Hulk Hogan’s Failed Celebrity Wrestling TV Show, Explained

The world of professional wrestling is hard-hitting and unforgiving, with every athlete’s time limited inside the ring. Once every wrestling star finishes their in-ring career and hangs up their boots, they move on to other endeavors, sometimes inside the industry and often outside of it. One such post-retirement wrestling-related venture was started by one of the industry’s most legendary artists, The Immortal. Hulk Hogan.

In the world of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan is one of the biggest names. His career spanned over four decades and he became a household name among wrestling fans around the world. Plus, Hogan’s non-wrestling involvement with the business through sporadic appearances and his social media presence make him nearly as relevant as he was in his prime.

With his larger-than-life personality and in-ring skills, it’s no surprise that Hogan wanted to expand his reach in the television world. Unfortunately, his attempt to do so with the Celebrity Championship Wrestling The TV show turned out to be a massive failure. So let’s explore the topic of The Hulkster TV show that failed to live up to expectations.

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What is Celebrity Championship Wrestling?

THE Celebrity Championship Wrestling The television show aired on CMT in October 2008 and was co-produced by Hulk Hogan and Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment. The premise of the show was to take a group of celebrities, who had little or no wrestling experience, and train them to become professional wrestlers. Celebrities featured on the show included Todd Bridges, Trishelle Cannatella, Dustin Diamond, Danny Bonaduce, Eric Esch, Erin Murphy, Dennis Rodman, Frank Stallone, Tiffany Darwish and Nikki Ziering.

Hulk Hogan would serve as a mentor to celebrities, guiding them through the process of learning wrestling and ultimately helping them create their own wrestling personas. In addition to his mentorship duties, Hulk Hogan was also on the judging panel alongside fellow wrestling legends Eric Bischoff and Jimmy Hart. Additionally, the show also saw guest appearances from stars like Rob Van Dam, Brutus Beefcake, and Bill Goldberg.

Hulk Hogan failed with ‘Celebrity Championship Wrestling’

The show received poor ratings and famous wrestlers were criticized for their lack of skill and athleticism in the ring. Many wrestling fans felt the show was a slap in the face for the hard-working men and women who had spent years honing their craft in the ring. One of the show’s biggest problems was the lack of actual wrestling. Celebrities had very little time to perform in the ring, and when they did, it was clear they hadn’t had enough time to learn the necessary skills. Many matches were sloppy and uncoordinated, which left the audience disappointed.

Another problem with the show was the choice of celebrities. While some of the contestants were recognizable names, like Dennis Rodman and Frank Stallone, many of them were unknowns. This made it difficult for audiences to invest in their storylines, and it also made it harder for the show to generate buzz.

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Perhaps the show’s biggest problem was Hulk Hogan himself. While he was supposed to mentor famous wrestlers, he often came across as arrogant and self-centered. He frequently spoke about his own wrestling accomplishments and often upstaged the celebrities he was supposed to help. This made it difficult for audiences to root for the contestants, as they were constantly overshadowed by Hogan’s larger-than-life personality.

Despite these issues, the series managed to generate some buzz, but not for the reasons the producers hoped. One of the show’s most memorable moments came when one of the contestants, Dustin Diamond, got into a physical altercation with another contestant, Ron Jeremy. The fight quickly became the topic of conversation on the internet, with many people tuning in just to see what would happen next.

Ultimately, the Celebrity Championship Wrestling The television show was a failure. It only lasted one season before it was canceled, and it left a bad taste in the mouths of many wrestling fans.

Consequently, the show was little more than a vanity project for Hulk Hogan, who was trying to expand his reach in the television world. However, his lack of focus on actual wrestling, combined with his bossy personality, ultimately led to the show’s downfall. While Hogan remains one of the biggest names in wrestling, the Celebrity Championship Wrestling The TV show serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of trying to stretch your reach too far.