Hulk Hogan is without a doubt one of the biggest stars to ever come out of the professional wrestling industry, but his name has become controversial over the last few years for a variety of reasons.
The former WWE Champion is set to appear on the special Legends Night edition of Monday Night Raw this week, and he recently spoke to Sports Illustrated about his career and more.
During the interview Hogan was asked what the vibe is like backstage when he returns for WWE events like Raw, and he said that it’s a mixed bag in terms of reception.
“It’s a mixed bag. Some people I get a really warm reception from. Some of the younger guys are really cold to me, like I’m coming to steal the main event. And I’m like, ‘I can’t do this anymore, guys! I’m not a threat!’
“Going back with all the legends will be a lot of fun. When I’ve gone back before by myself, there have been certain wrestlers, like Edge and Seth Rollins, that have told me to my face that the only reason they got into this business was because of me. The newer kids … I don’t think they know who I am all the way?
“The wake-up call that really got me was with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. We weren’t really close at all, but over the last few years have become good friends. It caught me off guard when he called me one day, and we’re chatting about cars or something and all of a sudden he goes, ‘Damn, Hogan. I was on the internet the other day and I can’t believe all the stuff you did in your career!’
“When Stone Cold didn’t realize that I did “The Love Boat” and Johnny Carson, then I understood why the young people didn’t know.”
Stay tuned for more updates from Legends Night as they become available.
