- Hulk Hogan spoke with SportsVibe.co.uk this week to promote TNA’s Maximum Impact tour of the UK. Here are some highlights:
Q. You’re of course over here for the TNA Maximum IMPACT tour, what can the fans expect?
Nothing against Nottingham and nothing against Manchester but Wembley is the most important day for this company. This is going to be the most important day this company has ever had so far because we are filming the TV show here and it’s going to be in front of the greatest fans in the world.
It will make a statement to Spike TV and it’ll make a statement to Dixie Carter. Even though you send the TV signal out and all these people watch us, you can’t just leave it at that, you need to follow up and can’t just stay in Universal Studios. You need to go on the road and play the big game. I think Wembley is the most important day ever for TNA.
Q. Who in TNA should we be looking out for in 2012?
There are a lot of great guys in TNA, with the current champion Bobby Roode, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe. There are a lot of talented guys but the wrestling part in the ring is only ten per cent of this business and they have to learn more than just that. There’s a lot more to the business than having a five-star match, there’s the media cross over, being in character, knowing when to break character, knowing how to deal with a locker-room full of men or knowing how to deal with a room full of kids that have cancer.
As soon as these guys figure that out and get off this ‘I’m a TNA original’ out of their mindset and look at the bigger picture, I think more of them will be like Bobby Roode and start to step up.
One guy that is doing that is Christopher Daniels, he’s starting to step out of that mould. When I see Daniels and shake his hand I say ‘Good morning super hero.’ I call him super hero because that’s what he’s going to be. He’s got the look, he’s got attitude, plus he’s so smart and is really stepping up.
Q. You’ve had many great matches and rivalries in the ring, but there has been a war of words on Twitter between the Ultimate Warrior and yourself. Do you think we could see the first ever Twitter wrestling match?
I don’t think it will happen because, number one, you can’t do business with him, he really never loved this business, some of us have the business in our veins like Ric Flair, Vince McMahon, Macho Man and myself. That’s what we are, we can’t move without this business. I think the Ultimate Warrior came in just to make money and he only lasted a couple of years, then when he left, he tried to do independent things but would screw the promoter’s over.
He’s really not what we would call one of the boys. The last time I saw the Ultimate Warrior, he was at my house spending time with my family, having a great time. Then all of a sudden I haven’t seen him for 10-years and I see all this crazy stuff he was putting on Twitter. Someone must of hit him in the head with a brick or something.
You just have to ignore him because he’s an idiot and you can’t do business with him. I can just pray for him and feel sorry for him, the guy is messed up, so there isn’t going to be a Twitter wrestling match between me and him because he might not show up or he might do something crazy. I’m into doing positive good things, I don’t need that crap.
Q. There is a lot of talk at the moment with regards to the Four Horsemen being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and Ric Flair attending the Hall of Fame this year whilst under contract with TNA, what are your thoughts?
I think it’s great, everybody is being very open and Dixie Carter is open and the lines of communication are open. It’s great that the two companies can agree on this and have a common bond because Ric Flair has been a staple in this industry, and as they are going to induct the Four Horsemen in the Hall of Fame it’s only right Ric Flair is there.
It’s like the WWE saying Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were never here just because we’re now with TNA. It doesn’t make sense because people know we were there and helped build that company. I think with the lines of communication opening it’s good business for everybody.
January 29, 2012 
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