Photo Credit: Hulk Hogan’s Instagram
Hulk Hogan officially retired from professional wrestling in-ring in January 2012, with his final match taking place in TNA. Despite being one of the greatest attractions of the business, The Hulkster never had an official retirement match neither in WWE nor in TNA.
In the twilight of his career, Hogan wrestled for TNA sporadically while playing on-screen roles most of the time. However, his final WWE match dates back to 2006 when he collided with Randy Orton at SummerSlam. He won the bout. Unlike the likes of Triple H, The Undertaker, or Rice Flair, WWE didn’t promote the match as his farewell.
Hogan’s WWE contract expired shortly after the match. While he faced The Rock at WrestleMania once, there was once a rumor of doing the same against John Cena, but the dream match never happened in the squared circle. Given that the leader of Cenation was in his prime, he could have been the perfect choice to bid Hogan farewell, pushing him to retirement.
Hulk Hogan’s Retirement Age
Hulk Hogan is presently 71 years old. Competing in his last match in 2012, he has been retired from in-ring actions for 12 years, meaning his retirement age was 59.
Given Hogan was away from WWE during the twilight of his in-ring career, he never received the desired retirement bout. Moreover, WWE’s product was rediscovering itself in the early 2010s with the emergence of the PG era, led by the sixteen-time WWE Champion, John Cena.
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Hence, WWE wasn’t the golden spot for him to wrestle in his last match. On top of it, Hogan and Vince McMahon’s relationship was strained at the time, as the latter was focused on building upcoming stars rather than pushing The Real American who was past his heyday and whose star power deteriorated.
Hogan’s On-Screen Appearances On WWE TV After In-Ring Retirement
Even though Hogan hung up his boots years back, he didn’t remain out of the spotlight. He re-signed with WWE following his TNA stint, making special appearances in big pay-per-views such as WrestleMania or Crown Jewel. Seeing him share the ring in a segment with The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin was surreal to wrestling fans at WrestleMania 30.
In the following WrestleMania, he actively participated in the high-profile match between Sting and Triple H, which was a subtle contest between WWE and WCW, even years after the death of the defunct promotion.
DX emerged in support of Hunter, while Hulk Hogan, dressed up as the Hollywood Hogan, showed allegiance to his former WCW peer, Sting. Despite a valiant effort from The Icon, Triple H was victorious, ending it once and for all.
The Hall of Famer eventually made limited appearances here and there. For instance, he made a one-off appearance alongside the host Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania 35. In the star-studded match at Crown Jewel 2019, he mentored his Team Hogan to win against Team Ric Flair. In recent years, due to his age, he made his presence felt only a handful of times.
Some Big Names Could Have Been Hulk Hogan’s Final Opponent
Hulk Hogan’s final wrestling match could have been better than a house show in TNA. Had he pondered about getting a proper retirement, the promotion consisted of several incredible talents who could have made it.
The likes of AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, Samosa Joe, Austin Aries, Bobby Roode, and even Sting were included in the TNA roster at the time he competed. Therefore, either of these renowned stars could have been a respectable last opponent for The Hulkster.
In contrast, had he considered WWE as his retirement place, he would have left with an abundance of options. Legendary wrestling figures such as The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Bray Wyatt, and CM Punk were central figures of the promotion in the early 2010s, and any of them could have been a tough rival in his final match, paying homage to his unparalleled legacy in the squared circle.
At 71, it would not be a wise idea for him to wrestle. However, in 2023, in an interview on MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Hulk Hogan stated he was willing to have a retirement match on a big stage like WrestleMania, citing Stone Cold Steve Austin as his dream retirement opponent.
Avik Das is an English Literature graduate with an experience of over six years as a professional writer. He has written for renowned publications such as The Sportster, Sportskeeda, Pinkvilla, and The Things
