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WWE legend Hulk Hogan is one of the most iconic wrestlers in WWE history, but Hulkamania nearly had a different look. On a recent episode of the podcast "The Stakscast with Erick Stakelbeck," Hogan explained that Vince McMahon Sr. wanted him to be an Irish superstar, red hair and all.
"He goes, 'well, I've got Pedro Morales for the Puerto Rican-Americans, and I've got Chief Jay Strongbow for the Native-Americans, Bruno Sammartino for the Italian-Americans. I want you instead of being Terry "The Hulk" Boulder, I want you to be Hulk Hogan for the Irish-Americans,'" Hogan explained. "'Now here's two bottles of red dye to dye your hair red.'"
Hogan knew the idea would mean the end of what little hair he had "I'm going bald headed as it is, if I put this red dye in my hair, the party's over."
After consulting with his manager and mentor, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Hogan dumped the dye down a drain at a Holiday Inn. Blassie thought that disobeying McMahon's suggestion would surely get Hogan fired, but fortunately, that was not the case, "When I went back to see Vince McMahon for TV the next day, my hair wasn't ready, he goes: oh, don't worry about it, you're fine. And he just let it go."
Hogan went on to have a lengthy WWE career, one which he says took a detrimental toll on his body.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Stakscast with Erick Stakelbeck" with a H/T to Wrestle Inc. for the transcription.