Hulk Hogan has seen days of tragedy and days of glory. He has been involved in events that have sent shock waves across the Earth. Perhaps never before, however, has there been a time so meaningful to the Hulkster. He has regained his World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship from his former Mega-Powers partner, Macho Man Randy Savage. And now he is the star of a major motion picture, No Holds Barred, seen in theaters across the United States.
What better time for WWF Magazine to interview the Hulkster? Here's what this megastar had to say.
WWF: Hulk Hogan, when questioning you, it's difficult to know where to begin. But we'll start with WrestleMania V and the way you regained your title. It made history. Hulkamaniacs are still cheering your victory. What, in your opinion, was the turning point of the match?
Hulk: When Macho Man landed his big elbow, man, I hurt. I felt like I was going down. But I felt the vibes from all those Hulkamaniacs, and something happened deep inside. I knew I couldn't go down. I couldn't betray what Hulkamania stands for. If Savage's most potent weapon couldn't put me away, I felt that I had the match.
WWF: You've been Savage's partner in some of the most explosive tag team bouts ever. And you've faced him as an adversary bent on vengeance. Perhaps no one knows the Macho Man better than you. What do you feel are his strong points--and his weak points?
Hulk: Savage is a great wrestler. he's one of the best athletes I've ever come up against. He's tough. He's got natural ability. He's got it all, except one thing. He let jealousy take over, and that jealousy turned to hatred. It consumes him. In the long run, hatred burns you up. That's his weak point. He'll never see things right as long as he hates.
WWF: Everybody is talking about the new motion picture, No Holds Barred, with Hulk Hogan starring as Rip, the WWF Champion. We've seen it several times, and each time a new facet of Rip--and Hulk Hogan, the actor--has been revealed. What kind of impact did the film have on you?
Hulk: It was a new challenge. I've acted in films before. But this was different. I had the lead. I felt the entire film depended on how well I played Rip. It was a new kind of test, and I enjoyed it.
WWF: What was the most difficult part about doing the movie?
Hulk: For me, it was readjustment to a different schedule. Everybody has their own routine, and filming No Holds Barred changed mine. Many mornings, we had to be on the set at 7:00 a.m., and we would shoot for 12 hours. Or we would start at 11:00 a.m. and go until late at night. Sometimes, we'd start in late afternoon and wouldn't finish until far after midnight. Since training is a daily religion with me, the hardest part was finding a gym that was open at the hours when I had the chance to work out.
WWF: It is obvious that there are many similarities between Rip and the real-life Hulk Hogan. Did that make it easier for you to get into the role?
Hulk: It wasn't hard for me to play the part of Rip because his character was actually patterned after hulk Hogan. I was fortunate enough to have been involved in the creative development of the film, and especially, of the Rip character. Acting is difficult; I'll vouch for that, but it was easier to play a character whose responses and way of life I felt deep in my gut. Rip personifies ideals that I believe in with all my soul. He identifies with children and works to help them. He values family relationships. And when he finally has to, he puts himself on the line to right the worst sort of wrong.
WWF: Rip rode a pretty mean Harley in the movie. Filming those scenes must have been exciting.
Hulk: I've got a Harley of my own, so I felt comfortable maneuvering the bike. But one scene in particular was more than exciting. It was scary. It happens when Rip arrives as a thug is attacking Samantha in the parking area of her apartment complex. When the attacer tries to get away, Rip roars after him on the bike, drives its front fender between is legs from behind and scoops him up. Let me tell you, that was tricky enough, but once the guy was on the fender, I had to gun the Harley and shoot across five lanes of busy Atlanta traffic. The timing was absolutely critical. If he had tripped or stumbled as I came up behind him, the bike could have run over him. A miscue by the traffic coordinator might have meant goodbye for both of us. We could have been hit by several of the cars on the road. I felt an incredible responsibility as the driver. But at the same time I was real happy to be the guy on the bike instead of the one being chased.
WWF: The potential for injury must have been very high in a movie with so much action and physical contact. Were there any accidents?
Hulk: yes, twice. When I crashed through the glass wall in Zeus' gym, I cut arms and had to get a few stitches before I started filming again. Nothing serious, but the cuts were a nuisance. The second time was in the fight between Rip and Zeus. I connected with a really good punch, by accident, and broke Zeus' nose.
WWF: Rumor has it that punch was no accident. Zeus claims you intentionally smashed his nose. What about it?
Hulk: No, it was accidental. But I'll admit to some bad vibes between Zeus and the Hulkster.
WWF: What kind of bad vibes and what caused them?
Hulk: It's hard to say what really started it, but it began the day Zeus arrived on the set. Funny things happen when people get caught up in themselves. Everybody on the crew was friendly. We cooperated for the good of the project. And we got along with one another. But when Zeus walked on the set, he came over to me and--well--he just got in my face. A man knows when another is sizing him up. I could sense it. Zeus wanted to psych me out. To show me he was a little bit bigger and, he thought, badder.
WWF: Didn't you suspect he just might be trying to get into character for the movie and have the animosity come out on the screen.
Hulk: I wish that had been the case. But you could read the look in his eyes clearly. He was trying to dominate me for real. Each fight scene got rougher, and Zeus never seemed to hear the director yell "cut." After we finished the movie, there were no handshakes between us when we left the set. And I had a feeling, deep down, that I was going to see this big dude again.
WWF: Were you surprised when he interfered and attacked you just before your match with the Big Boss Man on Saturday Night's Main Event?
Hulk: I didn't expect it, but I can't say I was surprised. Zeus had shown up at a fe other WWF events in the weeks before the Boss Man match and made his feelings toward me perfectly clear. Our business isn't over.
WWF: You've got critical title defenses coming up. Aren't you concerned that the threat from Zeus could distract you?
Hulk: No way. When it comes to defending my title, my entire mind is focused on what I have to do for me and all the Hulkamaniacs. I don't for a minute forget about Randy Savage and the gnawing hate that is consuming him. And I can't forget the things he said about me and what he tried to do to me. Savage is a bomb ready to explode. And aside from Savage, I know that nasty Big Boss Man and his manager, Slickster, want another crack at me. So do others. Each opponent is dangerous, so I'll take them one at a time. If Zeus wants some of me, let him come on. I'd look foward to meeting him in the middle of the WWF ring because--unlike the movie--there's no director there to yell "cut."
