Hulkamania hasn't run wild on the WWE in several years, but with Hulk Hogan's contract with TNA expiring on Oct. 1 and arguably professional wrestling's biggest icon becoming a free agent, the wrestling world awaits his next move.
Rumors and speculation have been afloat over Hogan returning "home" to the WWE at its historic WrestleMania 30 event in New Orleans on April 6. Hogan's longtime friend Jimmy Hart has weighed in saying Hogan told him "he will definitely be there" when WrestleMania rolls around.
The Baltimore Sun reports that Hogan's friend and business partner Hart said while doing an interview for the WWE's upcoming DVD release "History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment" set to come out Nov. 19, that Hogan will be appearing at WrestleMania whether or not it's as a wrestler or just as a fan.
"Hogan knew I was doing this press tour with WWE promoting the DVD," Hart said from Mobile, Ala., on Wednesday, according to the paper. "He told me to say exactly this: Hulk Hogan will be at WrestleMania if he has to buy a ticket and sit at ringside."
Hart, who worked in WWE during its boom in the 80's and 90's and now serves as the brand ambassador for the WWE said he thinks that Hogan can step into the ring again and spark the crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans this spring.
"I think he can step into the ring one more time. We have a school in Florida, and he stepped into the ring there and did some stuff, and he looked great," Hart told The Baltimore Sun. "As his friend, I'd be the first one to say, 'Listen Hulk, do us a favor, just go out to the ring to Real American, say OK Brother, rip the shirt, do the pose, sign a bunch of autographs and people will still be just as happy,' ... but he does have a couple of good matches left in him, he really does. I've got my fingers crossed we see something at WrestleMania."
Hogan expressed interest in facing CM Punk at the big event, but reports indicated that the WWE had other plans for Punk which led to rumors that WWE declining the match caused Hogan to walk away from a deal with them, but it turned out that Hogan still had interest and PWInsider reported he was "training like a madman" for a return. As far as whom Hart wants to see Hogan face? It's simple: John Cena.
"At Hogan's Beach a couple months ago we had a Q&A, and I asked the audience, who would everyone like to see Hogan face in WWE," Hart told the paper," and the answer overwhelmingly was John Cena. I think that would be a great match. John Cena is so classy, this kid is so good. I would like to manage him, but he doesn't need a manager. He reminds me so much of Hulk in a lot of different ways."
Hart, who used to manage Hogan, was eluding to a match pitting the past face of the WWE (Hogan) against the present face of the franchise (Cena) in a match akin to the time Hogan faced The Rock at WrestleMania X-8 in 2002.
Hogan recently told ABC's Philadelphia affiliate that he'd love to return to the WWE for WrestleMania.
"I would love to be at WrestleMania XXX," Hogan told Philadelphia's ABC affiliate at an autograph signing last week "I would love to have a ringside seat. But, the truth is I need a job. I quit TNA. I've just been hanging out on the beach. Never say never."
If Hogan gets his wish, the red and yellow will be donned throughout a sold out Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on April 6.
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