Hulk Hogan - 'History is repeating itself'

[C4]

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Hulk Hogan from IGN.com:

IGN TV: We're closing in on January 4th now and with TNA Impact airing live against RAW. You've got a big night headed your way. Is TNA ready to go live?

Hulk Hogan: We're going to find out, aren't we? I'm going up against the monster, brother. I'm heading into the gun fight. I'm heading in and I'm bringing the biggest blow dart I can get. It's going to be exciting.

IGN: Of course, we all remember the success you had when you joined in WCW in the mid-90s. What's is TNA like right now compared to what WCW was like back in the day?

Hogan: Brother, that's the brilliant question. And you know what – and I don't mean this in tongue in cheek way - but it's like deja vu. When I walked in to WCW they were producing wrestling on a little teeny sound stage at Disney, okay? I'm walking into TNA and their producing wrestling in a little teeny sound stage at Universal. When I walked in to WCW, the WWF was the monster. They were the monopoly. I'm walking into TNA and the WWE is the monster. The monopoly. There were no choices back when I did WCW. The fans didn't have a choice. It's the same way now. It's almost like history is repeating itself and giving me another chance to do this and show the wrestling world what wrestling should be like. Not to make wrestling like it used to be, but to show that John Cena shouldn't be the only guy with life and character. Thinking more about it – it's exactly the same, man. It's scary. It's happening all over again. The only difference now I guess is that when I left before and went to WCW the fans were mad at me. "Oh, how could you leave the WWF?" The fans were kind of pissed at me. This time the vibe is that the fans are with me. They're for me and they want to see this happen. They know that competition is good and that the best time in wrestling was the Monday Night Wars back in the day.

IGN: On this past WWE RAW, there was a fan in the crowd holding up a Hogan sign, basically calling out your TNA show on the 4th. Have you been feeling that that the fans are really behind you on this move?

Hogan: Yeah, they're for me. It's kind of weird. It's a double edge sword. The fans know what's happened to me over the past couple of years. I lost my family. I pretty much got devastated financially and the fans know that I've had some hard times - and that's the nature of loyal fans. They want to see the people that they love and believe in get back on their feet. That's part of it. And the other part of it is that the fans are sick of this monopoly. They're sick of contrived programming. They're sick of seeing Shawn Michaels and Triple H run around like a couple of degenerates and act goofy and, you know, doing the whole Hornswoggle thing. The fans are tired of that weak programming.

And then, as you saw, on RAW Shawn Michaels came out and broke character and he's as serious as a heart attack and he did a great interview with Vince [McMahon] saying, "I can beat The Undertaker" and "I want a rematch for Wrestlemania." Which is great, you know, they're promoting it way out ahead. And I'll be really glad - wink wink wink – to see Bret Hart come back. You know, that's the first thing that's meant anything with Shawn Michaels in a long time since he wrestled Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam. And I'm glad to see it. And you know what? I'm already winning. Everybody said "Oh, we [TNA] can't go to Monday nights." And I said "well, let's ask the head of Spike TV." And guess what? He said "yes." So I won there. Now all of a sudden they had an emergency meeting up in Stamford, Connecticut last Thursday. Vince is panicking and scrambling.

I'm so happy to see Bret Hart come in to go against me because he hated the business. He was bitter. He hated Vince. And you've got to move on. Positively. I'm so happy to see Bret – and I've talked to some of Bret's family members and he's excited about coming. He's excited about coming to RAW. I love Bret Hart to death. I'm excited for Bret to come back. And guess what? I already won again. Because Vince McMahon is now showing that he's worried about Hulk Hogan going head to head. So Vince is going to do all he can to squash me on Monday night and I'm given the opportunity of a lifetime. It's like a human being going up against a monster. The WWE is a monster and the fans are behind me and they want to see me give Vince a fight for his life. And if I get knocked down, I'll just keep getting back up. And the head of Spike TV said. "You know, if wrestling stirs up some interest on Monday I might do this once a month." And then he continued to say that if Hulk Hogan and TNA does good on this Monday he wouldn't be opposed to putting TNA on every Monday. That's a dream for the wrestling fans. Now the fans have a choice. When I can get TNA up and running, the talent -- like John Cena, Rey Mysterio, The Big Show and The Undertaker -- all these guys will have a choice. It's kind of like having the NFL and the AFL. There's no choice right now for the talent or the fans.

He really is going to kill TNA, brother.

 

[†horza13â€]

His right.. It's de jav vu.. Like how wCw died TNA will as well..

But hey, I got to be honest when I say although I'm sketchy about the whole Monday Night Wars thing, I'm giving TNA the benefit of the doubt for now.

 

[Kizza]

Lmao at TNA dying.

 

[CenaMark54]

that's the first thing that's meant anything with Shawn Michaels in a long time since he wrestled Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam

hahahaha

like John Cena, ............... The Undertaker -- all these guys will have a choice

hahaha

 

[LKP]

Even though tna may succeed or fail i think wwe will get better. Vince cant afford to have a shit raw now because tna are right up their asses if the first show goes well.

 

[This Guy]

The Undertaker had a choice back in the 90's too...suprisingly he stayed with the WWE. Wonder if he'll jump ship now...yeah right. Hey, I know I keep talking doom and gloom, but you know what I'll go on record right now and say as long as TNA and Hulk Hogan can keep a decent product going, I'm not saying it has to be the best wrestling show ever, but if they can keep it competitive like WCW did back in the day and not get stale, like WCW did back in the day, then good for them and good for the wrestling industry.

Funny part I saw too was Hogan saying getting Bret was Vince scrambling....cept that Bret has been in negotiations with the WWE since Summer Slam long before Hogan even thought about going to TNA. Hogan may love Bret, but the feeling is not mutual. But Hogan was right about him being bitter and angry when he left. It is nice to know that Bret is feeling positive about working in the buisness again.

 

[Rated RJC]

You know, that's the first thing that's meant anything with Shawn Michaels in a long time since he wrestled Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam.

Get the fuck out of here. This guy is more full of himself than I thought. Shawn Michaels is one of the only wrestlers keeping the classic formula alive. Disregarding the DX stuff he always has the fueds that aren't for titles but mean something. And when he's after the title, it's a big deal. Jericho/Michaels out did anything TNA has done feud wise their whole existence.

And who the fuck does Hogan think he is? 'It's me versus WWE' Last time I checked you're joining a company, not wrestling yourself and cutting promos on yourself for every match for three hours.

I don't think he understands that every WRESTLING fan wants TNA to succeed. They want competition because they want the best product they can get from both companies. I'm a WRESTLING fan, I will watch both shows no matter what. It's not WWE versus TNA to put one another out of business, it's WWE versus TNA to help the industry as whole. Pro wrestling has it's boom in the '90s, lets hope for all of us Hogan does something that helps them compete and thus making a better product for TNA and WWE as well as for the fans to watch.

 

[Wrestling Station]

Hogan is slowly flexing his biceps around TNA squeezing it to a point it will pop and burst in darkness.

 

[Chuck Taylor's Grenade]

And who the fuck does Hogan think he is? 'It's me versus WWE' Last time I checked you're joining a company, not wrestling yourself and cutting promos on yourself for every match for three hours.

That's next week's Impact. You might wanna put spoiler tags on that.