"This got me mad" - Bill Apter on WWE icon missing from poll ad on WrestleMania Backlash (Exclusive)
WWE legend Hulk Hogan was not featured in an advertisement to promote the poll for the most popular male wrestler in history, which veteran journalist Bill Apter was not pleased about.
Draft Kings recently advertised a poll during the broadcast of WWE's recent WrestleMania Backlash show. The poll for the most popular male wrestler in WWE history featured six names - The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, Roman Reigns, The Undertaker, and Hulk Hogan.
While speaking on Sportskeeda's Top Story show, Apter expressed his disappointment at Hogan not being advertised for the poll. He feels that The Hulkster was the most influential person in the history of the business.
"This got me mad. This got me really angry and I don't get angry a lot. This is about Hulk Hogan, The Hulkster. So I'm watching Backlash and this Draft Kings pool comes up to put in your votes for 'who is the most popular male wrestler in history.' They came up with The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker and one or two other guys and they went right back to the matches, and I was like, 'What the hell? How could they not put Hulk Hogan on there?' "
Bill further praised Hogan for the latter's contributions to the professional wrestling industry.
"So, a fan on Twitter finally sends me this thing where they put him on the embedded link on the Draft Kings and they did not show him on the commercial. So I started getting Tweets about people that were agreeing with me, how could they not put Hulk Hogan - not Terry Bollea [Hogan's real name] - Hulk Hogan, that character, on the list, on the commercial of 'who is wrestling's most popular wrestler in history?' Man, the guy revolutionized wrestling. He changed the whole business," said Apter. (From 11:15 to 12:45)
Apter understands the sentiment of some wrestling fans, who may not back Hogan for the unpopular things the latter has said in the past. However, Bill argues that there must be a separation between "the guy from his character," which he has spoken about in-depth in his latest article on Sportskeeda.
Hulk Hogan has featured several times in WWE in recent years
Hogan was removed from the WWE Hall of Fame after he made some racist comments. However, the former WCW star was reinstated into the class back in 2018.
The former world champion has made sporadic appearances on WWE television since and was even the co-host of WrestleMania 37, alongside Titus O'Neil.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame for a second time with the nWo as part of the Class of 2020. It will be interesting to see if The Hulkster returns to the company's programming in the near future.
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