During the late 1990s wrestling wars, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan was the ultimate dream match. Hogan, the biggest star of the 1980s and the man who helped WCW overtake his old employer in the ratings, against the biggest star of the 1990s and the WWE‘s top star of the time. When WCW closed in 2001, we ended up getting a dream match that seemed impossible just a couple of years earlier: Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 18.
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Though The Rock was definitely a massive WWE star as well, Austin/Hogan was the match that had been fantasy booked for years among fans. So why didn’t we ever see it? Jim Ross addressed the topic during his podcast this week.
“It would’ve been interesting to see,” Ross said. “You have two of the most amazing attractions in the history of pro wrestling, so I’m sure it would have been a success financially. However, artistically? Maybe, not so much. Austin never had the confidence that he and Hogan would have enough chemistry to live up to the hype.”
He continued, “There’s always been the stories that Austin didn’t like Hogan, he didn’t want to work with Hogan, which is great for the internet gossip and chatter but I just think the styles clash was more than what Steve wanted to attempt. I don’t think it had anything to do personally with Hogan.”
The issues seems to be, then, that Austin didn’t think he could have a good match with Hogan at that point in his carrer.
“Steve’s issue was just that Steve had a very high pace. Intense, aggressive, somewhat snug, high pace,” Ross said. “That just may not have fit Hogan’s styles at the time because of his back [issues]. It would’ve been an interesting attraction. It would’ve been a great poster, a great promo, it would’ve made money. But I don’t think the match had a chance in hell of living up to the hype of the two stars.”
Do you think the two stars should have given it a go? They did meet up in a tag team match but never a singles contest in WWE. Let us know in the comments section below. Additionally, you can give me a follow on Twitter @ryandroste for all things WWE, and check out my weekly pro wrestling podcast, Top Rope Nation, while you’re at it.
H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcript.
