While all of the dream concepts of "Austin-Hogan" are great, let's get one thing straight.... This will never happen. It's just such a pipe dream, and these two have too much of a combined ego to ever allow for one of these two to go over. And unless we want to see a double-DQ (maybe Bret Hart comes out and attacks both..... Nah!), this match is never going to happen.
Now then, as for an opponent, how about one "Moscow Mauler" Vladimir Kozlov? Consider this angle:
Royal Rumble: We have a fatal four way match for the United States title between Matt Hardy, Shelton Benjamin, R-Truth, and Kozlov. In a way, even though the belt is going to go to Kozlov, the belt gets strengthened, as it's defended on one of the big four, and shows very strong contenders. We have two very strong workers that can carry the match (Hardy and Benjamin), and they can work the majority of the match, leaving R-Truth to do spots and Kozlov.... Well, to be Kozlov. Kozlov pulls his domination headbutt stuff on R-Truth for the fall, thus keeping Hardy and Benjamin strong. As it stands, creative has already soured on R-Truth. Kozlov is your new U.S. champion, giving him a basis to perfect his craft without having to push him to the top of the card immediately (as we have seen, that yields disastrous results).
The next Smackdown, Kolov comes out and denounces the name of the U.S. Title, stating he's embarrassed to hold a title the symbolizes such a country of weak standards and strength. He even goes as far as to spit on the title, or even a flag or what have you. I know, the Cold War is so twenty years ago, but hell, half the world hates us anyway, so it's not that much of a stretch to say Kozlov hates our country. The key is, to Kozlov, our culture is weak, and America can not provide him a decent enough challenge. He demands competition, an American to prove him wrong.
What else comes over the arena speakers than "Real American", as the red and yellow lights begin to flash, and that familiar face comes upon the titantron. Hogan, after all, has been pushed as the ultimate American. Someone who stands for all of the positive aspects of America (well, as positive as steroids and divorce can be.). Hogan puts over America, pulling all of his old tricks out of the book, and allowing for Hogan to bring out the nostalgia of Hulkamania. Kozlov demands a fight with Hogan, and Hogan comes to the ring. Hogan initially begins to take control, but Kozlov overpowers Hogan. Hogan receives the headbutt of doom, and whatever other finish he does. Kozlov comes off as a strong opponent, and gains some much needed momentum for looking like a competent challenge for Hogan. Plus, this gives an excuse for Hogan not to be seen until No Way Out. The point of this Hulkamania nostalgia is that it can't be seen at every show, otherwise people will get sick of Hogan, very quickly. It has happened in the past, and can easily happen here.
Fast forward to No Way Out. Again, US title is defended by Kozlov against an opponent (When's the last time the US title was defended on back-to-back PPVs? Again, the title is built up, even if it is Kozlov holding it.) Kozlov dominates, about to finish his opponent, until the strains of "Real American" play again. Here comes Hogan! Hogan comes out and attacks Kolov. Kozlov runs for safety, lives to fight another day. The next Smackdown, Kozlov talks about the "cowardly American ways" of Hulk Hogan. Kolov brings up how in Russia, Hogan was vilified by such wrestlers as Nikolai Volkoff, which ties into Hogan's past fighting foreigners. Kozlov states these cowardly Americans deserve a coward like Hogan, and that he demands a fight with Hogan. Hogan, of course, is willing to oblige, may even go as far to say that he beat the Russians once, and he has no problem doing it again. We then get build up for the next four or so weeks, a contract signing, Kozlov matches, anything to keep Hogan from actually wrestling.
It should also be noted that Kozlov is going to have to come off as a Militant Russian even more than usually. He can carry around a Russian flag, even. Maybe they can bring Volkoff to give Kozlov a bit of a rub. But keep the US belt on Kozlov by any means necessary. Hogan's not going to win it at Wrestlemania, but the US title is a lynchpin, as we have a resistant, defiant champion. Kozlov doesn't believe in the belt he holds, because it stands for a country he despises. Yet, he runs roughshod over his competition, showing Americans he is the superior wrestler. As Wrestlemania rolls around, Kozlov is shown to have an upper hand. Hell, even the week before Wrestlemania, they could do the spot similar to 1990, when Sgt. Slaughter placed the Iraq flag over Hogan's prone body (substitute the Iraq flag for Russia's for obvious reasons.)
Kozlov by this point should have been built to a machine of absolute destruction. If all goes according to plan, he may be seen as the heel with the most heat. However, as strong as he's become, it's not going to hurt him any bit to do the job to Hogan. If anything, if he comes off as dominant throughout the match, he gets the traditional Hogan rub. Will this be a piss-poor match? Oh, by all means, but this isn't exactly meant to be a five star match, by any stretch of the means. This is purely a match driven by a story, an American hero returning one last time (WE HOPE!
) to defeat the Russian terror. The smarks will all probably look something like this
, but the average fan won't think any less, because it's Hulk fucking Hogan for Christ sakes. And for those that claim he needs someone "good" to work with, Hogan has worked with schmucks before to provide a decent match. Look at his Goldberg match in 1998, another guy with limited abilities, but a nice look. Hogan brought out the absolute best in him, and gave Goldberg his second best match (his first being his match with Raven.). There's no reason to believe that Kozlov-Hogan will be a complete disaster, and plus Kozlov can be built into a legitimate threat. Hell, he doesn't even lose the US belt, so he can continue to dominate the other superstars after his match with Hogan, until Vince feels he's ready for the main event. Anyway, the match gets the following things for the WWE:
1. Ticket sales (Duh!)
2. Hogan rides off in the sunset, doing what he does best; protecting the US from a foreign terror
3. Kozlov can be built into a massive heel, depending on how much Hogan is willing to give him.
4. The US title gets strengthened, as it's not only a fixture on PPVs, but the man wearing it is squaring off with the biggest icon in all of wrestling.
5. Grabs the mainstream fan AND perhaps even the older fan, as Hogan returns, and if the WWE is willing to do it, Volkoff can return. Hell, you could even bring back Sheiky, Kamala, Sgt. Slaughter as Hulk's partner, you get my drift.
What do you think?
