WWE Confirms Hulk Hogan's Return and WrestleMania XXX Role, Vince McMahon Comments

[Dale]

WWE announced the following:

The red and yellow is back, brother.

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has returned to WWE and will host WrestleMania 30 on Sunday, April 6, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Hogan will make his long-awaited return to WWE on Monday’s Raw. He will also appear on WWE Raw Backstage Pass, airing live on WWE Network immediately following Raw.

“We are thrilled that Hulk Hogan has returned home to WWE,” WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon said. “It’s fitting to have him help us celebrate 30 years of WrestleMania and usher in a new era with the launch of WWE Network.”

A larger-than-life icon, Hogan was regarded as the “Face of WWE” when Randy Orton was still in snakeskin diapers. The Hulkster’s rise to sports-entertainment immortality began on Jan. 23, 1984, when he defeated The Iron Sheik in Madison Square Garden to become WWE Champion. That victory began a pop culture phenomenon known as “Hulkamania” with Hogan bringing WWE to international prominence with appearances on MTV, his own animated series and a definitive WrestleMania III main event against Andre the Giant in front of a record 93, 173 fans in the Pontiac Silverdome.

The Hulkster went on to become a six-time WWE Champion, and a WrestleMania icon, battling everyone from The Rock to 2014 WWE Hall of Fame inductee The Ultimate Warrior on The Grandest Stage of Them All. In 2005, Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his “Rocky III” co-star Sylvester Stallone. His red and yellow boots have not touched a mat since December 2007, but that will change this Monday night.

“Words cannot express how excited I am to be back in the WWE family,” Hogan said. “I only have one question for the WWE Universe: Whatcha you gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild as the host of WrestleMania 30?”

Gonna mark like a little bitch when that music hits on Monday Fitting role for him at WrestleMania too.

 

[Tapout]

Best route they could take. Have him appear to help the Network launch, and who else is more fitting to host the 30th mania then the man who was in the first mania main event and appeared in more mania main events than anyone.

 

[We Are Legion]

Once again Hogan is put in his place and comes back home to his daddy Vince.

I know people are excited about this because it's Hogan in WWE (again), but it just further proves WWE is trapped in the past. Every year Wrestlemania dredges up someone, whether it be the Rock, Triple H, Bret Hart, Undertaker, Batista, Lesnar, and now Hogan to rely on for buys. People who did little to nothing for the past 12 months to sell their flagship ppv. And meanwhile nobody else is getting the opportunity to reach that icon status.

It will be a long time before it happens and WWE certainly isn't in any immediate danger, but one of these days all those people will grow old and die. Then WWE won't have anyone. And it will be the wrestlers who get blamed when the company inevitably struggles. And I really think it's because WWE has no idea how to engineer those kind of stars in the modern era. They tried the whole "worked shoot" angle with CM Punk where they blurred the line between kayfabe and reality and it was a total failure.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not mad that Hogan is back or anything, doesn't matter to me at all. I'm just not impressed or surprised. And even though he probably won't wrestle or do anything beyond a "guest personality" type role, it's still obvious WWE is going to throw his likeness on everything they possibly can to sell WM. And why wouldn't they? But it's the fact they have to that is pretty telling of the current era of WWE. This will likely be an era everyone will want to forget about once something stirs the pot in the industry again, and all we'll remember about 2005-whenever that is will be: John Cena. Quite a contrast in production from the prior 25 years.

 

[Deezy]

Stfu a major milestone needs nostalgia.

 

[MaNonTheMoon]

Don't care how old you are, if you hear Real American and see Hogan coming out with the boa and doing the classic poses, there is a high chance of marking the fuck out occurring.

 

[endicotton]

Definitely makes sense, also wouldn't be at all surprised to see Taker there as the current rumoured matches aren't going to make this the best wrestlemania for a while so they need to do something to keep people interested.

 

[punk13]

Don't forget on Monday before RAW to drink your milk and take your vitamins BROTHER!

 

[Deezy]

Totally sucks if you're in a market that doesn't get the network

 

[Luke Flywalker]

Hogan for RAW GM?

...even though I like Brad Maddox and black girls think he's adorable.

 

[Defiant]

Once again Hogan is put in his place and comes back home to his daddy Vince.

I know people are excited about this because it's Hogan in WWE (again), but it just further proves WWE is trapped in the past. Every year Wrestlemania dredges up someone, whether it be the Rock, Triple H, Bret Hart, Undertaker, Batista, Lesnar, and now Hogan to rely on for buys. People who did little to nothing for the past 12 months to sell their flagship ppv. And meanwhile nobody else is getting the opportunity to reach that icon status.

It will be a long time before it happens and WWE certainly isn't in any immediate danger, but one of these days all those people will grow old and die. Then WWE won't have anyone. And it will be the wrestlers who get blamed when the company inevitably struggles. And I really think it's because WWE has no idea how to engineer those kind of stars in the modern era. They tried the whole "worked shoot" angle with CM Punk where they blurred the line between kayfabe and reality and it was a total failure.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not mad that Hogan is back or anything, doesn't matter to me at all. I'm just not impressed or surprised. And even though he probably won't wrestle or do anything beyond a "guest personality" type role, it's still obvious WWE is going to throw his likeness on everything they possibly can to sell WM. And why wouldn't they? But it's the fact they have to that is pretty telling of the current era of WWE. This will likely be an era everyone will want to forget about once something stirs the pot in the industry again, and all we'll remember about 2005-whenever that is will be: John Cena. Quite a contrast in production from the prior 25 years.

I totally get where you're coming from when it comes to WWE relying on old draws, but I just can't be negative about this one. Not impressed either, but I know like everyone else in this thread I'm marking out when the music hits. That song is pure, concentrated happiness.

The only reason it could imaginably suck seeing Hogan just once more in a WWE enviornment again is if he stumbles his way out and half asses it like Bret Hart, so I'm thinking "ehh this sicks" by the time he even gets the mic.

 

[Keith]

It makes sense but I think they could have done a bit more with him, but then will wait and see what they do with him as host on the night. Monday should be interesting.

 

[Deezy]

I totally get where you're coming from when it comes to WWE relying on old draws, but I just can't be negative about this one. Not impressed either, but I know like everyone else in this thread I'm marking out when the music hits. That song is pure, concentrated happiness.

The only reason it could imaginably suck seeing Hogan just once more in a WWE enviornment again is if he stumbles his way out and half asses it like Bret Hart, so I'm thinking "ehh this sicks" by the time he even gets the mic.

How was Bret Hart half assing? Not like a stroke victim can exude lot of personality, not like be was an extrovert to begin with.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

At least with Hogan as host he probably won't interfere in the main event like Rock did several years ago when he was hosting.

 

[The Cork]

Hope he drops the leg on Daniel Bryan.

 

[Crippler]

to get heat?