Hogan and Bischoff Share Vision for Real American Freestyle Wrestling: ‘This Is Pro-Pro Wrestling’
In a new interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff elaborated on their ambitious plans for Real American Freestyle Wrestling (RAFW), the new combat sports league designed to provide a professional platform for elite amateur wrestlers.
“This is pro-pro wrestling, brother,” said Hogan. “This is the elite of the elite… somewhere in between UFC and WWE, there was a market that was really underserved.”
The promotion, which launches August 30 in Cleveland, aims to fill the gap left for athletes who reach the top of the NCAA or Olympic ladder, only to find limited options outside of MMA or sports entertainment.
“We didn’t want to compete with UFC or WWE,” Hogan said. “But we wanted the opportunity to be as big as them.”
Eric Bischoff, who helped lead WCW during its heyday, emphasized their readiness to execute.
“The reason most good ideas don’t succeed is because they’re not well-funded or can’t execute. We don’t have that issue,” Bischoff said. “We’ve got serious backing from Left Lane Capital… They’re also behind Shaun White’s snowboarding league and women’s volleyball. They believe in this.”
The league plans monthly events and is currently in talks with two major media platforms.
“I have a call with a major platform after this interview,” Bischoff added. “We’re confident we’ll land a streaming deal—possibly even cable.”
Hogan’s role goes beyond branding. He plans to work closely with the talent and help develop the next Conor McGregor.
“I’m boots on the ground,” he said. “These amateur wrestlers—turns out they all grew up watching me. I want to help them not become characters like Doink the Clown, but organically grow into megastars.”
Bischoff echoed that storytelling will be critical to engaging broader audiences.
“We’re going to show their backstories, their failures and triumphs,” he said. “It’s not just about matches. We’re going to make people care.”
