There is no doubt that Hulk Hogan is one of the most well-known pro wrestlers in the world of professional wrestling, with his influence in the business never being understated. However, his troubled past concerning racism has ultimately led to his downfall. In fact, WWE Superstars were also told not to worry about Hogan replacing them.
Hulk Hogan is a legendary figure in the world of professional wrestling, with his name being synonymous with the sport. However, towards the end of his career, his backstage influence reportedly began to wane due to his high status, causing several other wrestling stars to decline opportunities to work with him.
While speaking on a recent edition of the Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross talked about how he handled WWE talent not wanting to work with Hulk Hogan. Ross explained how he told talent not to worry about Hogan replacing them.
“Well, a lot of top guys were not interested in it, because they knew that it was going to create competition for that spot, or those spots. There are not enough spots to go around to cover everybody’s bases it needs and so forth. I tell talent, I remember telling talent: ‘Why are you worried about it? He’s the older guy with multiple back surgeries, he’s very limited on what he can do physically. So I don’t understand your angst, I don’t understand your paranoia. It sounds like you’re worried about competition, right?’”
Even Stone Cold Steve Austin refused to collaborate with Hogan in the past. Hulk Hogan’s extraordinary career in professional wrestling was recognized with inductions into the WWE Hall of Fame in both 2005 and 2020. While he is now retired from active competition, his impact on the sport will continue to be felt for many years to come.
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