JRE #2024 – Hulk Hogan

23-Aug-23

This episode of the Joe Rogan podcast features the iconic wrestler, Hulk Hogan, discussing a wide range of topics, from his incredible career in professional wrestling to his current venture into the cannabis and mushroom industry. The conversation touches upon the physical toll of wrestling, the evolution of the industry, and Hogan’s personal journey towards faith and wellness.

Major Topics

1. **Hulk Hogan’s Cannabis and Mushroom Venture:** Hogan dives into his latest business venture, Immortal by Hulk Hogan, a line of cannabis and mushroom products. He discusses his motivations, highlighting the potential for pain management and alternative wellness options.
2. **The Physical Toll of Professional Wrestling:** The conversation delves deep into the intense physical demands of professional wrestling, emphasizing the sheer amount of punishment Hogan has endured throughout his career. He details his numerous surgeries and the long recovery periods, sharing insights into the hidden struggles of wrestlers.
3. **The Evolution of Professional Wrestling:** Hogan compares the “old school” wrestling of his era to the modern, more athletic style, highlighting the differences in techniques, physicality, and the role of improvisation. He also discusses the “lost art form” of crowd engagement and reading the energy of a match, something he believes Brock Lesnar possesses.
4. **Brock Lesnar’s Transition to UFC:** Rogan and Hogan discuss Brock Lesnar’s remarkable transition from professional wrestling to becoming the UFC heavyweight champion, acknowledging his exceptional athleticism and genetic gifts. They also address the controversy surrounding Lesnar’s use of steroids and argue that his accomplishment is nonetheless extraordinary.
5. **The Importance of Crowd Engagement:** Hogan emphasizes the importance of crowd engagement and reading the energy of a match, describing it as a “lost art form.” He highlights wrestlers like Roddy Piper and Chris Jericho for their ability to adapt and engage with the audience.
6. **The Role of Improvisation in Wrestling:** While recognizing the predetermined nature of matches, Hogan emphasizes the significant role of improvisation and on-the-fly adjustments in wrestling. He details how experienced wrestlers can adapt to unexpected situations and work together effectively, even without prior discussion.
7. **The Physicality of Wrestling:** Hogan recounts his early experiences in the wrestling industry, emphasizing the sheer size and intensity of his opponents. He describes wrestling against Andre the Giant and other giants, highlighting the unique challenges of grappling with such formidable figures.
8. **Hulk Hogan’s Early Years:** Hogan shares his unconventional path to professional wrestling, revealing his early days as a musician and his experiences playing in various bands. He details his love for music and his desire to avoid a “real job.”
9. **The Importance of Physicality in Wrestling:** The conversation underscores the importance of physicality in professional wrestling, highlighting the sheer amount of punishment that Hogan and other wrestlers endure. He contrasts the physically demanding nature of his era with the more athletic, high-flying style of modern wrestling.
10. **The “Fake” Nature of Wrestling:** Hogan addresses the common misconception that professional wrestling is entirely fake. He explains that while the outcome of matches is predetermined, the physicality and the intensity are very real, causing significant injuries and requiring rigorous training and preparation.
11. **Hulk Hogan’s Role in Rocky III:** Hogan reflects on his role in Rocky III, describing the intense training and the physicality of the fight scenes. He discusses the impact of the film on his career and the challenges he faced, including being fired by Vince McMahon Sr.
12. **The Importance of Physical Conditioning:** Hogan emphasizes the importance of physical conditioning in professional wrestling. He recounts his rigorous training regimen and the importance of maintaining his physique, even after numerous surgeries. He discusses the physical toll of his career and the importance of staying active.
13. **Stem Cell Therapy:** Hogan discusses his experiences with stem cell therapy, highlighting the benefits and challenges he has encountered. He expresses his frustration with the limitations of stem cell treatment in the United States and argues for greater accessibility to this potentially life-changing therapy.
14. **The Opioid Crisis:** Hogan shares his harrowing experience with fentanyl, describing its devastating effects and the near-fatal consequences he faced. He advocates for alternative pain management solutions and emphasizes the need to address the opioid crisis, particularly for those with severe injuries.
15. **The Importance of CBD:** Hogan discusses the benefits of CBD, particularly for pain management and overall wellness. He describes how CBD has helped him cope with the physical toll of his career and encourages listeners to explore its potential benefits.
16. **The Importance of Mental Toughness:** The conversation explores the importance of mental toughness in professional wrestling. Hogan emphasizes the mental fortitude required to endure the physical and emotional demands of the industry. He shares his own experiences and the challenges he has faced, highlighting the importance of resilience and perseverance.
17. **The Impact of Social Media:** The conversation touches upon the impact of social media, particularly on young people. Hogan expresses his concern about the potential for social media to negatively affect mental health and the growing problem of self-harm and suicide among young girls. He argues for responsible use and a greater awareness of the potential downsides of social media.
18. **The Importance of Faith:** Hogan discusses his personal journey toward faith, detailing his experiences with the Southern Baptist Church and his ongoing spiritual development. He emphasizes the importance of faith in providing peace and direction in life.
19. **The Law of Attraction:** Hogan explores the concept of the law of attraction, discussing the power of positive thinking and its impact on achieving goals. He shares his own experiences with the law of attraction and the importance of maintaining a positive mindset.
20. **The Importance of Perseverance:** The conversation highlights the importance of perseverance in pursuing dreams. Hogan recounts his own experiences, emphasizing the years of hard work and dedication required to achieve success in professional wrestling. He encourages listeners to embrace the challenges and never give up on their aspirations.

