Eric Bischoff Explains The Likely Reason Why Hulk Hogan Shaved His Mustache in WCW

On the latest episode of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff talked about when The Dungeon of Doom shaved off Hulk Hogan’s iconic mustache. The infamous shaving occurred on the October 2, 1995, episode of WCW Monday Nitro, during the build-up to Hogan’s match with The Giant at Halloween Havoc. Hogan would appear without his mustache in the 1996 film Santa with Muscles. You can check out some highlights below:

On why he shaved it: “I’m not 100% sure, but I would bet a lot of money it had to do with a movie role or a commercial opportunity, because otherwise there’s no way he’s doing that. I would think he’s not selling that hard for, no, I don’t see it.”

On an external obligation being the driving force behind the on-screen moment: “There was an agenda attached to that creative and I don’t think it had anything to do with wrestling. I think there was either a commercial role, a TV role, or something to that effect.”

On it likely being a last-minute thing: “If that would have been a discussion that happened four weeks in advance, or six weeks in advance, and you build a story around it, it would have been so much better. But this was probably Friday afternoon, he probably got a phone call from his agent, and there’s going to be an audition on Wednesday, so what can we do? ‘Gonna have to shave your mustache off anyway. Let’s work it into a storyline. It’s very conceivable that it came about kind of like within that kind of a time frame.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit 83 Weeks with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.