Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff vs. Vince McMahon?

Holy crap.

I just stumbled onto an interesting bit of news... and I can't believe that I haven't heard this yet.

I was just on The Sun, and there lies before me a headline that reads: Hulk Hogan to Start WWE Rival.

According to the article, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff (former head of WCW, if you don't know), are in discussions to take on WWE with their own wrestling promotion.

Hulk Hogan is quoted as saying the following:

"Last night me and Eric were getting ready to sign a deal with one of the TV networks here in America.

We had a little bit of a problem with the licensing and merchandising, which has delayed it.

But I totally expect we’re going to sign the TV portion of this very soon, because there’s no point in starting any sort of wrestling organisation without the TV locked in place."

Hulk added:

'The basic idea will be the same as WWE, but I pray to god it’s nothing like what’s on TV now.

I’m a fan, but it is pretty boring programming. It’s watered down and unexciting, and the viewer doesn’t have any option except to have it shoved down his throat.

We’re going to have a lot of back story for viewers to understand why these people are doing what they're doing.

It won’t be family members in the back writing storylines on things they know nothing about.'

(Ouch. pretty sure that's a dig at you, Steph)

Well well well. It seems like Hulk has loose lips. Now he's talking about this new 'potential' wrestling promotion before it's a done deal, last month he told TMZ about NBC ordering 12 more episodes (maybe it was 16, I don't remember) of American Gladiators before that deal was announced, as well as his daughter Brooke being on Dancing with the Stars. The 'HBF' (Hogan/Bischoff Federation... that's what I'm calling it) must be what Hulk was going on about on his 'The View' appearance. See that blog entry for the video (click here), but it was something along the lines of:

'wrestling used to be about the wrestling, the art...it seems like now there are lots of people talking about what they are going to do.'

Not an exact quote, but it's late and I don't feel like watching that video again.

When he was asked what Vince McMahon thought about all this, Hogan replied:

'I have no idea what Vince thinks or knows about all of this, I don’t speak to him.'

Now there's good and bad about this whole situation. The good is, WWE needs competition. Things have gone stale. I think the WWE was at it's height during the Monday Night War. The bad is, TNA will most likely get squashed before it can get it's act together.

I have a theory... maybe not a good theory... and the last thing that I want to do is start a rumor, but... wouldn't it be interesting if the reason The CW willingly gave up it's highest-rated show, Friday Night Smackdown, was to sign a deal with Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. I doubt this is the case, but it makes sense to me. Why else would they give up their ratings... and why would Hogan/Bischoff want to put their fledgling promotion up against the juggernaut that is Monday Night Raw?

For the full interview on The Sun: Hulk Hogan to Start WWE Rival

Too tired to write more... maybe in the morning.