5 Memorable Quotes

• “I’ve had 25 surgeries in the last 10 years. So when people say, hey, you know, the wrestling’s fake, it goes right up my ass because at the end of the day, it’s predetermined. If you’re an IRS, I’m going to tell us who’s going to win a lose. But all that stuff that happens in the middle, it hurts.”
• “I always said that if that guy, like fresh out of college, like if we were in a different era, like if he’s coming fresh out of college today, and someone like Farassa Hobby or Henry Oof Like if we were in a different era, like if he’s coming fresh out of college today and someone like for us a hobby or you know Henry moved like some top flight MMA instructor gets ahold of him As a young man and teaches him how to really teach us him how to strike Where you know he’s comfortable and he can move just like like elite guys of today Fuck he would have been unstoppable. He’s a monster brother. He’s a monster and he can move just like, like, elite guys of today. Fuck. He would have been unstoppable. He’s a monster, brother. He’s a monster. He still is, still is.”
• “I mean, I don’t know what permanent damage he suffered. But by the way, he went from that to fight the ufc yeah he fought in the ufc after that which is insane why got him i got him first when he came back from the fc okay and i was kind of like winded down putting guys over and do my thing and then so i should work with brock i went okay well i knew his buddy brad rigens who is the with the monsori was the coach the olympic team several years back. And so when Brock was in high school, we had heard him. We kept an eye on him, you know, but when he came back from UFC, they gave him to me first and he was really intense brother. You know, he was really intense. So my whole thing is we always grabbed somebody and squeezed him to give him the office. Like if we got my head and you’re about to break my them to give me the office like if we got my head you’re about to break my neck Give me the office, right? No, you know Squeeze the piss out of me giving in the office of finally I just started calling him broccoli Now I said broccoli I got him to laugh a little bit of something tell you something if you keep hurting me in here If you don’t loosen up on the old man here, I’m gonna make you look really really bad because you can be in here by yourself You know nice to tease him all thetime because he’s a really good friend, you know. And so when I got him first, he was really, really intense and now he’s like, he’s sort of going to be one of the best workers this business has ever seen. Yeah. I mean, he brother, he draws money, he back pedals, he sells, he’s got instinct, he’s, you know, got placement, he knows where he’s at. He listens like you don’t have to tell him what to do. You don’t have to have a right to write the match out. He goes out and listens to the crowd with his mind and his heart. You know and it’s something that’s a lost art form. He’s gutted man so he turned he figured it out.”
• “That’s when Vince Jr. came back and said, hey, brother, you know, I want you to come back to New York. And we had a talk. He came to my house in Minnesota at five in the morning. We shook hands and we did that whole worldwide takeover. Vince called the shots and I went out and did the dirty work flying around and going in all these places I shouldn’t go.”
• “I mean, so I know when I kick the buck of my stuff’s going to go through the roof. Oh, through the roof. Yeah. But yeah, it’s, I mean, I stay busy with all kind of craziness, man.”