October 20, 2003 Observer Newsletter: Hulk Hogan returns to Japan, TNA debut
The return of Hulk Hogan to Japan, and his impending debut with TNA, may cause major potential waves throughout the industry.
Hogan had his first match in Japan in nearly ten years on New Japan’s 10/13 show at the Tokyo Dome. After the match, he shot an angle with Jeff Jarrett for TNA’s biggest event in history, scheduled for 11/30. A third player involved is boxing promoter Murad Muhammad, and his attempt to pitch a combined two-hour wrestling/boxing television series based on Hogan being the big star. There is also a lot of intermixing with these three groups, two of which are struggling and the third of which doesn’t even exist.
Hogan came to Japan several days early to promote his appearance, and was claiming that he’s done with WWE and Vince McMahon for good. He said he wants to start a new career in New Japan, which was the company that made Hogan into a huge television celebrity, a year before he clicked as a big draw in the AWA and many years before he became a national celebrity in the U.S.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.