunity to get involved with the business side of things. This provided him a chance to work with Hulk Hogan on multiple occasions.
While speaking on Grilling JR, Jim Ross opened up a bit about Hulk Hogan. When referencing, Hogan dropping the WWE Championship to Yokozuna in his final televised WWE match for nearly nine years, Jim Ross was quite blunt about things.
“It was an interesting experience because he had to be tended to. He had needs, and that happens when you’re a big star. He spent a lot of time with Vince [McMahon] during that time, to work out a finish [for his match], which I didn’t understand, and why it took so long. Nonetheless, I guess it’s part of the routine — I don’t know. Maybe, it made Hulk feel better. If it did, cool. It was an interesting day to see how business was transacted behind the scenes.”
“You can’t say it was because, well, Hogan didn’t want to lose the title to a lesser guy. There’s no way you can call Bret Hart a weak successor. It was the right thing to do, he [Hart] was the hottest thing we had. But, for whatever reason, Hogan didn’t want to lose the title to Bret, and I have never understood that. It’s just illogical.”
“[McMahon] made [Hogan] rich and famous. Everything [in WWE] was built around Hogan. Why aren’t you professional enough to do the right thing for the business?”
Just before relinquishing the WWE Championship to Yokozuna, Hulk Hogan made a brief appearance in NJPW, engaging in a non-title match against The Great Muta. Following the match, Hogan made remarks that undermined the significance of the WWE Championship by emphasizing the prestige of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Those comments reportedly irked Vince McMahon, and Jim Ross confirmed this much. After that, Hulk Hogan decided to sit out the remainder of his contract, and he later signed with WCW in early 1994.
We will have to see what kind of headlines Hulk Hogan picks up in the years to come. He is a legend in pro wrestling, but that didn’t come without a few difficult moments along the way.
What’s your take on Hulk Hogan’s controversies in pro wrestling? Sound off in the comments!
June 9, 2023 9:04 am
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