The ball for a WWE return may already be in Hulk Hogan’s court. Despite many wrestling fans calling for Hulk Hogan’s WWE return, the WWE Hall of Famer may not be interested in reliving his former glory. According to Fightful.com, Hulk Hogan’s current financial success and health may keep him on the sidelines.
Fightful.com reported the following, “I’ve been told by sources close to Hogan that the decision appears to lie with him. WWE has reached out to Hogan expressing their interest in a renewed working relationship since last summer, and Vince McMahon himself has called Hogan with that sentiment. I’m told that Hogan is unsure about a return as he’s in a good place financially following the Gawker settlement as well as the botched laser spine surgery settlement that we reported here exclusively. I’m also told that he’s out of shape currently and back over the 300 pound mark.”
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A May edition of the Wrestling Observer seems to back up a portion of the story as Dave Meltzer reported Hulk Hogan was in talks with Vince McMahon for a possible return to the WWE in the near future. Meltzer also had claimed Hogan was likely to return around WrestleMania, which of course, didn’t happen.
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Hogan was released from the company in 2015 (and nearly all mention of him scrubbed from its website and network programming), following the scandal revolving around racist remarks made in a leaked sex tape.
The Hulkster’s headline-grabbing lawsuit against Gawker over the release of the tape won damages to the tune of $115 Million, with Gawker settling for $31 Million and subsequently shutting down in late 2016.
Now that the dust has settled from that scandal, WWE has been slowly reinstating references to Hulk Hogan in their programming and allowing occasional mentions of his name on commentary, fueling rumors that his return being a distinct possibility.
Following the successful returns of WWE Legends like Goldberg, Kurt Angle, and the Hardy Boyz, and an increasing amount of current talent out due to injury, the likelihood of an eventual Hulkamania return seemed to be improving.
Additionally, Hulk Hogan hasn’t spent his time away from the WWE performing on the independent circuit, unlike many of his peers. If the rumors of recent negotiations do hold any truth, Vince McMahon would have to be willing to bury the axe and move past a major scandal. But the nostalgia payoff of a well-executed Hulkamania return would certainly be great for business.
It’s hard to imagine Hogan not wanting one more run in the WWE, even for the occasional nostalgic pop.
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Photo Credit: Getty / Jason Squires
