Throwback to Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts’ versions of why Vince McMahon rejected their feud (2024)

WWE Legends Hulk Hogan and Jake Roberts were supposed to have a feud back in the day. However, WWE chairman Vince McMahon had rejected this budding rivalry and both legends have their own versions of why McMahon did that.

Hulk Hogan and Jake Roberts (PC: X)

Almost 40 years back, in 1986, WWE legends Hulk Hogan and Jake “The Snake” Roberts were supposed to have a high profile and intense feud on TV. But surprisingly, the former WWE chairman, Vince McMahon canceled this budding rivalry and both veterans gave their own contrasting versions of why this had happened.

Hulk Hogan’s version

During an interview with Sky News Radio in 2013, Hogan gave his rendition of his feud with Roberts getting squashed. According to him, there was no chemistry between the two and something just was not clicking.

Hogan’s words, “There were several guys where there would be a feel in the ring, or you could tell right away. That’s how everything worked with me. I had to hear it and feel it with the instinct thing…We went to Providence, and we worked one night, and that was pretty much it. It was like we were at a funeral. I just realized that something wasn’t clicking, and we kind of moved on and moved past it. I don’t know what it was.”

Hogan also added that his and Roberts’ styles of wrestling were very different. He did not want to stretch the feud for 6 months to a year when they were just not compatible with one another, unlike others like “Macho Man” Randy Savage who was on a hot trail.

Advertisem*nt

Alaya - Floral Motif Ruffle Dress - White

Alanna - Floral Motif Dress - White

Alice - Floral Printed Maxi Dress - Pink

Alexia - Short Ruffle Sleeve Dress - Coral

Aurelia - Patch Work Shirt - Multicolor

Ambrosia - Short Ruffle Sleeve Dress - Jade

Ava - Printed Mini Dress - Mauve…

Ava - Printed Mini Dress - Blue

Alice - Floral Printed Maxi Dress - Blue

Aurelia - Patch Work Pant - Multicolor

Aurora - Floral Printed Maxi Dress - White

Ava - Printed Midi Dress - Blue

See Also

I Tested the Zombie Hulk Action Figure and It's a Must-Have for Every Collector!

Shop Now

Jake Roberts’ version

While giving an interview, Jake Roberts had an alternate version of describing the reason for his feud with Hogan was stopped. He revealed that the audience was chanting DDT (Roberts’ finisher) and Vince McMahon didn’t like that as Hulk Hogan was their golden goose.

Hogan was a babyface while Roberts portrayed the heel but the audience was reversing their roles. According to him, his style of wrestling and selling were behind this.

Jake’s words, “The people turned me babyface. My mistake as a heel was that I didn’t do enough ‘chicken’ stuff… I would take a beating, but I never cowered off. What happens is that people turn you babyface because if you take a beating but never cower off, people respect you. That was my mistake. If I’d done more chicken stuff, I could have stayed a heel.”

In another interview done back in 2017, he jokingly emphasized this fact again saying, “They tried to put me with Hogan, but you fans screwed me with that when you guys started chanting, ‘DDT DDT!’ after I dropped him.”

Vince turned to him and said “It’s not gonna happen…That’s going to screw with our marketing.

And that was the end of the feud.

Roberts revealed that he then became the fluffer for Hogan, getting beat by his next potential opponent and getting them the leverage. He never got a title belt again but his addictions were a part of that as well.

Regardless of that, both legends were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, with the Hulkster being inducted twice in 2005 and again in 2020 as a part of nWo. Jake “The Snake” Roberts, on the other hand, was inducted in 2014 and is also credited as a legendary figure much like Hulk Hogan.

ALSO READ:Hulk Hogan Net Worth - How much is the WWE hall of famer Hulk Hogan Worth as of 2023?