Time is moving forward and Hulk Hogan isn’t getting any younger, which means his time to return to WWE is growing shorter. However, it may be coming sooner than you think. Ever since the company parted ways with him back in 2015 due to a scandal involving a sex tape and racist comments, he has seemingly ceased to exist in the company’s eyes. Now, it certainly seems as if Vince McMahon is ready to bring him back in one form or another.
Last year, there were rumors that Hogan was going to be back in time for WrestleMania 32 , but that didn’t happen. Earlier this year, the rumors really heated up that Hogan was going to be back for WrestleMania 33 , but once again, there was no sign of the former world champion.
WWE has still made next to no mention of Hulk Hogan ever since parting ways with him almost a full two years ago, but that is starting to change. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via WrestleZone ), the company has quietly brought the Hulkster back into the WWE landscape.
The recent issue of WWE Kids magazine, which is released internationally but not in the United States, contained something interesting. In that issue of the magazine is a poster of none other than Hulk Hogan, which is available to take out and pin up on the wall.
This may not seem like much to everyone, but for those who know the full case of Hogan’s dismissal from the company in 2015, it is a big deal.
The fact that they included Hogan in any kind of magazine or even mentioned him at all is enormous. His existence hasn’t even been hinted at for the past couple of years, and now they’re apparently giving away posters of Hogan in their publications.
While this may be a small first step, it could mean bridges have been mended between the two parties and that Hulk Hogan could be back before too long. Even if he doesn’t end up as a regular on-air character, Hogan could land in an ambassador role for WWE.
Hogan has recently said that he’s had some conversations with Vince McMahon about returning, and that is another positive side for the legend. Nothing has been said officially by anyone associated with WWE, but it really is hard to imagine that he’d never appear for the company again.
Earlier this month, Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart spoke with Cerrito & Star about a number of topics, including his good friend Hulk Hogan. When asked about his status with Vince McMahon’s company, Hart was somewhat vague, but he seemed positive about a return.
“You never say never on anything. I know there has been a lot of people I thought would never ever return to the WWE, but for some reason – It’s like Triple H always says ‘We’re gonna do what’s best for business.’ You never know what might happen but I know Hulk still loves the WWE and everyone up there, like me too, and I’m grateful to still be doing stuff with them and doing stuff with the Hulkster.’”
Even if Hogan is brought back in an ambassador role of some kind, you can be sure that he’ll end up back on television at some point. The fans love him, and the pop he would receive would be worth the one or two appearances alone.
In order for WWE to work with Hulk Hogan again, they needed to let enough time pass by and get the sex tape/racist comments scandal out of everyone’s minds. When they parted ways with him and struck him from the company’s existence, it was really the only thing they could do, and it made sense. His poster appearing in WWE Kids is a sign that the bad situations are in the past and that Vince McMahon could bring the “Immortal One” back sooner rather than later.
[Featured Image by WWE]