Before legendary wrestling icon Hulk Hogan died on Thursday, he had signed a historic deal for the future of wrestling with Fox Nation, which acquired the exclusive broadcast rights to Hogan’s Real American Freestyle wrestling league.
Hogan and Eric Bischoff’s amateur-style wrestling competition, which the WWF and WCW abbreviate as RAF, will host its inaugural event “RAF01” on Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, and stream on the Fox News subscription digital video platform, with a second event planed in the fall, the Hollywood Reporter reported.
“Real American Freestyle is creating something that’s never been done before, and we needed a partner that understood that and could build with us,” Hogan said in the statement on Monday. “Fox Nation is synergistic with our brand, they appreciate the importance of bringing this sport to the masses, and they believe in our goal.”
Fox Nation president Lauren Petterson also shared in the statement:
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Real American Freestyle team as they build a visionary brand that redefines the future of wrestling. Fusing elite athleticism with unmatched entertainment, it’s an honor to be part of the new era of the world’s oldest and most iconic sport.”
“Fox Nation immediately understood the vision we had for Real American Freestyle, making them the perfect partner for this historic media rights deal and the first of its kind in the sport,” Eric Bischoff added. “Having the right broadcast partner is critical to putting on a good show for the fans, and we are thrilled to be working with Fox.”
THR described the RAF is being like the Olympics, but with pro-wrestling theatrics.
As my RedState colleague Rusty Weiss reported on Thursday, Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, suffered a possible “cardiac arrest” at his home in Clearwater, Florida. He was 71:
He rose to fame in the 1980s as the charismatic face of WWE, headlining eight of the first nine WrestleManias after promoter Vince McMahon turned a traditionally territorial business into a national phenomenon under one main umbrella.
Hogan’s iconic 1984 World Heavyweight Championship win over the Iron Sheik kicked off the “Hulkamania” phenomenon that transformed professional wrestling into a global entertainment juggernaut. In the 80s, Hogan was certainly in the argument for the biggest star in sports and entertainment.
He later saw a career resurgence with a heel turn as Hollywood Hogan with the nWo in 1996, a storyline that helped redefine wrestling by introducing more reality-based characters who exhibited both good and bad traits, emulating actual human beings rather than cartoon characters.
The Hulkster’s career, marked by six WWE Championships and memorable matches against stars like Andre the Giant and The Rock, cemented his legacy as one of wrestling’s greatest icons.
The WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) confirmed reports that he had passed away. The statement read: “WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
