Ric Flair Recalls Helping Bring Hulk Hogan to WCW

When Hulk Hogan left WWE in 1994 after years as one of its biggest attractions, the wrestling world was stunned. His next move was equally shocking — a jump to WCW, where he immediately entered a high-profile feud with Ric Flair.

The Orlando Meeting That Changed Wrestling

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show following Hogan’s passing, Flair reflected on his role in making that transition happen. According to “The Nature Boy,” it started while Hogan was in Orlando filming Thunder in Paradise. Flair brought him to meet WCW boss Eric Bischoff, and the negotiations quickly fell into place.

“Hulk always had smart people around him — Peter Young, Henry Holmes — and they struck a great deal,” Flair said. “All I wanted was the chance to work with him. He trusted me to bring him into WCW, and that meant a lot.”

Chemistry in the Ring

Flair praised their in-ring connection. “It wasn’t like the magic I had with Ricky Steamboat, but I’ve always known how to make big guys look good. With Hogan, it clicked,” he explained. Unlike his rough encounters with Bruiser Brody, working with Hogan was about performance, not survival. “And he wasn’t shy about the blade, which I’ve always believed in,” Flair added with a grin.

Hogan’s Heel Turn and the nWo Legacy

One of the defining moments of Hogan’s WCW run came two years later — his heel turn and the creation of the New World Order. Flair believes that moment helped trigger wrestling’s “second boom.”

“Anything Hulk touched worked. He was that over,” Flair said, recalling how some in the business called Hogan “the golden goose.”

When asked if John Cena turning heel could ever match Hogan’s moment, Flair was doubtful. He compared Cena to Ricky Steamboat — a figure fans naturally want to cheer. Hogan, he noted, could convincingly play the villain because he had an edge, shaped by years of defending his spot at the top.

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