Hulk Hogan to TNA?

[D]

     In an interview with The Southtown Star, Hulk Hogan talked about various topics including the WWE vs. TNA war:

"I watch both products. (TNA's) like the little engine that could. Everybody thought they wouldn't be around for long, and they've been chugging along for seven years. They gain momentum every week. They seem to be real fresh. When a lot of guys go over to that side of the fence, they seem to get a spring in their step," Hogan said. He added that he also watched the WWE product saying, " Vince is the constant. He's the standard of excellence. I just love watching his show because you never know what he is going to do. Plus, the production -- you can't even touch his production. It's so dialed-in. It's amazing just to see how they put the pieces together."

"If you look at history, everyone says, 'History repeats itself.' With all of the choices in the universe of entertainment, I look at the big package and look at the big picture from 40,000 feet. I see history repeating itself. I see TNA getting strong. I see Vince McMahon being impeccable except for a few little holes in the boat."

"TNA is lacking that one momentum-shifting move, that one big name that would even the playing field, the brand (that is) just as powerful as the WWE brand. (TNA's) lacking the big piece of the puzzle. It wouldn't matter who did what in the past. It will be a totally even playing field. You never know."

The question now is Hogan really interested in TNA or is this his way of trying to get leverage with Vince McMahon for another WWE run?

[Hammy]

I'd say leverage for a WWE run.

I would love him to join TNA though would Hollywood Hogan in the Main Event Mafia be crossing the line when it comes to ripping off the nWo? 

Nobody can argue with his drawing power, ratings would go up considerably, at least intially.  Love him or hate him, he is the biggest name of all time in the business!

[D]

I would love to see Hogan in TNA. That would be awesome and it would really work well with their schedule.

He'd double their ratings instantly and double their PPV buyrates.

[Axl4Life]

I was about to post this but D beat me to it, he's obviously sucking up to both hoping one of them will give him a job. Do you honestly think Hogan sits down and watches TNA and WWE every week? He's getting robbed in alimony payments and he needs money fast. 

[Izzy]

I was about to post this but D beat me to it, he's obviously sucking up to both hoping one of them will give him a job. Do you honestly think Hogan sits down and watches TNA and WWE every week? He's getting robbed in alimony payments and he needs money fast. 

Cynical perhaps...

...but your obvioulsy right

[D]

I was about to post this but D beat me to it, he's obviously sucking up to both hoping one of them will give him a job. Do you honestly think Hogan sits down and watches TNA and WWE every week? He's getting robbed in alimony payments and he needs money fast. 

actually yes

I believe he does watch wrestling.why wouldn't he?

[Izzy]

Hulk's a bit too full of praise - not even Vince would say WWE is the benchmark for excellence these days

[Hammy]

Logic is praise them both, TNA get interested so WWE get worried and come in and he ends up there where he really wants to be, because he knows they'll pay more.  It's a shame really because even in his limited physical state he could do wonders for them.  Funny thing is how the wrestling business has changed, I mean if Hogan showed up and took out AJ Styles fans would cheer...

....watching WCW at the moment and despite the chants for nWo rising they still draw enough heat to get the ring pelted with garbage.

[James Lofton]

What does Hogan bring to the table other than putting a few asses in seats during the short term? It would be a huge mistake. I can picture it now.....

In the span of a month, Hogan trounces the entire TNA roster before leaving the federation, and TNA then has to deal with a roster that just got **** slapped by a man in his 50s.

Talk about throwing the suspension of disbelief out the window....

Short term he would be a draw, long term he could destroy the entire product.


For the record, I don't watch it. Just commenting on the absurdity of an over the hill wrestler in his 50s being placed at the top of the roster.

[Hammy]

Most of TNA's top live feuds have recently involved "older" names... Sting, Mick Foley, Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett with a few younger ones sprinkled in simply because they know the established guys are the draws, short term great, long term not so, thankfully they are putting a few younger names in to the picture.

I guess the logic is Hogan is a massive draw, there is no denying that and they would want people to tune in to see Hogan and when they do they discover new stars like Matt Morgan, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Daniels, Beer Money etc. and think, yeah these guys are pretty good and they stick round watching the product long after Hogan has gone.

That was the WCW logic, people tuned in to see the nWo and then they would see great young guys like Jericho, Benoit, Guerrero etc.  From what I have read the problem was, the veterans never gave up their spots and things got really stale as many of the younger guys never broke through...

[James Lofton]

They should learn from WCW. Benoit, Guerrero,etc. didn't truly become stars until moving on to greener pastures.

Old wrestlers are not the future. Hogan mentions a missing piece of the puzzle. That missing piece is some young star yet to emerge.


If TNA isn't careful, Mcmahon will pluck all their talent away and they'll be left with Hogan and Sting.

[Hammy]

It's a shame Mcmahon never managed to pluck Sting from WCW or TNA.

There are some great feuds he could of had in WWE.

Back on the Hogan subject I don't think it'll be an issue, if he does return to the ring it'll be WWE, he was in this situation once before, appeared on TNA television via Japan to work an angle but never followed it up and not long after was back in WWE.

[slashsfro]

I want TNA to become an alternative to WWE if only to force WWE to write better programming especially on Raw.  However, they have brought in too many ex-WCW/WWE guys that it becomes redundant and dilutes their product.  It is essentially late era WCW with a bunch of intriguing youngsters sprinkled in.  I like AJ Styles and Samoa Joe but I think they get lost in the entire Main Event Mafia subplot.  At least Joe has Taz coming in and that'll at least guarantee a push.  I just wished they focused a bit more on what makes TNA different from WWE and not try to rehash an old WCW storylines.

McMahon tried to bring Sting to WWE but Sting resisted and I think he is proud to be one of the few guys who haven't wrestled in WWE.  Oh well, Vince owns all of his WCW footage and at some point will release a multi disc set anyway.

Hogan needs cash and is just trying to get one more big payday for the impending lawsuit over Nick's accident and he's embroiled in a nasty divorce proceeding with his ex-wife Linda.   

[timothy]

I'm sure with the dude getting divorced he is going to need cash soon. But WWE seems more likley too me. Better suited for Hogans ego. Plus deeper pockets which means better pay day.

[Hammy]

Source: Wrestling Observer

- Representatives of Hulk Hogan have reached out to TNA about a possible deal to sign the WWE Hall of Famer. Hogan has shown interest in the past of signing with TNA and feels the company needs that one big name to compete with WWE. Hogan last teased a TNA appearance in 2003 when an angle was shot with Jeff Jarrett smashing a guitar over Hogan’s head during a press conference in Japan. A match was planned but Hogan cancelled due to knee problems.

It is believed that Hogan has no serious interest in signing with the company and is only using them to leverage a larger deal with WWE.

Sounds like the same story as before, I hope he actually does show up in TNA, his name really could ignite a great battle with both companies upping their game, as much as I am against them overusing veterans, Hogan is just that one exception because his name carries so much stock you'd be crazy not to use him.