The following is from the PWTorch Newsletter:
“For many fans, the quality of effort Shawn Michaels put into his match with Hulk Hogan likely gave the impression that he was thrilled to have the opportunity to work such a match. In reality, however, negotiations with Hulk Hogan brought the RAW superstar to a point of disgust.”
The newsletter goes on to say that with Hogan’s contract giving him creative control, and Michaels agreeing to the match before working out a finish with Hogan (ignoring friends’ advice due to thinking he was powerful enough to battle Hogan re: backstage politics), a clean victory for Hogan was the only possibility. A two-match program was discussed, but Hogan wanted to win both (the first at Summerslam, and a second in a cage at Unforgiven that would have Hogan just beating Michaels out of the cage door, as Michaels came off the top), so Shawn stuck with a one-match agreement. Shawn wanted a DQ finish, which wasn’t considered, as Vince made it clear Hogan had creative control.
PWTorch says that HBK’s sarcastic promo on RAW this week was his way of venting frustration and mocking Hogan as having “superior” in-ring skills that were impossible to withstand.
Credit: PWTorch Newsletter (click here for subscription information)
