Eric Bischoff Responds to CM Punk’s Dig at Hulk Hogan on WWE RAW

CM Punk stirred up controversy on the January 20 episode of WWE RAW when he took a direct shot at Hulk Hogan during a fiery promo. Punk boldly claimed he would “kill Hulkamania” and eliminate Hogan’s “dusty a**” if the WWE legend decided to enter the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble match.


This came just two weeks after Hogan’s appearance on RAW’s Netflix premiere on January 6, where he was met with loud boos from the crowd. The negative reaction raised questions about Hogan’s current standing among WWE fans. Eric Bischoff, a longtime friend of Hogan and former WCW President, weighed in on the situation and questioned whether Punk was making the right move by targeting the WWE Hall of Famer.

Eric Bischoff on Punk’s Strategy

Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff suggested that Punk might be misreading the situation. He pointed out that Hogan has a history of regaining fan support, even when it seemed unlikely.


"I will argue that if Punk thinks he's going to get himself over as a babyface by taking shots at Hulk, creatively speaking in this scenario, because that's what we're talking about here, he might find himself surprised. That's happened before. Ask Rock. The situation is different here, obviously, but I think people are still reading way too much into one appearance and one reaction when I personally see other appearances and other reactions. They're the exact opposites."


Bischoff referred to Hogan’s iconic match against The Rock at WrestleMania 18 in 2002. Despite being the heel, Hogan won over the crowd, and by the end of the match, he had turned babyface again. Bischoff’s point was that fan reactions can be unpredictable, and Punk might not get the response he expects from targeting Hogan.

Does Hogan Still Have a Loyal Fanbase?

Hulk Hogan has remained a controversial figure in wrestling. In 2015, he faced major backlash after audio leaked of him using racist language. More recently, in 2024, he drew criticism for publicly supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. While these incidents have hurt his reputation, Hogan still has his supporters.


"So, we'll see. I could be wrong. I'm biased, I'm not gonna lie. I don't hide it like some people do. Yeah, Hulk's one of my best friends and I wanna see him happy and I wanna see him successful, and I think people need to be aware that there's still a pretty big fanbase for Hulk Hogan. Maybe not in LA, but in a lot of other places.”


Hogan was set to appear at Saturday Night’s Main Event on January 25 but missed the show due to his responsibility towards his family. With Punk’s comments sparking debate and Bischoff defending his friend, it remains to be seen if this will develop into something bigger in WWE. One thing is certain, Hogan’s legacy still gets people talking.


Also Read: CM Punk's Unscripted WWE Promo On Hulk Hogan Had An Entirely Different Outcome Backstage