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PWINSIDER Q&A: HULK HOGAN, THE BIG GOLD BELT, CHOKESLAMS AND MORE

Answered: 4/3

I’m a huge fan of the classic All Japan Women’s Wrestling promotion from the 1980’s and 1990’s, I’ve noticed that in several of the DVD’s I own, there’s been several retirement ceremonies for many of the ladies – who don’t appear to be more than 25, 26 years old. Was there a rule that they had to retire at a certain age? I’m also confused because one of the ladies was Chigusa Nagayo, yet, I saw her wrestle again in 2004, 2005. Why would some ladies be forced to retire, yet allowed to come back?

At one point, there was a "mandatory retirement age" for female performers in Japan, as All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling, at the time the largest women's wrestling company in the world, forced performers to retired at the age of 26.  In the 1990's, they (thankfully) dropped that policy, and many women who had retired, like Chigusa, returned to action.  And of course, like male wrestlers, there are a lot of performers who "retire" only to return again and again. 

How come Hogan was at the Raw anniversary in December yet seems to be in the company's ignore book again as he's not at Wrestlemania? Did WWE book Hogan on RAW or was it NBC's intervention? Was there any backstage issue with Hogan and Vince? I thought with how the Khali, Hogan segment played out it looked like they may have made amends and there would of been a possible match. Is it because Vince wants more of a commitment from Hogan rather than the random one off shows like he said on Hogan Knows Best? I just don't get how he was at Raw and now he's ignored again...

Hulk Hogan's appearance at the Raw anniversary special was in large part a cross-promotion for American Gladiators on NBC, as USA Network is under the NBC Universal umbrella.  The only real issues with Hogan these days is his asking price, which WWE obviously doesn't feel is worth it to bring him in and whether he really brings anything to the table for WWE at this point.

With the amazing send of Ric Flair has gotten, do you think WWE will send Hogan off in the same way or has he burned too many bridges in the industry for this to happen? Do you think Hogan has wrestled his last match, remember he is 5 years younger than Flair.

I absolutely don't think Hulk Hogan has wrestled his last match yet.  As for getting the Ric Flair sendoff, I tend to doubt it.  Mainly because I don't think anyone will ever actually believe that Hogan is retiring for good. 

I'm a bit confused. I've seen the "Big Gold Belt" of the late '80s/early '90s being advertised as an NWA world title belt. I know it was at one time the WCW belt, and I know of the NWA title belt design that Shane Douglas threw down in ECW. So my question is, can you explain the evolution of the traditional title belt into the Big Gold Belt and back again, or was there never any such thing? Was the "Big Gold Belt" ever the actual NWA world title belt, or did it just overlap during WCW's time in NWA?

Basically, in 1985, a decision was made to create a new NWA World Title belt, so the "Big Gold Belt" was made and the old school NWA belt was retired.  When Flair left WCW for the WWF, he took the belt with him, as WCW Vice President Jim Herd didn't give him back his deposit on the belt (the champion was obligated to leave a deposit on the belt in the event he lost it, stole it, etc.).  The NWA eventually got the belt back and used it when they revived the title with New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1992.  Then WCW obtained it when they worked with the NWA again, and eventually renamed the belt the "WCW International World Title" and then later combined it with the WCW World Title, keeping the "Big Gold Belt" as the title belt. From what I understand, Hulk Hogan actually has the original now, as he took it with him following the Vince Russo-Bash At The Beach incident, and replicas were used for the rest of WCW's run.  WWE later brought back the "Big Gold Belt", but on their version, there is a WWE logo on it. 

With Big Show back at the WWE we got three wrestlers (him, Undertaker, Kane), who use the chokeslam as a finishing move. In my opinion this takes away the feel of their finisher being something special. I think The Undertaker should use is tombstone instead and Big Show used to have his "own" so why doesn't he use that one again? You thoughts?

The chokeslam has become a very popular "big man's move" so I don't have a problem with more than one wrestler using it as a finisher.  In the case of the Undertaker, he has three other finishers (tombstone, Last Ride, gogoplata) and Big Show still pulls out a cobra clutch and the Showstopper, so Kane is really the only one who is limited to only the chokeslam as a finisher. 

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