WWE Is Paving the Way For A Hulk Hogan Return

You’d be forgiven for missing it, but an offhand comment from Michael Cole at Roadblock might be a big indication for a change in WWE policy next year. As Charlotte made her way to the ring for the Iron Man match against Sasha Banks, Cole compared her career to that of the Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, and–significantly–Hulk Hogan.

The Hulkster is synonymous with WWE, having been the main event star throughout Vince McMahon’s rapid expansion of the company into a global phenomenon. He was the main event of the first WrestleMania, and held the WWF Championship for over four consecutive years.

But Hulk fell out of favor with WWE when Gawker released a sex tape featuring both him and his 24-inch pythons. (Those are his arms, kids.) The most damning thing about it, though, was the pillow talk. Hogan laid into his daughter’s African-American boyfriend with no shortage of racially charged language.

The result? WWE released Hogan from his Legends contract while the Hulkster sued Gawker. Hogan eventually won the suit, but folks are still debating the merits of the case. Some see it as rightful justice against a sleazy gossip story, while others see a chilling precedent for the future freedom of the press.

But the debate now seems to be about Gawker rather than Hogan himself, and it seems many are willing to forgive the WWE legend’s decade-old transgressions. That includes one of WWE’s most prolific black wrestlers, Booker T, who told TMZ he believes Hulk deserves a second chance.

You still can’t buy any Hogan-related merchandise from WWE’s official shop, but it seems that restriction will be dropping sooner rather than later. We’ve heard many, many conflicting reports about Hogan’s return, but it seems doubtful that the wall between Hulk and WWE will stay up for much longer.

Could it be as soon as WrestleMania? Well, that’s a little more questionable. Typing “Hulk Hogan” into the WWE.com search bar redirects you to a generic page–the same as it does with “Chris Benoit.” WWE would face some very real concern about fan reaction if they were to put Hogan in front of a WrestleMania crowd. You could always turn down the mics for the inevitable chants, I suppose.

Still, WWE is acknowledging Hogan’s existence again, and that’s more than has ever been done for Chris Benoit. These points are individually minor, but they add up to paint a picture of a company eager to ensure their most historic star will have a place with them in the future. If not this year, then soon.

What do you think? Are you ready for the Hulkster to return to WWE? Let us know in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.