The legendary “Icon vs. Icon” clash between The Rock and Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8 remains one of the most unforgettable matches in WWE history.
Veteran referee Mike Chioda, who officiated the bout, recently reflected on the experience and revealed behind-the-scenes details, including advice from Hogan and the moment he realized the Toronto crowd had turned in his favor.
Speaking on the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast, Chioda recalled his pre-match conversation with Hogan, “I remember going to Rock and Hogan match and saying, ‘Hey, Hulkster, is there anything that you would need from me or anything like that?’ He’s like, ‘Brother, let’s just go have fun. Tear the house down, brother, do what we do for years.’”
Chioda noted that Hogan and Rock had already worked out their key spots and emphasized that Hogan’s approach was to simply enjoy the moment.
One of the most famous aspects of the match was the live crowd in Toronto, which flipped mid-match by overwhelmingly cheering for Hogan despite his heel role as the leader of the nWo.
Chioda recalled Hogan’s real-time reaction to the thunderous support, “Hogan worked as a heel for years up to that point, right? He pushes Rock down and gets this massive reaction. And he kind of looks around like, right? Oh, that’s for me, yeah. Oh, wow, yeah. Like, there’s this excitement in his face, man.”
Chioda also noted his own role in the match, saying he had to give Hogan subtle cues and make sure he nailed his referee bump during a key spot involving a chair.
Fans can hear the full interview on the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast below.
