The originally scheduled main event for the ‘WWF SummerSlam 1993’ pay-per-view was WWF Champion ‘The Immortal’ Hulk Hogan defending his title against Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart.
Hogan was going to put over Bret in a classic babyface vs. babyface match, similar to Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI more than 3 years earlier.
But as we all know, that did not happen and The Hulkster dropped the Title to Yokozuna at the ‘WWF King of the Ring 1993’ PPV two months earlier instead.
Various versions of what led to that decision exist, including Bret blaming Hogan for not wanting to put him over, while Hulk explained that Vince McMahon changed his mind and it was all Vince’s decision.
Old School play-by-play commentator Jim Ross joined the World Wrestling Federation earlier in 1993 at WrestleMania IX, and spoke about the above mentioned title situation on a recent episode of his weekly ‘Grilling JR’ podcast.
Here’s what J.R. had to say about Hulk Hogan:
“It was an interesting experience because he had to be tended to. He had needs, and that happens when you’re a big star.
He spent a lot of time with Vince McMahon during that time, to work out a finish for his match, which I didn’t understand, and why it took so long.
Nonetheless, I guess it’s part of the routine, I don’t know. Maybe, it made Hulk feel better. If it did, cool.
It was an interesting day to see how business was transacted behind the scenes.
You can’t say it was because, well, Hogan didn’t want to lose the Title to a lesser guy. There’s no way you can call Bret Hart a weak successor.
It was the right thing to do, Hart was the hottest thing we had. But, for whatever reason, Hogan didn’t want to lose the Title to Bret, and I have never understood that. It’s just illogical.
McMahon made Hogan rich and famous. Everything was built around Hogan. Why aren’t you professional enough to do the right thing for the business?”
While Jim Ross does have a point about us not getting the SummerSlam main event that most of us wanted to see in 1993, but he does act very one-sided here, and completely ignores that not only did Vince McMahon make Hogan rich (as he correctly stated) but it was also the other way around, because WrestleMania 1 was an all or nothing situation and if it hadn’t worked out, the WWF would’ve been bankrupt, a fact that McMahon himself confirmed on many occasions.
The World Wrestling Federation did rely on Hulk Hogan as their biggest main event babyface star, to make them the #1 pro-wrestling company in the United States and also worldwide, and it worked out perfectly fine.
Also Read: Hulk Hogan Reveals Why Wrestling Is A Shoot To Him
WATCH: More Revealing Photos Of Brooke Hogan (Hulk Hogan’s Daughter) Leaked:
