Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan Confident Of TV/Streaming Deal For Real American Wrestling (WWE News)
Do you think the RAF will fly on TV?
WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff - after a viral campaign heavily inspired by the New World Order, which ran for all of two videos - have, together with legendary freestyle wrestling coach Israel 'Izzy' Matinez, launched Real American Freestyle Wrestling.
This is not competition for WWE nor AEW - if it was, you'd expect certain members of the media to proclaim it as a potential #2 promotion - since the idea is to present unscripted freestyle and folkstyle wrestling. The working plan is to promote action in 12 weight classes - eight for the men, four for the women - featuring athletes from the worlds of collegiate competition and mixed martial arts.
Hogan is the Commissioner, which will likely see him compere the shows, should they make it to television or streaming - and that is indeed the hope.
After a sharp decline in the popularity of the sport, which was very nearly dropped from the summer olympic programme following a 2013 vote, amateur wrestling has experienced something of a minor surge in popularity. A recent dramatic contest between WWE über-dud Gable Steveson and Wyatt Hendrickson went "viral", which rarely happens.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani in a bid to drum up publicity - during which Hogan expressed his belief that he receives heel reactions because he was last seen playing the Hollywood Hogan character (!) - Bischoff said he was "confident" in the RAF's ability to land a broadcast deal. Bischoff said that he's currently in discussions with two broadcasters, one of which you'll have definitely heard of.
Bisch reckons it's not a matter of if he'll score a deal, but which platform the RAF will sign with.