Before Bagging a Five-Figure Pay Check for Rocky 3, Hulk Hogan Had Received a Bombshell From Vince McMahon’s Father: “They Didn’t Want Me”

Imagine being on the summit of your success and still being dwarfed by a rookie! Hard pill to swallow, right? But that is exactly what Rocky Balboa got from Thunderlips during their iconic stare down. Interestingly, the men who played the characters on screen, Sylvester Stallone and Hulk Hogan, had a similar curve.

By virtue of the Rocky franchise, Stallone was already a big name in Hollywood by then. Hogan, on the other hand, was starting to create ripples in pro wrestling. His appearance in Rocky III led to more fame for Hogan across the country. But it came at a tremendous cost for The Hulkster.

What price did Hulk Hogan pay for his role in Rocky III?

Yes, you read that right. Hogan had to pay a price for starring in the 1982 film. Though he got paid $15,000 for the role, he lost his job in the WWE. Rather, he was admittedly fired by Vince McMahon Sr for his Hollywood adventures. Speaking to Full Send Podcast recently, the 69-year-old recalled how he landed the iconic role and the reactions that preceded it.

Before Vincent Kennedy McMahon hit the jackpot with WWE, his father ruled the promotion with an iron fist. Unlike Vince, his old man was strict about mixing businesses. That is also the reason why so many modern-day superstars land film roles while keeping their jobs in WWE safe. Unfortunately for Hogan, Vince Sr. warned him against signing the movie contract.

“They told me that if you go do the movie, you’re going to be fired and you’ll never work here again,” Hogan said. “They just didn’t want me (to do Rocky 3), they had plans for me and they were trying to groom me and get me to fit into this pocket they wanted me in,” he added.

After leaving WWE following his Hollywood adventure, Hogan was later hired by the WWE and the rest is history. But he also made a shocking revelation about his time in the promotion during the chat.

Hogan talks about his wrestling popularity

Hogan’s popularity with WWE is well known. The Hulkster became a household name and WWE’s poster boy in the 1980s.

Read More: “I Said Get Her Out of Here”: Hulk Hogan Almost Fainted After His Japanese Friend, Whom He Dated for 3 Years, Started Crying Before His Parents

Yet, he said his popularity in Japan was unparalleled. “I had a deal in Japan, I was more popular in Japan than I was here,” he said. “I got to actually wrestle over there. It wasn’t like the ear stuff you know. I get to actually get down and wrestle,” the 6-time WWE World Champion said.

Do you agree with Hogan’s sentiment? Also, tell us what you think about the price he had to pay for Rocky III, in the comments.

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