By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Hulk Hogan made several comments about plans for the January 4 Impact, talked about competing with WWE and claimed he already has victories over WWE, and offered classic revisionist history to boost himself in a big interview with IGN.com. The following are highlights and analysis of each key point related to WWE. (Read about Hogan's comments on all-things TNA.)

-- Hogan channeled Eric Bischoff from his blog earlier this week about using WWE's universally-panned Dec. 21 Raw to play to wrestling fans who want an alternative to WWE programming.

"The fans are sick of this monopoly. They're sick of contrived programming. They're sick of seeing Shawn Michaels and Triple H run around like a couple of degenerates and act goofy and, you know, doing the whole Hornswoggle thing. The fans are tired of that weak programming," Hogan said.

Hogan also claimed Vince McMahon called for an emergency meeting last Thursday to come up with plans for the January 4 Raw featuring Bret Hart. "Now all of a sudden they had an emergency meeting up in Stamford, Connecticut last Thursday. Vince is panicking and scrambling," he claimed.

As part of the underdog marketing for Jan. 4, Hogan claimed victory in the interview based on WWE having the "emergency meeting" and he also claimed victory based on WWE bringing back Bret Hart.

"I'm excited for Bret to come back. And guess what? I already won again. Because Vince McMahon is now showing that he's worried about Hulk Hogan going head to head," he said. "So Vince is going to do all he can to squash me on Monday night and I'm given the opportunity of a lifetime. It's like a human being going up against a monster."

Caldwell's Analysis: Hogan is trying to line up his "victories" ahead of time by portraying TNA as the underdog/little brother getting a "reaction" from WWE before January 4. Hogan wants to portray himself taking two or three "victories" so people focus on that rather than TV ratings that WWE is expected to win. Hogan trying to define a "win" for TNA allows him to call his victories.

-- Hogan also put himself over by saying Shawn Michaels hasn't been involved in anything meaningful in over four years since their program in summer 2005.

"Shawn Michaels came out and broke character and he's as serious as a heart attack and he did a great interview with Vince [McMahon] saying, 'I can beat The Undertaker" and 'I want a rematch for WrestleMania.' Which is great, you know, they're promoting it way out ahead. ... You know, that's the first thing that's meant anything with Shawn Michaels in a long time since he wrestled Hulk Hogan at Summerslam," he said.

Caldwell's Analysis: This is an example of classic Hogan trying to play up himself up as the measuring stick in wrestling. Michaels has worked great programs with Chris Jericho, JBL, and The Undertaker since working with Hogan at Summerslam 2005. The program with Jericho in 2008 and the match with Undertaker at WrestleMania certainly "meant something" for WWE business. Hogan's statement sounds good right now because Michaels is stuck working with Triple H in DX comedy skits and that's what people think of right now.

-- Hogan suggested he's giving TNA a huge boost by offering a comparison of TNA and WCW before their respective first Monday shows after he joined each company.

"When I walked in to WCW they were producing wrestling on a little teeny sound stage at Disney, okay? I'm walking into TNA and their producing wrestling in a little teeny sound stage at Universal," Hogan said.

Caldwell's Analysis: WCW was producing their basic shows at a soundstage and delivering the "Clash of Champions" TV specials from arenas when Hogan jumped from WWE to WCW in the mid-1990s while TNA is producing their top-level "Impact" show at a soundstage. WCW already had an established name-brand from a 20-25 year lineage, dating back to the NWA and Jim Crockett days, that gave them a foothold against WWE. TNA doesn't have the established name brand - like WCW did when they debuted Nitro - to compare to WWE on an even playing field and have an immediate foothold to challenge WWE in ratings right off the bat. Hogan was being misleading ignoring WCW's history and trying to equate the two companies at their respective stages going into their first Monday shows.

[Torch art credit Joe Borzotta (c) PWTorch.com]

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