30 Most INSANE Things Wrestlers Have EVER Said On Live TV
20. Hulk Hogan Buries His Own Belt
By constantly feeding Hulk Hogan's ego in 1993, Vince McMahon orchestrated one of the most deflating moments in WrestleMania history (then, and still now) by allowing 'The Hulkster' to swoop in and pin new WWE Champion Yokozuna in seconds after the sumo star had just controversially dethroned Bret Hart. It was a crushing moment for Hart’s fans, who had rallied behind 'The Hitman' as WWE’s new standard-bearer in the absence of Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and others during the company’s scandal-ridden 1992.
Had those same fans seen what Hogan did with the title in Japan, they would have been even more furious. Less than a month after his power play, Hogan wrestled The Great Muta and completely disrespected the WWE Championship in an attempt to cosy up to new paymasters and position himself for an IWGP Heavyweight Title run. In a pre-match promo, he dismissed the Winged Eagle as a mere “stepping stone.” He doubled down in a post-match press conference, calling the prestigious belt nothing more than “a toy” and “a trinket or ornament on a Christmas tree.”
Naturally, Hogan didn't have to atone in anyway, beyond a single job to give the gold back in June. He didn’t make a live television appearance between his title win and his loss to Yokozuna. The nine year break from screens and the company writ large was welcomed when it finally came crashing down.