Hulk Hogan’s final appearance in WCW is a moment that will continue to live forever in wrestling infamy.
By the summer of 2000, WCW was struggling badly and what had been the ‘Monday Night War’ was truly over. As WCW slumped to chaotic lows both on-screen and behind-the-scenes, WWE was riding high.
At Bash At The Beach 2000, things between Head Writer, Vince Russo, and Hulk Hogan came to a dramatic head. After a day of arguments, Russo instructed World Champion Jeff Jarrett to lie down in the middle of the ring so Hogan could pin him. As Hogan’s attempts to get Jarrett to get to his feet failed, Russo threw the World Title at Hogan, who eventually places a foot on him to ‘win’ the World Championship.
In the immediate aftermath, Hogan got on the microphone and called out the situation:
“That’s why this company is in the damn shape it’s in, because of bullsh*t like this!”
Russo responded by calling Hogan a “piece of sh*t,” and reversed the decision, again making Jarrett Champion.
Bubba the Love Sponge has now released a clip from his Bubba the Love Sponge Show recorded on July 10th, 2000, less than 24 hours after the incident took place. In the clip, Hogan takes aim at WCW, Jeff Jarrett, Billy Kidman, and Vince Russo.
Hogan recalled the scene as the match began with Russo at ringside, and Jarrett stalling for time.
“Russo is out there, he’s got the belt and leaning on the apron. No big deal, I figure he’s being a [pr*ck] because he’s mad as hell at me. Jarrett walks out and is walking around, I think he’s work. I come out, the roar is electric, the loudest pop of the night. I do the ear thing just to stick it up Russo’s ass and show how over I was…
Two to three times, Jarrett doesn’t get in the ring. I think he’s working the crowd and we’re going to tear the place down. I got them right in the palm of my hand. When you have them like that, you can fart in the ring and the place will go crazy. Not like pulling teeth with Billy Kidman where you have to work your ass off and there’s no reaction.”
Hulk Hogan – “I Was Gonna Kill Russo”
The WWE Hall of Famer explained how he tried in vain to get Jarrett to stand up and have a match. However, once the segment was over and Hogan was backstage, he said he was ready to kill Russo, instructing Head of Security Doug Dellinger to get his kids out of harm’s way.
“This son of a b*tch gets in the ring and lays down. Russo looks at me, climbs on the apron, ‘F*ck you, Hogan.’ He throws the belt at me. I look down at Jarrett, ‘Is this a rib? Why are you doing this?’ Jeff goes, ‘You always told me to do what I have to do.’ He’s laying in the middle of the ring and I’m talking to him. ‘Get up and wrestle. Let’s stick it up this guy’s ass. You’re one of the boys.’ ‘You’ve always said do what I have to do. I’m doing what I have to do.’ ‘You’re a f*cking piece of sh*t.’
I put my foot on him, they counted it, I took the belt, walked to the back and said, ‘F him.’ I came to the back and said, ‘Where’s Russo at?’ I couldn’t find him nowhere. I’m shaking so bad, I’m ready to cry. Here comes Russo, he pops up on the monitor. I scream, ‘Get Nick [Hogan’s son] out of here.’ I was gonna go kill Russo and I didn’t want him to see it.
Dellinger saw me get my kids out of the building so he knew I was up to something. I’m waiting for that son of a b*tch to come back and I’m going to unload on him. Half of Russo’s boys are watching his back. I’m not going to drop any names, but I saw I had people on my left side watching me. Dellinger grabbed me, ‘Terry, get out of here.’ ‘No, I got something I have to say.’ ‘It’s not worth the lawsuit. Get out of here.’ I had Eric, Dellinger, and three or four people get me out of there,”
After the incident, Hulk Hogan never worked for WCW again, filing a defamation of character lawsuit against Russo. The suit was eventually thrown out in 2002.
H/t to Fightful