What’s the story?
Is Hulk Hogan edging ever closer to a WWE return? The Hulkster has posted a message on his official Facebook page stating that he will be in Orlando (Florida) to open a new location of Hogan’s Beach Shop in the city, with March 30 being confirmed as the grand opening date.
With WrestleMania 33 taking place in that very same city on April 2nd, this could be the biggest clue yet that Hulkamania is about to run wild over WWE once again.
In case you didn’t know
Hulk Hogan has been persona non grata in WWE ever since his contract was terminated in June 2015, after racist remarks made by Hogan during his sex tape were published during the trial.
Immediately following the scandal, WWE distanced themselves entirely from Hogan, removing all mentions of him from their website and removing his likeness wherever it could be found.
Hogan’s lawsuit against salacious web magazine Gawker came to an end in March 2016 when the judge ruled in Hogan’s favour, and the Hulkster and WWE have been on the slow road to rehabilitation ever since.
The heart of the matter
Hogan has been hinting at opening a shop in Orlando for weeks, and has now confirmed those hints via social media.
Whilst this new business venture is interesting in itself, it is the place and time that will turn the most heads in the pro wrestling world, however.
A Hogan return at WrestleMania 33 has been touted for months now, and Hulk’s confirmation that he will be in town for the big weekend may well confirm his appearance in the eyes of his most ardent fans.
A screenshot of Hogan’s post is as follows:
With Hogan’s legal troubles behind him, the WWE may well be interested in bringing him back into the fold sooner rather than later. Hogan has been Florida-based since he was one-year-old and his return would almost certainly be a popular one with the WrestleMania 33 crowd.
Also read: WWE News: Kevin Sullivan feels that WWE should not approach Hulk Hogan for a WrestleMania comeback
At the very least, fans will be able to get an autograph from the former WWF Champion at his new store.
What’s next?
Despite Hogan’s confirmation that he will be in the city during WrestleMania week, any speculation that he is returning to the WWE fold will remain as conjecture alone.
Even if Hogan is returning, it is unlikely that WWE will announce him ahead of time, safe in the knowledge that a surprise appearance at the Show of Shows would guarantee a huge reaction from the live crowd.
Author’s take
The adage ‘never say never’ is particularly true in professional wrestling.
Even though it may have seemed somewhat impossible 18 months ago that we could be talking about a Hulk Hogan return, it is important to remember that this is the same company who brought The Ultimate Warrior back into the fold and even named a charitable award after him.
‘Never say never’ is true in most walks of life, but none more so than professional wrestling.
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