Hulk Hogan & Shane McMahon Discussed A Match At WrestleMania 39, Open To Match Next Year
Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan says Shane McMahon reached out to him earlier this year about wrestling a match against him at WrestleMana 39. Hogan wasn't sure he could get in ring shape in time, but is leaving the door open for next year.
The Hulkster spoke with Ariel Helwani on Wednesday's MMA Hour podcast to promote the launch of his new CBD wellness brand.
During their discussion, Hogan revealed Shane called him earlier this year in hopes of luring him into a match. They went back and forth discussing a few different storyline ideas, some of which Hogan really liked. He's always wanted to have a retirement match, but wants to continue training and rehabbing his body.
Here are some highlights of what Hulk Hogan said about:
Talking with Shane McMahon about a match at WrestleMania 39:
Hulk: "You know what's so funny? Shane McMahon called and he goes, 'You got one more in you, old man?' I said, 'Take it easy with the old man stuff, brother!' I said, 'What do you want to do?' He goes, 'All you got to do stand in the middle of the ring, and I'll come to you.'
Right now, my back needs a little more work. But that's something we can talk about next year. You know, I have always wanted to have retirement match. I'm not moving around the way I should be. So I'm gonna keep working, keep training and keep doing rehab and see where I'm at about six months from now. I've found out in the wrestling business, brother, is you never say never. Right?"
Shane McMahon did compete at WrestleMania in a brief match at the event, but it went quite badly. Just moments after he entered the ring as a surprise opponent for The Miz, he tore his quad. This led to an audible that saw WrestleMania co-host Snoop Dogg fill in for McMahon and hit a People's Elbow on the Miz.
Storylines they discussed for Shane vs. Hogan at WrestleMania 39:
"I talked to Shane probably about three months before WrestleMania. He happened to be at Madison Square Garden, there's a place in Madison Square Garden where they've got Hall of Fame and they've got my boots up there, and they've got my tights, and he took a picture standing in front of it."
"Shane called me at home and said, 'Hey, look at that picture I just sent,' and so I looked at he goes, 'Well, you got one more?' I said, 'Well, what are you talking about? So he started running storylines by me, you know, to try to like ramp us into that mode. So they're all good storylines, whether you're coming at me like, 'Hulk, you quit. My father made you and you you left my dad,' you know, 'You walked out on my father,' which I did, You know? Or go the opposite way, you know, that my dad did you wrong, because him and his dad go back and forth all the time. 'My dad did you wrong, I want to revitalize your career.'
There's several things we came up with. But I told him as I just need to get my feet underneath me more. Now's not the time. Not this WrestleMania, definitely not. Let's talk about four or five months ago now and we'll see where I'm at."
A retirement match at WrestleMania XL to mark the 40th anniversary of him winning the WWE Championship:
Hulk: "Well, the whole thing is January 23, 1984. I beat The Sheik, that's coming up this year. That's a 40 burger. I know Mattel's got a full court press on products and action figures and stuff. So I mean, it's the 40th anniversary, anything's possible.
I just never dreamed I would even think about being seven years old. You know, and getting in the type of shape it would take to, to you know, walk the walk again. But like I said, anything's possible."
When asked who he'd like to work with at WrestleMania 40, Hogan named "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as his dream retirement opponent.
