10 Fascinating WWE WrestleMania 23 Facts
5. Hulk Hogan Was Originally To Have Been Trump's Representative
The intentional side-by-side juxtaposition of WrestleManias 3 and 23, both housed in domed stadiums in the same metropolitan area, seemed to call for a Hulk Hogan appearance of some kind. It would have come 20 years after famously slamming Andre the Giant at the Pontiac Silverdome. Original plans for 23 were fixed on a callback to that iconic moment.
The early idea was for Hogan to battle Big Show, the once-supposed son of Andre. However, Paul Wight took a one-year sabbatical beginning at the end of 2006, to heal his battered body and to lose weight. The Great Khali was then considered, which is why he moved from ECW to Raw at the dawn of 2007. Hogan needed a giant to slam, and Khali looked to be just that giant. They would have been the avatars for Trump and McMahon, respectively
However, Hogan and McMahon had a real-life blow-up early that year. Money was a major issue, as Hogan told old friend Bubba the Love Sponge that he wanted to be the highest paid performer on the show. That said, McMahon moved on from Hulk, and the Bobby Lashley/Umaga plan soon came together.