Latest news with #JonathanCoachman
Fox News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Ex-WWE broadcaster Jonathan Coachman recalls story behind Hulk Hogan's legendary WrestleMania X8 performance
The loss of WWE icon Hulk Hogan left many reminiscing about their favorite moments with him inside the ring, where his exuberant personality and athletic talent came to life in front of thousands. Jonathan Coachman, a former WWE broadcaster, spent time doing just that on OutKick's "Hot Mic," and the one match he brought up in particular was what some consider among the top 10 of all-time. It was the "Hulkster" against Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania X8. "I've only had probably three or four times my entire career, which spanned over a decade in WWE, where I walked out onto the floor. That one I wanted to be out there, and it was the most amazing 45 minutes of my career, watching the fans watch these two icons, and they changed the match because fans wanted to cheer for Hulk Hogan and boo The Rock," Coachman recalled. "So, it was such a unique time to see the Hulk, who physically wasn't where he needed to be and that was basically the stretch for him to even go that long in a match. It was a magical night, and I still look back on it as one of the highlights of my career." The match took place in Toronto at the SkyDome, where these two were the main attraction. The match was dubbed "Icon vs. Icon," and it was Hogan's first WrestleMania appearance since WrestleMania IX in 1993. The storyline at the time was The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin against New World Order, which consisted of Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. The Rock had challenged Hogan to a WrestleMania match, and Hogan shook his hand in agreement. However, The Rock's signature move, "Rock Bottom," came out instead of letting go of Hogan, leading to the feud that built up until the match came around in March 2002 north of the border. "That's what the wrestling business has always been: Building up to big moments. Building up to big spectacles and having them pay off," Coachman said. "And up until the mid '90s or late '90s, Hogan was really the guy above and beyond anybody else. As we got into the 2000s, things started to happen and there was good and there was bad. Being able to put that match together, and your words are awesome, because I wanted to feel it. I was part of so many big moments in my career, and my career was the attitude era and there was no better time." The crowd was electric throughout the night, and some even believed it to be one of the loudest pro wrestling crowds of all time as these two traded blows back and forth for more than a half hour. Coachman also said that it was The Rock who kept Hogan in it as long as they did. There was even some improvisation that needed to be done mid-match. "I don't know that the match would've ever happened because Rock was at his prime at that point. He had to give so much to Hogan to make that match believable," he said. "Then, what was so shocking, they had worked on that match for weeks. They even set up a ring in the hotel and we would rent it out for the entire week. They had worked on it for so many hours. "Then, to walk in the ring with 80,000 or however many people were there, they happened to completely switch it because there's certain things you can do as a good guy, you can't do as a bad guy and vice versa. For The Rock to stand there, and people watch the match, they barked at each other for 10 minutes. They weren't trash talking – Rock was telling him how to switch it up." In the end, The Rock came out victorious over Hogan, and Nash and Hall didn't like Hogan showing respect to Rock. Nash and Hall began to beat up on Hogan, who was effectively out of NWO at that point. The Rock ended up coming to Hogan's aid, and as a huge sign of respect, he asked Hogan to pose with him in the ring to salute the crowd. "To me, it's the pinnacle of what our business is," Coachman said. "I wrestled for three or four years. If I had to go 10 or 12 minutes, that was a long time for me. These guys, they held the crowd in the palm of their hand and that was the greatness of Hulk Hogan the character and Hulk Hogan the wrestler for so many years." Hogan died at 71 years old due to a suspected "cardiac arrest" at his home in Clearwater, Florida, according to TMZ Sports. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company wrote in a statement. "One of pop culture's most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. "WWE extends its condolences to Hogan's family, friends, and fans."
