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January 23, 2014, marked 30 years since Hulk Hogan first won the WWE Title and started the brotherhood of Hulkamania. WWE recently did an interview with Hogan. Here are some highlights:
What was it like returning to Raw on Monday night? Do you still get nervous before walking out in front of a live audience like that?
Oh yeah, there were nerves. Even the night before, I couldn’t sleep. I was tossing and turning. I’m thinking, “How are these fans going to welcome me back?” But when I came out right at the top of the show, and they saw me, it was almost like I had walked behind a 747 jet.
The only way I can explain it to you is it was this energy, and it was so loud it was like, “Woah!” It made me take a step back for a minute. I was like “Okay. Yeah, this works.”
How about the Superstars and Divas? Were you concerned about how you’d be received in the locker room?
You always hope for the best, but that thought of, “Who’s this new guy coming in?” will pass through your mind. A lot of these new Superstars weren’t born when I wrestled Andre the Giant at Shea Stadium, so, you never know. But it couldn’t have been a better welcome.
I mean it was nothing but love. When you shook someone’s hand, they looked you right in the eye, and they were serious.
One Diva said, “Oh man. I’m a huge fan of yours. You’re the biggest Superstar ever!” I said, “Man, that’s cool. Thank you.” So it was really neat coming from a bunch of very good people.
Can you tell us about how your return came about?
Over the last couple years, there’ll be texts between Vince and I. “Happy birthday brother!” on August 24th, his birthday. Christmas, Thanksgiving. We’ll touch base like that.
And then I guess the word got out that I was jobless. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I was thinking of going back to playing music or something. On a Tuesday, I was officially out of work. And Friday morning I was drinking my coffee and I hear my cell phone. And it was Triple H.
“Hey brother, just checking on you.” I’m like, “Hey, dude, I’m just contemplating my navel here. I’m officially out of work, I’m unemployed.” And that started us talking. In my heart, I was hoping to come back here. I was hoping to put the period on the end of the sentence, and it was the logical extension. It just made so much sense to come back.
Has there always been a friendship between you and Mr. McMahon?
Oh yeah. I mean it’s been fun. It’s been a wild ride. When I moved to Stamford, we were inseparable — me, Vince and Pat Patterson. Every day in the office for years, and it was great.
Between the wrestling business, the 18-hour days, riding motorcycles, lifting weights and just this crazy vision Vince had. It was like living in a fairy tale. Like, “Oh my gosh, it’s happening. It’s really working.”
Even when I left in the early ’90s, we still loved each other to death on a personal level. Business is business.
That’s the one thing I learned from Vince — business is completely different from giving someone the shirt off your back and being there for him no matter what. Sometimes I get confused. The lines get blurry, but, no matter what happened, Vince has always been there.
Did you ever see yourself going the corporate route, or are you just not a suit-and-tie guy?
I don’t know, man. I never even thought about going down that route. I did buy some suits though. I’m sure there’s going to be certain things where they’re going to say, “Hey, man, wear a suit if you’re out there talking to General Mills or Chevrolet.”
When I called Triple H, I said, “Hey, brother. I’m coming on Raw, I got the red and yellow stuff, or I got the bolos, I got the suit.”
He says, “Oh, no, brother. We want the entertainment. We want the red and yellow. Vince wants it all.” I said, “Cool.”
I was scared to death they were going to say, “Come out in a suit.” That wasn’t even a thought in their minds. But I had to ask, because I have all these suits now hanging around. But I’m ready to put a suit on for whatever.
It’s an interesting time for your generation of Superstars. You’re coming back into the fold at the same time as The Ultimate Warrior. Is there a friendship between you two?
I don’t know. Triple H was giving me the broad strokes of The Ultimate Warrior and his concerns with Hulk Hogan. I said, “Triple H, I’m easy, brother. After everything I’ve been through, and everything I’ve learned, for me, it’s about this moment forward.” I said,
“I understand that there might be a little situation, but you don’t have to worry about me.”
I would love to shake his hand, look him in the eye and say, “Brother, nothing but love for you. Whatever I did, I apologize for it. I don’t even need for you to apologize if there was anything on your end. Whatever it is, brother, nothing but love for you, let’s do business.”
And if we could be friends? Even better, because he’s a good guy.
Was there a part of you that was disappointed when you heard you’d be hosting WrestleMania 30? Were you hoping to get in the ring?
At this point, coming back here and being the host of WrestleMania is a huge honor.
Would I love to have a WrestleMania moment and walk down to the ring because one of the good guys were in trouble with somebody like Triple H and I “hulk up” and throw a punch and help the good guys win? Would I love to do that? Yes sir.
But it’s to the point now where I feel really good physically — and this isn’t a woe-is-me statement, it’s just a fact — after two knee replacements and two hip replacements and nine back surgeries, I’m not going to go jumping off the top rope and drop the leg. You’ll never see that happen.
But I’m really happy with being the host. It’s like a monstrous shot of adrenaline.
What does your return to WWE mean to you? Does it feel like the culmination of something or is it just the beginning?
If you’re going spiritual, I already knew that all was well. I already knew that everything was gonna happen exactly the way it was supposed to, because I was in line with the universe.
My vibe is so high right now — I knew it was nothing but good things. And even though I was a nervous wreck, I’ve had this overriding feeling of peace. I knew once I got out there everything was going to be fine.
I just keep getting hit with that positive vibe or that next blessing. I’m staying on top of that building, brother. Spiritually, I’m in perfect sync with the WWE Universe right now.
