Amidst the many complex and often conflicting stories about the late Hulk Hogan, Paul Heyman shared a personal and positive anecdote about the icon during his appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. Heyman recalled an interaction from 1988 that left a lasting impression on him, painting a picture of a gracious and complimentary megastar at the height of his fame.
A Chance Encounter in Chicago
Heyman set the scene in 1988, when he was just 23 years old and a few months into his first national run with WCW. “We’re running in in and around the Chicago area for a couple days. WWE is running in Chicago. We’re running Peoria… we all used to stay at the same hotel,” he explained. “I pull up a limousine. Pulls up behind me. I get out of the car. Hulk Hogan gets out of the limousine.”
“I’m a Big Fan of Your Work”
Heyman described how Hogan, who was the biggest star in the entire industry at the time, immediately recognized him and engaged him in conversation. “Brother, how you doing? Brother… you broke in. You’re doing it right,” Hogan told him. “So we get into his limo, and the first thing he says is he goes, ‘How long is your contract for? I’m a big fan of your work.’ And I’m sitting there, and this is 1988 Hulk Hogan. This is Hulkamania… the absolute biggest star in the entire business… and he’s a fan of mine.”
No Compliments Needed
Heyman recalled being so taken aback by the praise that he didn’t even get a chance to thank Hogan for his contributions to the business. He said Hogan was not looking for any praise in return. “All he’s doing is, ‘brother, I’m only as good as the opponents they bring me. I always need opponents, and you can talk for my opponents… We got to get you in here,'” Heyman remembered Hogan saying. “He didn’t even wait for me to say anything to him, never fished for a compliment, never waited for me to go, ‘Thank you, sir.’ And by the way, he finished his spiel and got out.”
A Gentleman’s Legacy
Heyman acknowledged the many different stories and opinions people have about Hogan but made it clear that his own personal experiences were always positive. “People have both their glowing love of Hulk Hogan, and I know people have their behind the scenes how much they hated him,” he said. “Here’s all I can tell you… Every time I saw him, he was a complete gentleman to me… From what I understand, with other people, he was gracious with them like that too. So my experiences with him were all pretty positive.”
He concluded by stating, “I was never in backstage politics opposed to him, right? And I don’t know what that was like, so I can’t speak to it, but I can tell you as far as my personal interactions with him, he was always a gentleman with me.”
This personal story offers a different perspective on the often-polarizing figure of Hulk Hogan, as told by one of the few people who has been in the wrestling business long enough to see it all. The full interview can be heard on The Ariel Helwani Show.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Ariel Helwani Show with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
