After years with WWE and ushering the promotion into global fame alongside Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan shockingly parted ways with them and signed with WCW in 1994, jumping right into a feud with the promotion's biggest star, Ric Flair. In the wake of Hogan's passing, Flair appeared on "The ArielHelwani Show," where he recalled his part in getting the Hulkster to jump over to WCW.
"I took him down to Orlando, he was filming 'Thunder in Paradise,' and like I said, Eric [Bischoff] walked in and it worked out well," Flair claimed. "Hulk was always surrounding himself with very intelligent people, like Peter Young and Henry Holmes and all of that, they cut a hell of a deal and then...All I wanted to do was work with him." "The Nature Boy" explained that Hogan didn't trust anyone else to ease him into WCW, and expressed how deep of a compliment this was to him.
Flair then described Hogan's in-ring ability and the chemistry they shared in the ring. "Oh God. We had great chemistry!" he expressed. "It wasn't Ricky Steamboat-chemistry, but I know how to make big guys look good; I've always done that." The veteran then clarified that this wasn't the case with Bruiser Brody, as that was just surviving, but with Hogan, things were different. "And you know what? He wasn't shy about using the sword, which is something that I live by every day; the blade!"
One of the biggest moments in Hulk Hogan's WCW run was undoubtedly his heel turn, which many consider the moment the "second wrestling boom" occurred. In the same interview, Ric Flair also commented on the Hulkster's iconic heel turn and the birth of the nWo. "Anything Hulk touched worked, I mean, it is what it is!" he exclaimed. "Hulk, you know, they used to call a [him], a guy a former wrestler and agent J Staum, would call [Hogan] the golden goose."
"Anything that Hulk touched worked out. I mean, he was over that much!" Flair added, before being asked whether he thinks JohnCena's heel turn compares to Hogan's. According to "The Nature Boy," Cena was and is far more like his other rival and life-long friend, RickySteamboat, and impossible to hate, while Hogan was believable as a prick because he could be one at times. However, Flair explained that Hogan was simply that way because he always had other stars vying for his spot.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The ArielHelwaniShow" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
