WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW President, Eric Bischoff, recently discussed various topics on his podcast, 83 Weeks, including the legacy of Hulk Hogan in wrestling.
Bischoff said, “But can you think of any — forget about wrestler — any athlete, that could claim at least 50% of the responsibility for the success of WWF back in the ’80s? And it was Hulk and Vince [McMahon] right? One wouldn’t have happened without the other, in my opinion. Neither one of them would want to admit that, but it’s a fact.”
On Hogan’s career:
“And then Hulk — you know, he has this amazing career. [The] first time a professional wrestler on the cover of Sports Illustrated. You know, he’s in the same picture frame with Muhammad Ali. And I mean, he was such a big star that I don’t think anybody could argue with the fact that Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon really created the pop culture phenomenon of WWE back in the ’80s. And you fast forward 10-12 years., Hulk’s career appears, at least on the outside, to be really winding down. Steroid trial, WWF stuff, the business, WWF business was declining. It was deteriorating. Probably in no small part due to the controversy around steroids and all that. Clearly that had a big impact. But nevertheless, the business was the wrestling business in general — WWF and at that time WCW — was really deteriorating. The market was getting smaller and smaller. And then Hulk came along in 1996 and was front and center in reigniting a business that was dying. Dying is probably too strong a word, but was in a severe decline from where it was. And in one night, Bash at the Beach, whatever the date was. Was it July 6, I think? Whatever the date was, turned the industry around. Not just WCW, but elevated the entire industry. So one person over the course of a 15-year period had two major home runs. Bottom of the ninth, three men on base, blows it out of the park — not once in the 80s, but again in the 90s. And I don’t think of another, another performer in the industry that can come even close to that.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
