In an interview with WWE.com, Hulk Hogan revealed how his return to WWE happened. Here are highlights:
On his WWE return: “Over the last couple years, there’ll be texts between Vince and I. ‘Happy birthday brother!’ on August 24th, his birthday. Christmas, Thanksgiving. We’ll touch base like that. And then I guess the word got out that I was jobless. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I was thinking of going back to playing music or something. On a Tuesday, I was officially out of work. And Friday morning I was drinking my coffee and I hear my cell phone. And it was Triple H. ‘Hey brother, just checking on you.’ I’m like, ‘Hey, dude, I’m just contemplating my navel here. I’m officially out of work, I’m unemployed.’ And that started us talking. In my heart, I was hoping to come back here. I was hoping to put the period on the end of the sentence and it was the logical extension. It just made so much sense to come back.”
On his return to RAW after seven years: “Oh yeah, there were nerves. Even the night before, I couldn’t sleep. I was tossing and turning. I’m thinking, “How are these fans going to welcome me back?” But when I came out right at the top of the show and they saw me, it was almost like I had walked behind a 747 jet. The only way I can explain it to you is it was this energy and it was so loud it was like, “Woah!” It made me take a step back for a minute. I was like ‘Okay. Yeah, this works.'”
On if he’s disappointed to not be wrestling at Wrestlemania XXX: “Now listen, brother, now you’re trying to bring the ego out. [laughs] I try to keep the ego dormant. At this point, coming back here and being the host of WrestleMania is a huge honor. Would I love to have a WrestleMania moment and walk down to the ring because one of the good guys were in trouble with somebody like Triple H and I “hulk up” and throw a punch and help the good guys win? Would I love to do that? Yes sir. But it’s to the point now where I feel really good physically — and this isn’t a woe-is-me statement, it’s just a fact — after two knee replacements and two hip replacements and nine back surgeries, I’m not going to go jumping off the top rope and drop the leg. You’ll never see that happen. But I’m really happy with being the host. It’s like a monstrous shot of adrenaline.”
