From the WWE Rumor Mill: Hulk Hogan is being offered a deal to become WWE's ambassador
What’s the story?
Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer is reporting that the WWE is seriously considering bringing Hulk Hogan back to the company. Meltzer thinks that it would be as a WWE Ambassador similar to Shawn Michaels and Ricky Steamboat.
In case you didn’t know...
In July 2015, the WWE terminated the contract of Hulk Hogan after the public release of tapes featuring Hogan using racial slurs eight years earlier. At the time, Hogan was a judge on the last edition of Tough Enough on MTV alongside Paige and Daniel Bryan. Hogan would be replaced with The Miz.
The heart of the matter
Meltzer also said that there has been an open line of communication between Vince McMahon and Hogan about a return. The company is just being overly cautious to make sure bringing him back to the company won’t cause a backlash.
The WWE terminated Hogan’s contract and removed all references of him from their website and the WWE Network when the news broke. Over the past several months, the WWE has included Hogan in commercials and social media little by little, probably to test the waters.
What’s next?
It is unknown what is next for Hogan and the WWE. It all hinges on when Vince wants to bring him back. It could be WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans, or in just a couple of months at SummerSlam.
Author’s take
While there was a disappointment in Hogan for what he said, he has shown remorse for what he said nearly ten years ago. I would like to see Hogan back in the WWE because he personifies the company’s history.
I believe that the general public has forgiven Hogan, especially after all the terrible things that were released in the Gawker lawsuit. Time does heal all wounds, which is why Hogan returning to the company is a possibility.