Why did Hulk Hogan betray Vince McMahon and testify against him after leaving WWE? The truth revealed
The new docuseries about Vince McMahon has been released and is generating a lot of buzz. This Netflix show delves into all aspects of McMahon. From his beginnings to his setbacks, it explores every detail. One of the low points involves legendary WWE star Hulk Hogan. In particular, Hogan's choice to give testimony against McMahon in one of the biggest lawsuits of the 20th century.
The legal case United States vs. McMahon, initiated in 1994, revolved around Vince McMahon and WWE allegedly providing illegal steroids to wrestlers. So, the question arises: what motivated Hulk Hogan to testify? Well, federal authorities apparently convinced The Hulkster to testify against McMahon to ensure a safeguard of his own interests.
During the second installment of Mr. McMahon, Hulk Hogan disclosed that he was pressured into testifying against Vince McMahon. He was supposedly threatened with the possibility of having the focus of the investigation directed to him if he chose not to comply. Worried about the consequences of a potential government inquiry, Hogan decided to betray McMahon and testify against him during the trial.
"After I left the WWF, the government wanted me to be their star witness. I was told that if I didn't say what they wanted to hear, the target of the investigation would be directed to me, and I might do 17 years," said Hulk Hogan. [51:00 - 51:25]
Hogan's decision to testify against McMahon came shortly after he signed with WCW. At the time, World Championship Wrestling was viewed as WWE's biggest competition. The Hulkster's decision to join them, coupled with his subsequent decision to testify against the legendary promoter, is widely looked upon as the ultimate betrayal.
Hulk Hogan's testimony against Vince McMahon didn't go as planned
Going into the court, the expectation was for Hulk Hogan's testimony to tip the scales in the government's favor. After all, they had the man who was once Vince McMahon's number-one star testifying for them. However, things didn't go as planned.
Hogan was asked a series of questions, including those that were pertinent to the case and had to do with the accusations that McMahon was supplying his wrestlers with steroids. But, to the surprise of many, when asked about this, and if Vince had told him to take steroids, Hogan's response was straight-up no.
To this day, many believe that this is what saved Mr. McMahon from what would have been an absolute disaster.
If you use any quotes from the article's first half, please credit Netflix's Mr. McMahon docuseries and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.