Dave Meltzer shares untold backstage story from Hogan vs Michaels Match in SummerSlam 2005

Overview

• Hulk Hogan faced Shawn Michaels in SummerSlam 2005.

• Veteran wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer shared the behind-the-scenes story of that encounter.

• According to Meltzer, Hogan and Michaels were not getting along at the time.

SummerSlam 2005 featured one of the most infamous and controversial matches in WWE history, as Hulk Hogan faced Shawn Michaels. On a tribute episode of Talk Is Jericho, veteran wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer shared the behind-the-scenes story of that encounter.

Also Read: “Profoundly Disappointed” – Karrion Kross Opens Up on WWE Exit

According to Meltzer, Hogan and Michaels were not getting along at the time. “Those two, at that point did not get along, because I think Shawn thought that at this point he was Hogan’s equal,” Meltzer said. “Because Shawn’s one of the greatest wrestlers in the ring there’s ever been, and a superstar, right?… And Hogan saw Shawn as the Midnight Rocker… a little guy.”

"It’s a famous match because Shawn oversells to this comedic point” - Meltzer

The disagreement extended to the match outcome. “They fought back and forth. Shawn want to win the first one. ‘We’ll set up a second one. You can win the second one.’ Hogan goes, ‘we can do two, but I’m winning both. So of course, you can imagine how that made Shawn feel, right? So they’re having problems,” Meltzer stated.

Despite the tension, Michaels delivered a memorable performance. “They do the match, and it’s a famous match because Shawn oversells to this comedic point,” Meltzer explained. “Basically goes on TV the next day and says, you know, ‘you could watch that match. It was all fake’… to make the match into a joke.”

Also Read: John Cena and Kevin Hart to team up for Netflix action comedy

Meltzer also revealed an unexpected call from Hogan after the event. The WWE legend was unhappy with his pay. “So Hogan gets his his pay from the show, which was quarter of a million dollars. Okay? He was mad. For whatever reason, one of his friends goes, ‘call Dave, because he’s going to know how the pay per view did.’… Get a phone call from him and it’s just like, ‘how did the Pay Per View do?’ And I said, ‘640,000 buys.’ And he goes, ‘I got 250,000. Was I ripped off?’ And I go, ‘you were way, way, way ripped off,” Meltzer recalled.