So, recently Hulk Hogan appeared on the Steve Austin Show, a show hosted by Steve Austin believe it or not. During this podcast stay he brought up the old days of the WWF, when Vince McMahon had first brought him in to become WWF Champion. This of course led to unparalleled success for Hogan and the WWF. But according to him, it almost didn’t happen.
The WWF’s current figurehead Bob Backlund had already dropped the title to the Iron Shiek to setup the Hulkster’s title win. That of course took place on January 23rd, 1984. But according to Hulk Hogan, after teaming with him in a match Backlund confronted the McMahons (Vince Jr. & Sr.) and argued that Hogan should not be made the champion. He evidently made it clear that he didn’t want to work with Hogan in any capacity.
Hulk Hogan quotes Backlund as saying, ‘I don’t think anybody should win the title that’s not a real athlete.’
Mind you, in the early days of the WWF/WWWF world champion wrestlers traditionally came from amateur wrestling backgrounds. Or else they were otherwise ‘legitimate athletes’ who came from other sports. The era of bodybuilding champions had not yet come, though it was obviously on the horizon. And it’d already been foreshadowed by the reign of Superstar Billy Graham six years earlier. Hogan, with no amateur wrestling or pro sports background to speak of, didn’t necessarily jive with the ideals of purists of the time.
Hogan argued that he was every bit the athlete that Backlund was physically if nothing else.
He recalls training with Backlund and doing tours with him in Japan. Hogan claimed that he was the only one doing the crazy workout that Backlund was doing, and the only one who ran the stairs with him.
Hogan explained that Vince Sr. tried to placate Backlund by holding off on the title switch. Supposedly it was going to happen on the very night of this altercation. He quotes ‘Jess’ McMahon as stating that they would think it over, and that perhaps after six months Hogan would be ready. But as his story goes, Hogan explained that this was not the deal he signed up for. He’d burned bridges in Minnesota (AWA) over it, but if the deal wasn’t going to happen, he’d make his leave and go to mend those bridges.
According to Hogan it was at that point that Vince Jr. stepped in. Vincent K. called his father in for a conversation. The way he says it, he must’ve smoothed it over with him. Obviously Hogan would go on to become the most famous WWF Champion of all time.
Hogan also mentions that Verne Gagne tried to bribe the Iron Sheik to break his leg.
According to him, Sheik told him as much himself. He claimed that he was promised $100,000 if he did the deed. However, he didn’t end up going through with it. The way Hogan says it, even Sheik was shocked that he didn’t do it in the end.
