WrestleMania 18 was a big show as Triple H defeated Chris Jericho to win the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event, and Hulk Hogan returned to the ring to face The Rock on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
WWE fans made it clear that they were happy to see Hulk Hogan return to the company as he received quite the reaction at WrestleMania. In April of 2002, Triple H went on to defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Hulk Hogan at Backlash, and The Hulkster shocked the world when he defeated The Game to become the new champion.
During a recent interview with Wrestling Epicenter former WWE producer David Sahadi talked about the match and he claimed that The King of Kings originally thought he was going to defeat Hulk Hogan at Backlash.
“I was at the gym and Triple H was working out. He was sitting next to me. I knew I was going to have to do the promos after the pay-per-view and leading into RAW. So I asked him, ‘Who is going over?’ Triple H said, ‘I’m going over. Hulk Hogan is great. But he is like a KISS Reunion tour. Or a carton of milk. It gets old fast.’
“Everything was going along the way Triple H said it would until Hulk Hogan wins the belt. I was like, ‘What the Hell!’ I have to believe that is something they changed on the day. I don’t believe Triple H was lying to me. I believe he thought, when he said that, he was going over. But he didn’t.”
Ultimately Hulk Hogan’s reign with the title was short lived as he went on to drop the belt to The Undertaker at the Judgment Day premium live event in May of 2002.