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TNA News: Hulk Hogan major interview - talks all things TNA, plans for Jan. 4, what he wants to change
Jan 1, 2010 - 6:05:36 PM
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 of each key point related to TNA. (Read Hogan's comments related to WWE.)
-- Hulk Hogan detailed talks with Spike TV president Kevin Kay about potentially making Impact a regular fixture on Monday nights.
"The head of Spike TV said, 'you know, if wrestling stirs up some interest on Monday I might do this once a month.' And then he continued to say that if Hulk Hogan and TNA does good on this Monday he wouldn't be opposed to putting TNA on every Monday," Hogan claimed.
He said he's hoping to give wrestling fans a choice when he establishes characters in TNA that are at the level of "John Cena, Rey Mysterio, The Big Show, and The Undertaker."
-- Hogan, who is continuing to present himself as the nice underdog in the fight to tickle the ears of wrestling fans who see that Hogan and Bischoff "felt their pain" from the Dec. 21 Raw, said he wants WWE and TNA to get better when TNA gets serious.
"It's gonna be better for everybody. Vince is going to have to get serious. Instead of all the 'hee hee ha ha, let's just give the fans weak programming' thing that he does. Because I'm serious," Hogan said.
-- Hogan addressed the big question of whether he plans on wrestling again in TNA. Hogan initially said the chances were "slim to none," then closed a long quote by saying, "Never say never."
"I don't have a deal to wrestle there. You can just think of it as if Dixie Carter had hired Vince McMahon to come in and breathe super energy and super life into the product," Hogan said. "After three back surgeries and going on the Australian tour I'm very limited. But the fans are so loyal and...if I just crawl my way to the ring with one arm they'd probably still be cheering for me. I'm not planning on wrestling. I'm really not. But in this business, you know, Vince McMahon and I say that you can never say never."
-- Hogan talked specifically about what changes he wants to make in TNA, including changing the logo, changing the ring, and even "looking at Vince Russo's underwear."
"I'm going to take guys like A.J. Styles, who works his butt off, so that when A.J. Styles goes through an airport a year from now I want people to snap their heads around like it's Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan," he said. "There is a lot of talent there but someone needs to breathe life into them and make them larger than life. And to get them to really think about what they're doing in the ring. To really dial their characters in. And that's what I'm coming to do."
After trying to get fans excited with that quote, Hogan lowered expectations that he doesn't think it will happen immediately, but it will take time.
"I'm going to do everything from change the logo to try to get new, and more, sponsors. I'm going to do everything from change people's gimmicks to get rid of people," Hogan said. "I'm going to bring some people in with me. I'm going to change everything that needs to be fixed. And you know what? It's not like I have a magic wand and 20 million and I can change it all overnight. It's going to be a gradual progression."
-- Other names Hogan mentioned on the TNA roster he hopes to "breath life into" include Abyss, the X Division, and Knockouts Division. He said he looks forward to working with Mick Foley as well.
"I think A.J. Styles hasn't been developed to his full potential. There's a guy there named a Abyss who's just talented beyond belief. I think Matt Morgan's a superstar. There are a bunch of young guys in the X Division and they've got so much to offer but they haven't been really plugged in with the right vibe. And the Knockout Division? The women. These girls are really aggressive and talented," Hogan said.
Hogan added: "And then you've got the guys who have been around the block and bring a lot of wisdom and a lot of energy to the business. You've got Kevin Nash who's hanging around and not being used in the right way. You've got Mick Foley who's a one man show in himself. You've got Sting who I pray to God doesn't retire and hangs around to make history with us."
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