Vince Russo recalls wrestling legend demanding world title win (Exclusive)
Vince Russo recently recalled how a last-minute backstage disagreement led to a controversial incident involving Hulk Hogan at WCW Bash at the Beach 2000.
According to Russo, Hogan agreed two days before the event to work with Scott Steiner and then-WCW World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett. The original script for the show did not include The Hulkster winning Jarrett's title.
Russo, WCW's lead writer at the time, said on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws show that Hogan used his creative control card shortly before the event:
"He wanted to leave that building with the title. We had already agreed, all of us, Booker [T] was leaving that building with the title. So, as far as I was concerned, you can do whatever you want, you're not winning the title. We're not doing that. The part that he agreed to was, like I said, bro, he laid out Jarrett, he laid out Steiner, he was literally King Kong, but he didn't win the belt." [4:51 – 5:21]
Watch the video above to hear Vince Russo respond to some recently resurfaced comments that Hulk Hogan made about him in 2000.
How Vince Russo dealt with Hulk Hogan's title demand
In a bizarre turn of events, Jeff Jarrett laid down in the middle of the ring and allowed Hulk Hogan to pin him for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Vince Russo, who also performed as an on-screen authority figure at the time, overruled the title change, meaning Hogan did not officially become champion.
Today In Wrestling History: Bash At The Beach 2000.
It'd take 15 tweets to explain Jarrett vs. Hogan so let's not. http://t.co/BWWT33dEFt
Russo felt he was left with little choice but to come up with an alternative idea due to Hogan's WCW backstage power:
"He agreed to that [original suggestion], then I show up to the building and he's got this great idea now, and how did the idea end? 'I'm leaving with the title.' And I'm like, 'You're not, no, bro, you're not.' And that's when I presented Plan B." [5:22 – 5:42]
The show ended with Booker T defeating Jarrett to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Russo added that he had no problem with Hogan having creative control over his character, but he disliked the last-minute nature of his decision-making.
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