Black Widow
10-28-2009, 11:49 AM
Obviously, the big news of the day is that Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff are coming to TNA, with them making the announcement at Madison Square Garden earlier today (Click here for details).
Now, this isn't the first time Hulk Hogan has been connected to TNA. In fact, Hogan's "non-TNA run" in 2003 seemed, at the time, to indicate that he would never work for the company. Of course, the word "never" should, well, never be used in professional wrestling.
In June of 2003, Hulk Hogan parted ways with WWE over a disagreement with Vince McMahon over the direction his character was taking. Specifically, Hogan didn't want to use the masked "Mr. America" character he had been portraying to avoid a storyline suspension, and didn't want to lose again to Brock Lesnar. McMahon wanted Hogan to be more of a "special attraction" while Hogan wanted a main event push, leading to them parting ways.
Hogan agreed to wrestle Masahiro Chono at the Tokyo Dome for New Japan Pro Wrestling on October 13th. At the same time, TNA was making noises about holding a three-hour Pay-per-view in November (at the time, they had weekly two hour PPV events, broadcast out of Nashville). Hogan's name was being floated around as coming in to TNA, and at a press conference following Hogan's match with Chono, an angle took place that was supposed to set up Hogan's entrance into TNA. Hogan mentioned that he had never won the NWA Title (at the time, TNA used NWA Championships), and Jeff Jarrett burst into the room and bloodied Hogan by breaking a guitar over his head.
Three nights later, on TNA's weekly PPV, Jarrett talked about the attack, prompting fans into chanting either "We Want Hogan" or "No We Don't" as they were obviously setting up a Hogan-Jarrett match, with part of the background being the infamous WCW Bash At The Beach screwjob, which began with Jarrett lying down for Hogan in a WCW Title match. That same night, Jeff Jarrett beat up Vince Russo, destroying him with weapons. Russo would not return to TNA television. At the time, it was believed by many that storyline exit was done to allow Russo to step aside and for Hogan to come in and work for the company
However, one week later, it was revealed that Hulk Hogan would be undergoing knee surgery, and plans for a three-hour TNA PPV on November 30th were shelved, with the idea that the PPV might be rescheduled for January. On the October 22nd TNA PPV, Jimmy Hart appeared, saying Hogan suffered the knee injury as a result of Jarrett's attack. This also began a brief storyline where Jimmy Hart, and others, questioned why Jarrett laid down at Bash At The Beach, with Jarrett refusing to ever answer it. Hart would appear at several more TNA PPV events, representing Hogan. On the October 29th PPV, Hart brought in Hogan "friends" Hacksaw Duggan and Rick Steiner to face Jarrett. The idea was that, eventually, Hogan would appear.
Over the next several shows, Jarrett would constantly call out Hogan in promos, while TNA seemed to be loading up with more former WCW/WWF stars, bringing back Sting, Roddy Piper (who in one promo said he would keep Hogan from ever being NWA Champion) and Lex Luger. As a side note, Luger coming into the company, his first appearance on a wrestling show since his legal problems following the death of Miss Elizabeth, prompted a press release from TNA President Dixie Carter, who at the time rarely made any public statements, about giving Luger a chance.
Pre-taped footage of Hogan was incorporated into TNA's opening video, and the clips of Jarrett attacking Hogan were used constantly (and for years to come), but Hogan never physically appeared at a TNA event. Over time, Jarrett's promos went from calling out Hogan to claiming he had "finished" him in wrestling. Less and less was said about Hogan, then in January 2004, Jimmy Hart mentioned that he and Hogan were looking to start their own promotion (ironically, stating they would be doing it out of Universal Studios in Florida, current home of TNA) with Ted DiBiase, Sting, Buff Bagwell and Bret Hart being involved. While the promotion never materialized, it signaled the end of the Hogan run in TNA that never really was.
At the time, many in TNA were reportedly annoyed with the situation, feeling that Hogan was simply using TNA to try and push WWE into making him an offer to return. In the years that followed, Hogan would bring up TNA now and again, but few took him seriously, especially since longtime Hogan friend and business partner Eric Bischoff often had negative comments about TNA in interviews.
