2:41 PM EST

 
 
In an exclusive interview with THE UK SUN (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/article808724.ece ), Hulk Hogan is claiming he and Eric Bischoff are starting a new wrestling promotion to compete with Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment ... and the claim is, they're starting in a few days!
 
In an article entitled HULK HOGAN TO START WWE RIVAL, The Hulkster claims:
 

•  “Last night me and Eric were getting ready to sign a deal with one of the TV networks here in America. We had a little bit of a problem with the licensing and merchandising, which has delayed it."

• “But I totally expect we’re going to sign the TV portion of this very soon, because there’s no point in starting any sort of wrestling organization without the TV locked in place."

•  “Now we’re just arguing among the lawyers on how to protect the brand and the image and make sure it’s a fair deal for everybody. Once we’ve wrapped the TV up we’ll make the official announcement. The network want to make a really big deal of it.”

• “The basic idea will be the same as WWE, but I pray to God it’s nothing like what’s on TV now. I’m a fan, but it is pretty boring programming. It’s watered down and unexciting, and the viewer doesn’t have any option except to have it shoved down his throat.  We’re going to have a lot of back story for viewers to understand why these people are doing what they're doing. It won’t be family members in the back writing storylines on things they know nothing about.”

• “There are a lot of unhappy campers in the WWE and there are also a new breed of wrestlers that Vince McMahon hasn’t explored yet, that we have. And I’m in better shape than I have been for about 10 years.”

• “I have no idea what Vince thinks or knows about all of this. I don’t speak to him.”

So ... the big question, since this comes about almost every year with Hogan, is ... REAL? Or just posturing so Hogan has leverage in a late negotiation over Wrestlemania? In a few days, it'll be apparent which one.

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