What If: Hulk Hogan showed loyalty to BOTH WWE and TNA?

[Spidey Revivey]

If this thread has already been done, then I apologize.

Everybody by now who watches TNA can safely say it has become more of Hogan's Show than anything else. Ever since Bischoff and the Hulkster's debut, they have pretty much taken control of it all. Hell, more often than naught Hogan ends the show or begins it, sometimes both.

Now on to the topic at hand: Hulk Hogan bashing WWE. Everyone knows Hogan became a true star in that company, and is considered one of their best talents to come out of it.

What if Hogan was actually loyal to WWE? I mean WWE is what made him such a household name. Let's say WWE hired him back on instead of him going over to TNA. What would we see then? Would Ric be TNA? Or Hardy and RVD? The face of TNA would definitely change, but from an altered perspective how would YOU think it would look? Better? Worse?

And what about WWE? Hulk Hogan can definitely fit in a PG Era, but how would that look? Would WWE improve or not?

I wasn't sure if I should post this in the TNA thread or the WWE thread. I figure this topic was a little of both.

 

[Optimist Prime]

It wouldn't have happened. Even had Hogan stayed with the WWE a little bit longer than his last run...Vince would have eventually pulled the plug. Hogan can't wrestle anymore. He's severely banged up from his over 30 years of service and can't ever give his patented "leg drop" ever again. He would almost be entirely useless to the WWE. He would be forced into a "General Manager" of the week role or a Sgt. Slaughter instead...which would get old and end fairly quickly. But if Hogan were STILL to be loyal even after that...he would not be on television...he'd be doing something in the back behind the scenes. He would not be still on television (had it played out the way I think it would have).

Flair may have gone to TNA regardless of Hogan but it's not certain. I would think he would because he seems to love wrestling so much to even stage his own retirement match only to come out of it and continue wrestling in his 60's.

TNA would probably coast around for a little while like it did...but it wouldn't make any significant impact. The difference with WCW back in the day is that all of those guys back in the day were around before WWF and WCW and made names for themselves...so when they were in WCW...people recognized them. Then they would go over to the WWF for further recognition and use that to pump their star power which eventually and ironically began to help WCW. That's when WCW actually created this instance...as a gimmick...which became known as the NWO. TNA isn't as lucky...because they don't have a Ted Turner like backer who can pay a Hulk Hogan (or in today's case a big star of that magnitude) so they have to rely on attempting to build from the ground - up. This is also why they recruit the real ancient old guys to come into TNA and try to help them gain some notoriety which the newer generation of fans aren't too fond of.

Anyway, while the general consensus seems to be that they don't like the older generation in the ring any longer...and the ratings (as of late) seem to reflect their opinions...I still don't think TNA would have much success if they went on without them because there really hasn't been a larger than life attraction in wrestling since maybe "The Rock"...but even he wasn't around long enough to perhaps be considered that. It's much harder these days because simply grabbing a "kurt angle" or "randy orton" may be a pretty good move...but it won't nearly have the same impact as picking up a larger than life guy back in the early-to-mid 90's...and Dixie doesn't have the money Ted Turner did to buy her way into larger arena's or her own network where she is guaranteed a slot on her own time and dime either.

 

[BWEEZY2009]

It's not like the WWE wasn't trying to resign Hardy/sign RVD

RVD said he would like to work a "Shawn Michaels like" schedule to where he didn't have to do as much house shows than before. Negotiations fell through and he signed with TNA

WWE didn't resign Jeff Hardy simply because they weren't going to risk signing him, pushing him, and then have to watch him get locked up. Even if he doesn't get locked up, TNA made a huge risk with bringing him in on that contract when he could be not completing it. If you remember they were holding off on a Punk/Hardy rematch at Wrestlemania just in case charges were dropped before hand.

It's not like Hulk Hogan had that charm that got them to TNA. He just took E's concept of signing every FA and WWE cast off to the company and lure the viewers. It just hasn't happened the way they foresaw it

 

[Grizzly0u812]

I think Hogan in TNA is a good fit, Hogan is pretty old now but still in good shape for his age, yeah he is banged up, but if it was not for him and a couple others not sure if wrestling would of been popular as it is and grown as much as it had.

Hogan held the title and packed areas for the most part, not all were there to see Hogan or just him but he appealed to the crowd, Vince would probably try and use Hogan is some weak way to make him look silly.

I think Hogan was pretty loyal to WWF/WWE for many many years, brought them a lot of money and made himself rich at the same time, but as he got older and more injuries his shelf life was fading, they do not seem to care about wrestlers after their shelf life or most of them, some work in the office but a lot are pushed out because they are broken down and can not perform

Hogan did what he could, TNA, a good fit for him at this time, WWE would never let him do a role like he is doing, running the show, Triple H, Undertaker and other guys would be pissed off and saying what the "F" is going on here

 

[Davi323]

Hogan, deep down, probably is still pretty loyal to the WWE, but he has legal bills and ex-bitch bills to pay. I think both Hulk and Vince probably understand this is just business, and not personal. I fault TNA for a lot of things, and while bashing the WWE on air is juvenile, I don't think Hogan genuinely means any of it. He is just doing what he thinks has to be done to give TNA an edge. I don't think it worked at all, but that isn't the point. Hulk Hogan the wrestler, the TV character, can be as disloyal as he wants, while Terry Bollea can still recognize the WWE's importance in his career. If you can separate the two people, He can be both.