Piper confronts Hogan at Halloween Havoc
In the main event of WCW’s Oct. 27 Halloween Havoc, Randy Savage had Hulk Hogan pinned after a top rope elbow drop, but Nick Patrik had a neck spasm just as he was about to hit the mat the third time. Chaos followed. Giant chokeslammed Savage at ringside, threw Savage into the ring, draped Hogan’s arm over Savage, and the referee counted to three.
Hogan still lay on his back knocked out not realizing he had won until The Giant came back to the ring with a jug of ice and water. He poured it on Hogan. Hogan woke up, Patrik raised his arm, and Hogan realized he won. Thus began the angle that WCW believes will help even the lopsided odds in the NWO vs. WCW battle.
Hogan grabbed the house mic and said: “Now, now, now is there any question who the real king of Hollywood is? I’m tired of Ted Turner, I’m taking over WCW, and everybody who gets in the ring with the NWO or Hollywood Hulk Hogan is going down. All I’ve got to say NWOites is you definitely caught the right train because we’re headed out of town. Whatcha gonna do?”
Roddy Piper’s bagpipe music then began playing. The crowd looked to the aisle and slowly began to connect the music to Piper. Hogan and Giant got nervous and paced in the ring. Piper, showing his age in his face, then walked down the aisle staring intently into the crowd and at the ring. Hogan supersold Piper’s presence with a look of shock and fear and then hid behind the Giant.
Piper pulled a house mic out of his jacket. “Don’t even think about it,” he said while pointing at the Giant. “Hi,” he then sarcastically said to Hogan. Hogan said hi back. “So you’re bored are ya’? I’ve come here to break your monotony. Hey Sprout (Giant), why don’t you just head back with the Jolly Green Giant and take a break?”
Hogan interrupted: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You know what, Mr. Piper, there’s a big lack of communication here. Because when I said I made wrestling, when I said I owned wrestling and controlled wrestling, now that I really think about it, I remember that you and I were running neck and neck.”
Piper said, “Why don’t you shut up for a second. It’s my turn. I am not here to represent the WCW, the NWA, the FNCA, the SOB, although I could be one SOB when I wanna be.” Hogan told Piper to be “real careful.”
Piper continued: “I’ll tell ya’s one thing there, Charlie Brown. You’ve been saying if it weren’t for you, professional wrestling wouldn’t be what it was today. Boy do I have news for you.” (Presumably Hogan was supposed to wait for Piper to say this before he admitted Piper was “neck and neck” with him, but Hogan either messed up or because of limited satellite time tried to speed up the segment.)
Piper continued: “I’ve come to you for a reality check, partner. You see I’m just as a big an icon in this sport as you are. (Fans cheer) I am just as big a Hollywood movie star as you are. You know, let me have my peace because I’m shooting with this one folks, I don’t care. I’m a multi-millionaire, too. I started fighting pro when I was 15 years old. I’ve had over 6,000 professional matches. I’ve been stabbed three times. Sit back Sprout, sit back.” Hogan interrupted and Piper told him, “Shut your mouth, I’ve caught your act.” (Hogan clearly was trying to speed up the angle due to limited remaining satellite time.)
Piper continued anyway: “Where were you when I was 15 years old taking on all comers in a garage? Playing the base guitar in Tootsie’s Bar & Grill?”
Hogan finally succeeded at interrupting him. “You know something Piper, I’m gonna call a spade a spade. We ran together. To heck with the back story, we fought together, I don’t have a problem with you because okay, as you’ve been out in Hollywood making all those movies, becoming a multi-millionaire, I have to think back and give the devil his due, we ran neck and neck.”
Piper then interrupted, saying “not yet, not yet,” perhaps not wanting Hogan to make that concessionary point yet, still wanting to build a stronger case that he is on equal par with Hogan. “You remember Wrestlemania? Tell me something. If I hadn’t knocked out Mr. T, took on the New York City Police Department, chased Dick Clark back, had my way with Liberace, if (the fans) didn’t hate me so much, do you think they would have been cheering you so much?” Hogan put the mic to his mouth and Piper said, “Shut up, I ain’t finished.” Hogan didn’t look pleased. “Do you know what bothers you? I’m the only guy you have never been able to beat. (Fans cheer, Bobby Heenan said he’s right). You have to admit it I’m as big an icon in this sport. Whether you want to say it or not, at least have the guts to put your hand out and you shake my hand and you admit it isn’t you who brought these people here, it is all these people here that made you. Now, I’ll be glad to (stop talking).”
Hogan responded: “Let me tell you something Piper. We’ve had wars to settle the score which didn’t get settled. I thought you took off with your family and were at peace with yourself. Now that I see you face to face, me being the honest man that I am, yes I admit you’re just as big a superstar as I am.” Piper then told Hogan: “Then straighten up.”
As Piper left the ring, Hogan told him as he left the arena and used the bathroom, “You’re supposed to squat in that one.” Piper stepped back into the ring. Hogan concluded: “You’re messing with Hollywood Hogan and the NWO. You’ve stepped back into my world. I can still see the make-up on your face, Piper. The way it goes now that I look in your eyes, maybe we need to have the war that didn’t settle the score.” Piper said: “I’m the reason you have no hair. Whatcha gonna do about it?” Hogan said: “Your day is coming.” Piper said, “No fear.” Piper said he’s not finished, then grabbed the WCW title belt. Hogan jumped back into the ring and said, “Now we have a problem.” Piper gave him the belt back and said he can have that for now. Then he began talking about Elizabeth. The show then went off the air as satellite time expired.
