Kevin Sullivan On Whether WWE Should Promote Hulk Hogan Championship Anniversary

The 40th anniversary of Hulk Hogan's first WWF World Heavyweight Championship victory is coming up on January 23, and there has yet to be any word on whether or not WWE intends to do anything to acknowledge the milestone. Speaking on a recent episode of "Tuesday with the Taskmaster," former WCW star Kevin Sullivan explained why he would be cautious about holding a major celebration for Hogan's title win.

"Wrestling wouldn't be wrestling if there was no Hulk Hogan," Sullivan said. "But the bad thing is, with everything going excellent for [WWE], ... do you want to take a chance on making a mistake and getting something coming back on you?"

Hogan has had his public image affected over the years by various scandals, including a leaked sex tape that also featured Hogan using a racial slur. According to Sullivan, it's very possible the company could face some blowback for celebrating the controversial figure, especially having just completed their merger with UFC and Paul "Triple H" Levesque taking full control over WWE's creative direction. Rather than making a big deal out of the anniversary, Sullivan suggested that WWE should simply put out a press release acknowledging the milestone.

The January 23, 1984 match took place between Hogan and The Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden in New York City. While it wasn't Hogan's first world title win, it was his biggest victory in the WWF up to that point and kicked off the wave of popularity known as Hulk-A-Mania. Following the win, Hogan would hold the company's world title for more than four years, one of the longest reigns in WWE history.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Tuesday with the Taskmaster" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.