14 DAY TRIAL // Hulk Hogan is finally touring Australia for the first time, in what is a joyous event both for his fans and for the wrestler himself, as he made it a point of saying in recent interviews. However, during a press conference the other day, things were far from joyous, as Hulk and ring rival Ric Flair got into a very violent altercation that ended with Hogan being carried out all bloodied, the Daily Telegraph says.
Granted, many are inclined to believe that the entire “incident” was just a fake meant to garner more publicity for the event, as is customary with many wrestling events for that matter. The blood was fake, the brawl staged and few are those who actually buy it, they say on both dedicated forums and celebrity blogs and magazines. Still, journalists on the scene vouch there was nothing staged about the whole thing – quite on the contrary.
“The press conference veered violently out of control today as Hogan and ring rival Ric Flair let their animosity break into a full-scale bloody brawl. Sydney Central’s photographer Phil Rogers has his flash broken when Flair threw a table off the stage and into the press gathering before diving on photographers,” the Daily Telegraph writes of the altercation before moving on to the really gory details of how Flair busted Hogan’s head open with a table.
“Media were stunned as Hogan’s head began bleeding profusely and confusion broke out when the veteran wrestling star was unable to get to his feet. Journalists narrowly missed being struck with the table and photographers ducked and weaved as Flair took off his trouser belt and began to whip anyone within range. The press conference began well with the stars of the tour speaking professionally about their careers and the business,” says the aforementioned publication.
In all fairness, photos taken on the scene do show Hulk Hogan on the floor, as his people are trying to make him regain balance and stand upright. They also show him being escorted out of the venue, shirt and face almost entirely covered in blood. Whether the blood and the fight itself were real is anybody’s guess at this point, though.