Why WWE Nixed A Mike Tyson & Hulk Hogan Mega Match

A lot changed between February-April 1990 for the WWF.

First, plans to have boxer Mike Tyson guest referee a WrestleMania V rematch between Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage on The Main Event were shelved when James 'Buster' Douglas sensationally KO'd the 'Baddest Man On The Planet'. Buster replaced Tyson as ref, but that wasn't the only gig the fed had in mind for Mike.

Bruce Prichard told on his 'Something To Wrestle With' podcast that talks were held between the WWF and "Tyson's people" about potentially matching the knock out king up with Hogan on pay-per-view. It's unclear whether or not such a box office smash would've outright replaced Hulk vs. The Ultimate Warrior at 'Mania VI.

It ended up being a logistical nightmare for the company when Douglas beat Tyson, but that's not the only reason why the dream wrestler vs. boxer scenario never happened.

Prichard says nobody knew how it'd actually work. Beating Hulk was out of the question for the WWF, and it didn't make much sense to Tyson's management that their hot property would lose a worked fight so soon after losing a shoot one.

Both had reputations to protect/resurrect, and so plans were dropped.