Hulk Hogan Looks Back On Invading Territories With WWE's Vince McMahon

Before Hulkamania truly ran wild, Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon would have to convince many that they could turn the WWF into a global player, and create a roster that people all over the world would want to watch. According to Hogan on the "PBD Podcast," McMahon sent him out to the territories as an emissary of sorts to convince the biggest names in wrestling to join them.

Hogan explained that he and McMahon would drive up interest for him in a location for four or five weeks before he'd personally show up to sell out a show. "So, Vince stayed in the office, and I went to these places where nobody was supposed to cross these lines as far as respect goes," he explained. Hogan noted that the act of disrespect got him a lot of heat from both promoters and wrestlers, who wanted to beat him up, but in the end, he won them over. "I was young enough and crazy enough to do that back then."

Hogan then said that Vince McMahon Sr. wasn't aware of the lengths he and McMahon went to, and that McMahon said his father would've been rolling in his grave if he ever knew. "Vince Sr. was very respectful of those relationships, like his main attraction at the time was Andre the Giant," Hogan recalled. "When Vince and I got together and decided to take over all the territories and do this global juggernaut theory that we had. If Vince Sr. would've known about it, he would have killed both of us."

Hogan was then asked if the things he and McMahon were doing was akin to the Italian Mob breaking the law of Omertà, which the "Hulkster" noted was similar to an extent. "Back then, when we crossed all these imaginary lines and broke all these handshakes, it was a mob mentality that we 'have to stop these two clowns,'" he claimed. Hogan also recalled how the industry has changed significantly, claiming he had his leg broken during his first day training back in the '70s.

Despite the initial backlash, Hogan claims that big stars like Dusty Rhodes, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and the Junkyard Dog all began to flock to him and McMahon in order to get a slice of the pie.

"It was kind of weird for me because I love Dusty so much, I was the main event in Madison Square Garden, it was hard to watch my idol be like the second or third match on the card," he recalled, suggesting that McMahon put him at the top due to their original dealings.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "PBD Podcast" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.