Now, both Hogan and Bischoff are part of TNA. Never, ever, say "never" in wrestling folks.
PWI
Now, this isn't the first time Hulk Hogan has been connected to TNA. In fact, Hogan's "non-TNA run" in 2003 seemed, at the time, to indicate that he would never work for the company. Of course, the word "never" should, well, never be used in professional wrestling.
In June of 2003, Hulk Hogan parted ways with WWE over a disagreement with Vince McMahon over the direction his character was taking. Specifically, Hogan didn't want to use the masked "Mr. America" character he had been portraying to avoid a storyline suspension, and didn't want to lose again to Brock Lesnar. McMahon wanted Hogan to be more of a "special attraction" while Hogan wanted a main event push, leading to them parting ways.
Hogan agreed to wrestle Masahiro Chono at the Tokyo Dome for New Japan Pro Wrestling on October 13th. At the same time, TNA was making noises about holding a three-hour Pay-per-view in November (at the time, they had weekly two hour PPV events, broadcast out of Nashville). Hogan's name was being floated around as coming in to TNA, and at a press conference following Hogan's match with Chono, an angle took place that was supposed to set up Hogan's entrance into TNA. Hogan mentioned that he had never won the NWA Title (at the time, TNA used NWA Championships), and Jeff Jarrett burst into the room and bloodied Hogan by breaking a guitar over his head.
Three nights later, on TNA's weekly PPV, Jarrett talked about the attack, prompting fans into chanting either "We Want Hogan" or "No We Don't" as they were obviously setting up a Hogan-Jarrett match, with part of the background being the infamous WCW Bash At The Beach screwjob, which began with Jarrett lying down for Hogan in a WCW Title match. That same night, Jeff Jarrett beat up Vince Russo, destroying him with weapons. Russo would not return to TNA television. At the time, it was believed by many that storyline exit was done to allow Russo to step aside and for Hogan to come in and work for the company
However, one week later, it was revealed that Hulk Hogan would be undergoing knee surgery, and plans for a three-hour TNA PPV on November 30th were shelved, with the idea that the PPV might be rescheduled for January. On the October 22nd TNA PPV, Jimmy Hart appeared, saying Hogan suffered the knee injury as a result of Jarrett's attack. This also began a brief storyline where Jimmy Hart, and others, questioned why Jarrett laid down at Bash At The Beach, with Jarrett refusing to ever answer it. Hart would appear at several more TNA PPV events, representing Hogan. On the October 29th PPV, Hart brought in Hogan "friends" Hacksaw Duggan and Rick Steiner to face Jarrett. The idea was that, eventually, Hogan would appear.
Over the next several shows, Jarrett would constantly call out Hogan in promos, while TNA seemed to be loading up with more former WCW/WWF stars, bringing back Sting, Roddy Piper (who in one promo said he would keep Hogan from ever being NWA Champion) and Lex Luger. As a side note, Luger coming into the company, his first appearance on a wrestling show since his legal problems following the death of Miss Elizabeth, prompted a press release from TNA President Dixie Carter, who at the time rarely made any public statements, about giving Luger a chance.
Pre-taped footage of Hogan was incorporated into TNA's opening video, and the clips of Jarrett attacking Hogan were used constantly (and for years to come), but Hogan never physically appeared at a TNA event. Over time, Jarrett's promos went from calling out Hogan to claiming he had "finished" him in wrestling. Less and less was said about Hogan, then in January 2004, Jimmy Hart mentioned that he and Hogan were looking to start their own promotion (ironically, stating they would be doing it out of Universal Studios in Florida, current home of TNA) with Ted DiBiase, Sting, Buff Bagwell and Bret Hart being involved. While the promotion never materialized, it signaled the end of the Hogan run in TNA that never really was.
At the time, many in TNA were reportedly annoyed with the situation, feeling that Hogan was simply using TNA to try and push WWE into making him an offer to return. In the years that followed, Hogan would bring up TNA now and again, but few took him seriously, especially since longtime Hogan friend and business partner Eric Bischoff often had negative comments about TNA in interviews.
Now, both Hogan and Bischoff are part of TNA. Never, ever, say "never" in wrestling folks.
PWI