The wrestling world almost got the biggest surprise of its lifetime at WWE‘s Wrestlemania 39 in April but it fell just short due to a back injury.
Hulk Hogan is one of the biggest stars in WWE history and was always a fan favorite but that image was tarnished in 2015 when a video was leaked of his racist rant.
He appeared on Ariel Helwani’s podcast “The MMA Hour” and was asked about doing one more match. He revealed that he would like to wrestle against Steve Austin.
Hogan is 69 years old and Austin is 58. Both men have battled with injuries throughout the years. Hogan revealed that Austin was dealing with nerve damage and he has been dealing with a back injury. Despite their age and injuries, Hogan still would be interested in doing the retirement match alongside Austin.
“With all this time passing, both of us getting older and wiser, would it even make sense? So, it would be crazy to get back in there at my age anyway. But I haven’t talked to him anything like that ever. So if he would get in the ring, he would be the guy,” said Hogan.
Wrestlemania 39
Hogan also revealed in the interview that Shane McMahon called three months before Wrestlemania 39 to see if he would interested in participating in the event.
“You know what’s so funny? Shane McMahon called me,” Hogan said. “He goes, ‘Hey, you got one more in you, old man?’ I said, ‘Take it easy with the old man stuff, brother.’ I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ He goes, ‘All you gotta do is stand in the middle of the ring, and I’ll come do it.’ I said, ‘Right now, my back needs a little more work, but that’s something we can talk about next year.’ I’ve always wanted to have a retirement match. I’m not moving around the way I should be, so I’m going to keep working and keep training and keep doing rehab and see where I’m at about six months from now. All I found out in the wrestling business, brother, is you never say never.”
Hogan said the conversation took place three months before Wrestlemania 39.
Black Support
All wrestling fans might not support the return of Hogan for a retirement match. In 2015, a video was leaked of the legendary wrestler going on a racist rant in 2006 about his daughter’s Black boyfriend.
Hogan claimed he was mad at business dealings his daughter and her then-boyfriend had. He appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” to apologize and also released a statement.
“Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it. This is not who I am,” the statement read. “I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise. I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs.”
At the time, former basketball star Dennis Rodman was one of the very few Black athletes to show support.
Former wrestler Booker T. Huffman, known as “Booker T,” didn’t show support for Hogan.
Social media users were split with supporting Hogan and not supporting him. It remains to be seen if time will maje people forget the racial remarks and they support the legend if he does decides to give Wrestlemania 40 a surprise retirement match.
Leave It In The Past
If Hogan decided to come back next year for Wrestlemania 40, he would be the second-oldest person to wrestle in a match in the history of the sport. Ric Flair wrestled in his final match at the age of 74.
Hogan last wrestled in January 2012 at the TNA Impact Tour in Manchester, England. The 12-time world champion has undergone several back surgeries throughout his career.
Former wrestler Kurt Angle said on his podcast in January that Hogan was having trouble walking and had to use a cane after another back surgery.
“Hogan had his back surgery again. He had the nerves cut from his lower body,” said Angle. “He can’t feel his lower body. He has to use his cane to walk around. I thought he was using his cane because he had pain in his back. He doesn’t have any pain. He has nothing at all. He can’t feel anything. He can’t feel his legs so he has to walk with a cane, so that’s pretty serious.”
Hogan’s representative refuted the statement, but it seems like Angle’s statement had some validity to it. Fans will just have to wait and see if the “old man” can make his way back to the ring for one final match.