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The real reason WWE released R-Truth
The post The real reason WWE released R-Truth appeared first on ClutchPoints. The fact that WWE released the beloved R-Truth has not sat well with people — and the reason why may make fans even more mad. Advertisement According to a new Q&A from WrestleVotes (via Cultaholic Wrestling), it was a financial decision. While R-Truth was immensely popular with WWE fans before he was released, it wasn't enough to justify keeping him around. 'It's just a contract thing, it's a financial thing,' they reported. 'Truth for no reason than he's been around for a very long time [and] was making a lot of money. That's the main reason he's no longer a part of this company.' However, former WWE announcer Jonathan Coachman also discussed the situation (around the 14:50 mark). He alleges that R-Truth was given a lowball offer to stick around. 'I should put this out there because I had someone reach out to me. Reportedly, they did offer R-Truth a contract that was far less money than what he was making, and he decided to turn that down,' Coachman said. 'That's what somebody told me that's in the know. Whether or not that's true, I'm not sure.' Why would WWE release R-Truth? Even with the financial reasons laid out, it is hard to believe WWE would release R-Truth. He is incredibly popular with the fans, and they chanted for him during the June 2, 2025, edition of Monday Night RAW. Advertisement Perhaps he felt undervalued by the contract offer they gave him. He could always retire or join another promotion where his services would be wanted. R-Truth announced the news on Sunday, June 1, 2025, on X, formerly Twitter. He thanked the fans for their continued support throughout his career. 'I'm sorry to inform you all,' R-Truth's post began. 'I just got released from WWE. I want to thank WWE for the ride, but MOSTLY I want to thank each and [EVERY ONE] OF YOU who was along for the ride[.] Thank you for all the love, support, and appreciation you have given me over the years. Thank you [praying hands emoji].' His final high-profile match took place at the May 2025 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. R-Truth faced his 'childhood hero' John Cena in a non-title match. While he did his best, he was unable to defeat the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. Related: Mariah May breaks silence on leaving AEW for WWE Related: Kevin Love compares James Dolan to Vince McMahon after Tom Thibodeau firing
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rumor Roundup: WWE fans, Travis Scott flaking, Asuka, AEW injuries, more!
Speculating on the rumors surrounding pro wrestling is a favored pastime of many fans, perhaps second only to actually watching the matches. In this daily column, we take a look at the latest rumors being churned out by the pro wrestling rumor mill. Important reminder: Rumors are just that — rumors. None of this has been confirmed as fact, it's just circulating around the pro wrestling rumor mill. We track rumor accuracy in a weekly feature called Rumor Look Back you can find here. Remember, take it all with a grain of salt. Rumors for the Day: On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that people within WWE have actually suggested asking fans not to swear during TV shows. He would later add, however, that he doesn't expect it will actually happen. Jonathan Coachman is claiming on Behind the Turnbuckle that he is hearing Travis Scott 'flaked' on doing the tag team match with John Cena at Money in the Bank and he hasn't been training with Booker T. Per Fightful Select, there were creative discussions regarding Asuka at the beginning of the year but that was considered too early and it's still uncertain when she'll be cleared to return. The Observer notes that there are a lot of 'banged up' wrestlers in AEW coming out of Double or Nothing, including both the Young Bucks. PW Insider claims the decision on who should win the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final between Will Ospreay and Hangman Page wasn't finalized until hours before the show. They apparently went back-and-forth on it quite a bit before settling on Page. Fightful adds that the two wrestlers themselves pushed for the other to win. For what it's worth, Mick Foley told The Wrestling Classic that he had a secret meeting with MJF about a retirement match last year that never came to fruition. Foley said he loved the ideas MJF had for what would have been a six-week program. Advertisement If you have heard of any interesting rumors that you'd like to add, feel free to post them in the comments section below. Just remember they are rumors and not confirmed as fact, so please take them as such. And check our weekly Rumor Look Back here to keep track of how often rumors turn out to be correct. More from
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'She's Boring' Jonathan Coachman Shoots Down Embattled WWE Superstar
The wrestling business is so ruthless because the opinions on a performer are contingent on interesting, creative, and consistent booking. Even if a wrestler has an excellent idea for their character, it has to be approved by the proper channels and then make its way onto the card. The inverse is also true—think about all the times Vince McMahon shoved a performer down the audience's throats with a subpar gimmick that likely deserved half the television time they were receiving. According to former WWE commentator and personality Jonathan Coachman, there's one current marquee superstar he thinks has overstayed their welcome. Jonathan CoachmanGetty Images On a recent Behind the Turnbuckles interview, "Coach" went in on Bayley. "Bayley is done," Coach said. "She's washed up. She's boring. She's nothing—she's nothing anymore. She's been boring since day one. I just don't think she's ever sold a ticket for any rivalry that she's ever had." Coach went on to suggest Bayley's very public friendship with AEW's Mercedes Mone will affect her standing in the company. He even theorized she cares more about her relationship with Mone than her career. Advertisement Disliking Bayley is fine, but some of Coach's talking points were simply inaccurate. Even with a horrific entrance track, Bayley still gets a massive pop when she comes out. As a dastardly heel or pure babyface, she always generates a reaction from the crowd, which is half the battle. She's crisp in the ring and has always been a solid talker. This idea that she's "washed" is ludicrous. A feud with Becky Lynch would instantly increase her stock, and this analysis would be moot. Related: WWE Star Sends 'Brown Egg Head' Ricochet a Fiery Message on X Related: Potential Cody Rhodes Return Date Revealed
