Hulk Hogan Says Kevin Owens Made Him a Believer of the Product Again

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan says Kevin Owens made him a believe of the product again, and hooked him into his work like a fan. He also talks about the upcoming season of WWE “Tough Enough,” which debuts on USA on June 23, as well as the success of the WWE Performance Center.

Hogan discusses how Owens captivated him while he was watching one of his NXT matches, saying that he got lost in the match like a fan would, where he got “disassociated with being in the moment” while watching him work. He says,

“Kevin actually reminds me of one of the older wrestlers of the late Seventies, some of those guys that didn’t have the build, but they would scare you if you met them at a bar.

What hooked me about him was that I was watching a match of his on NXT and I found myself disassociated with being in the moment, all of a sudden I started watching him and he made me believe again.

I watched real close, and there were no holes in his boat – his punches, his kicks, everything he did looked like it was killing the guy, which it probably was. He caught me with my guard down and he made me a believer again, he hooked me. He’s got that look, man; that demeanor and that swagger.”

He also talks about “Tough Enough” and the WWE Performance Center, saying,

“If you would have told me ten years ago that this was an avenue to make it into this business, I would have said you were nuts. When I came up, it was riding in the car 2,000 miles a week, wrestling for 15 bucks a night, paying your dues and learning your craft on the road.

But the Performance Center has turned out some of our top stars; it’s proven that this formula works, so I’m excited that I’ve been reeducated to find the next WWE Superstar or Diva.

I’ve had to reinvent myself several times over the past 35 years; I’ve had to learn to roll with the punches – it’s not swallowing your pride, it’s being reeducated. And to see how this works, and how efficient the Performance Center is, it makes sense to me now. I go ‘OK, this is a much better way to do it.’

It’s pretty hardcore, brother. There’s several rings in the building, these kids are well protected and safety is the top priority – there’s doctors and therapists and trainers on staff; it’s not like when I had my first day and they broke my leg on purpose.

And then there’s the art form; before Dusty Rhodes passed away, he was teaching a drama class, because you need to know how to tell a story, paint a picture with your face and your body. There’s interview rooms, where you learn how to talk on the mic, sell tickets and get your character over. It’s total one-stop shopping over there.”

Hogan goes on to say that John Cena has been WWE’s saving grace over the last ten years, saying,

“John’s the ultimate team player; he says, “Throw me in there with the young lions,” and goes out there and works. He wants to help the young guys, which is a testament to his character. John’s the real deal, man, he’s bridged the gap between generations.

He’s still an old-school guy and has respect for the old style and the art form, plus he’s on the cutting edge of the new generation. He’s been a saving grace for WWE these last ten years, and he continues to be a leader and I don’t see him walking away any time soon.”

You can read the entire interview here.

Editor’s Note:

That’s a big endorsement for my boy right there from the Hulkster.