Fans make Hogan hero
By THE SLEEPER
19apr02
News Interactive (article republished courtesy of News Interactive)
WHEN he came to Melbourne last week, the World Wrestling Federation chairman Vince McMahon hinted strongly that Hollywood Hulk Hogan, back in the fold after a lengthy absence that drove a wedge between the pair, would soon wear the WWF Undisputed Champion's belt.
The ring veteran, seen as the Babe Ruth of the company, began his first Federation championship reign almost 20 years ago. At Backlash, the April pay-per-view on Monday at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, a tidal wave of popularity with the modern fans is set to sweep Hogan to the top once more.
"This is a story that will have a happy ending," McMahon said when questioned about Hogan's return to the company earlier this year after he left to join then rival World Championship Wrestling in the mid-1990's.
The company's hierarchy and writers sensed the swell of support for the wrestling icon in the build-up to Wrestlemania X-8. McMahon said it was building at lead-up shows in Detroit and Cleveland and by the time they reached Ontario in mid-March there was no mistaking the signs.
Hogan, whose character came back to the WWF as part of the nWo (New World Order) - a renegade group whose purpose was to poison the WWF and take control by stealth.
It was surprising in some respects that Hogan was beaten by The Rock at Wrestlemania. Victory, by whatever means possible, over The Rock would have signalled a weakening of the WWF's powerbase in the locker room.
Instead, the writers used the defeat to turn Hogan from heel to babyface - essentially having him make the transition from bad to good overnight. Hogan defected from the nWo and returned to the support of his Hulkamaniacs. The fans lapped it up.
The Rock is the people's champion but they booed him for beating Hogan. He only got back on side when he shook Hogan's hand and fought alongside him in the trenches, so to speak, when the nWo came to payback Hogan for his actions.
At Backlash, Hogan meets Triple H - another former heel turned babyface since returning from a career threatening quadriceps injury that put him out of action for 10 months. He won the Royal Rumble at his comeback and ended Chris Jericho's inaugural title stint at Wrestlemania.
Like The Rock, Triple H will feel the wrath of the fans when he goes up against Hogan. Personally, the man they call The Game is better as a heel and the WWF have a great opportunity to turn HHH around this weekend.
With Kevin Nash sidelined after surgery to his bicep (he was suspended by co-owner Ric Flair in the storyline in the last fortnight to give him a chance to rest the injury), the nWo needs an injection of talent and Triple H would be ideal. Complicating the theory is that If Triple H loses at Backlash, he becomes part of SmackDown's cast and that would see him on the opposite roster to the nWo, so figure that out.
Hogan will need to be screwed out of the title if he is to be beaten and an nWo-based interference angle would be the obvious angle. If Triple H is not going to defect, then The Undertaker - who lines up against Stone Cold Steve Austin in the No.1 contender's match in which Flair is special referee - is a firm second favourite. If the nWo angle is going to take off, they have to recruit some big name talent to their group.
Other matches include Edge v Kurt Angle; Rob Van Dam v Eddie Guerrero for the Inter-Continental title; Chuck and Billy v Al Snow and Maven for the tag team belts; Billy Kidman v Tajiri for the cruiserweight title; the next big thing Brock Lesnar - in his WWF pay-per-view debut - v Matt Hardy; Bradshaw v Scott Hall; and Jazz v Trish Stratus for the women's championship.
Chris Jericho is not scheduled to wrestle but is likely to do a run-in, probably in the Edge v Angle match. Look for Chris Benoit, out for much of a year due to a neck injury accidentally caused in a ring incident by Y2J, to attack Jericho and set up a feud.
Kane is another big name not down on the pay-per-view card. He was to be a tag partner for Bradshaw against Scott Hall and X-Pac but in the last week he has undergone surgery after tearing his bicep right through.
Kane will be out of action for as many as four months, a great shame given he was in the process of developing a good plot after his recent unmasking by X-Pac and cutting some fantastic promos, especially the one with The Rock and Hogan.
Tickets go on sale next month for the Global Warning Tour, coming to Melbourne in August, and I will provide the highlights of one-on-one interviews conducted during the promotional visits by the beautiful Stacy Keibler - Mr McMahon's on-screen personal assistant - and the world's strongest man Mark Henry next week.
Until then, don't tap out!