For superhero comic book fans, Hulk Hogan‘s name could surely ring a bell. Turns out, the wrestler’s kayfabe name had a problem related to a comic entity that shared a similar name. Because of the similarity, WWE and Marvel entered a conflict over Hogan’s first name. Moreover, what started as a ‘name’ conflict also questioned WWE’s portrayal of the wrestler’s gimmick and how it resembled ‘The Incredible Hulk’ in some ways.

Although some fans would have considered the issue to be a small one, turns out it became a huge deal for both parties. Little did those fans know that the conflict would stretch over 20 years. In a recent interview, The Hulkster even revealed how things cooled down and he eventually made a ‘profit’.

Hulk Hogan considers his last deal with Marvel to be a win

Hulk Hogan recently sat down with Theo Von. The two chatted about various topics. And when Hogan started talking about how he got his iconic name, he also discussed a problem that it came with. The idea for the name ‘Hulk Hogan’ was pitched by Vincent J. McMahon. After the promoter passed away in 1984 and Vince Kennedy McMahon took over, the real issue came to light.

Marvel threatened to sue them for infringing their character. However, they still let them use the name without a license for a small amount of fee to be paid every year for 20 years. Things took a turn 20 years later.

In 2005, when Hogan returned to WWE and was enjoying one last run at the top, Marvel stopped the leverage they had given to the wrestling company. Following this drama, Hogan was blocked from using his first name. When the two parties took the case to court, they were fighting for a fine of $35 Million.

In the end, Hogan recalled that Marvel lost and owed Vince McMahon a multi-million fine. However, they denied paying the fine.

“They said ‘No, instead of paying 35 Million dollars how about if we give you the Hulk Hogan name?’ And I heard about it and I went, ‘You guys screwed up now. Because now I don’t have to pay 35 Million dollars for the name, you have to sell it to me at a fair market value. Which is only like 750 grand.’ Yeah, so I bought the name back then. Vince wanted to buy the name for me. I’m like ‘Nah, I think I got this,’” recalled The Hulkster more than half a decade after winning his wrestling name back.

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Marvel losing the legal case helped both WWE and Hulk Hogan personally. The WWE Hall of Famer had to pay much less to gain the rights to his ring name. If the scenario had played out any differently, the wrestler would have had to adopt a new ring name after years of hard work.

It’s good for the wrestling legend that he got to keep the iconic name. However, in case of an alternative scenario, could Hogan’s career have been affected? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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