TNA Wrestling co-founder Jeff Jarrett believes Hulk Hogan’s TNA debut was a complete failure.
The wrestling legend’s arrival in 2010 with Eric Bischoff was supposed to be the shot in the arm the company needed to take it to another level. But instead, it was the start of a much-maligned era in TNA history.
When Hogan and Bischoff took over, one of the first things they did was get rid of TNA’s six-sided ring in favor of a four-sided one. A move that alienated longtime fans. Yet that was just one of several ways the pair was a major let down for the company
On a recent episode of his “My World” podcast, TNA co-founder Jeff Jarrett talked about the impact of Hulk Hogan’s debut and the lackluster introduction of another wrestling icon, Ric Flair.
Jeff Jarrett on Hulk Hogan’s Debut: “Couldn’t Have Gone Worse”
“I thought Hogan’s debut couldn’t have gone any worse,” Jarrett said. “Ric’s just kind of showing up, nothing really bit, nothing. Not memorable, not a moment where you go ‘holy crap, Ric Flair is in TNA.’”
Hulk Hogan debuted on the January 4, 2010 episode of “Impact!” that went up against WWE’s Raw. Which had the return of Bret Hart. Hogan came out with Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. But didn’t reunite the nWo and instead emphasized a new direction for TNA.
But their creative direction and booking decisions never really got traction, and their attempt to start the Monday Night Wars against WWE failed. Despite the star power, Hulk Hogan’s run is often looked at as the beginning of a big downturn for the brand.
More Hulk Hogan news: