10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Dec 5)

1. Ric Flair Told Hulk Hogan Not To Turn Heel In WCW

There's no doubt about it, Hulk Hogan was taking a tremendous risk by agreeing to turn heel in 1996. Even though fans had started turning on his red and yellow babyface act, Hulk was still reeling in a lot of money from merchandise and personal appearances. Turning rogue didn't guarantee any success, and Hogan was naturally tentative. Talking to WrestlingInc this week, Kevin Sullivan remarks that he was the one who visualised a Hogan heel turn. The Hulkster was cagey, and both Sullivan and Eric Bischoff had a job on their hands convincing him it was the right thing to do. WCW needed a shake up, and joining Hulk with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall was deemed the perfect solution. Hogan wasn't alone in not agreeing straight away. Right up until he agreed to do it, Hulk's ear was borrowed by none other than Ric Flair regularly. The 'Nature Boy' didn't sit on the fence, instead telling Hogan that he thought it'd be silly of him to turn heel. In Sullivan's words, Flair tried to talk Hulk out of the move more than once. In the end, Hogan did turn heel, and it proved to be a shrewd move. It wasn't something Ric Flair could see working out.