The Internet Wrestling Community was dumbfounded Sunday September 15 at WWE's Night of Champions pay per view.  During the event a series of polls were being conducted on the official WWE website, wwe.com asking among other questions, who the fans thought was the greatest WWE champion of all time. To no surprise to this author, the winner - by an overwhelming majority I might add - was non other than Hulk Hogan. And it wasn't even close. Hogan got an incredible 55% of the vote followed by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (who only got 16%), John Cena (13%), CM Punk (12%) and Triple H (4%).

The result takes on an even bigger meaning once you realize that this poll was not conducted amongst older fans who grew up with the glory days of Hulkamania or even those who grew up with the Monday Night Wars of the 90s when Hogan was in WCW. No, this was a pole conducted with today's WWE fans many of whom were not even born when Hogan was last WWE champion 12 years ago let alone when he was in his prime. Hogan's detractors were quick to try to dismiss the poll as fraudulent. Not that WWE is above fixing or working poll results but, if it were true in this case why, one must ask would they make a star who's currently in another promotion outshine all of their own? Would it have not been more beneficial to WWE to have John Cena, CM Punk or even Steve Austin win? The augment that the polls were fixed is further defeated by the fact that another current TNA star - Sting - won the poll of greatest United States champion. Sorry IWC but it seems that the fans have spoken. Hulk Hogan is still #1!

Hogan's victory does much more than re-affirm his unmatched legacy in the sport of professional wrestling. It does more than remember him as the biggest star of the 80s and 90s. It shows that he is STILL a huge influence in professional wrestling today. Even from a General Manager position in a smaller promotion, the younger fans of WWE still know who he is, love the energy he brings with him where ever he appears and with this poll they made it clear that he is still the most popular wrestling personality in the world. All of this has to make Vince McMahon drool with dollar signs in his eyes. With WrestleMania XXX coming up next year and Hogan's TNA contract reportedly up soon, one must assume that Vince & Hogan will be in talks before long.

But what will the Hulkster do if he does return to WWE? Hogan's close friend and former manager Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart recently stated on a radio show that Hogan's doctors have approved Hogan to wrestle a few more times. I have long believed that no matter how long Hogan stays in the sport, he will ultimately end his career in WWE. While I personally would like to see him win the TNA World title first, a return to WrestleMania for one more match is the ultimate goal be it this year or in the future because Hogan wants it, Vince wants it and most important the fans have shown that they want it.

TNTMF,

The Boss

With TNA's biggest event of the year, Bound For Glory only one month away everyone is focused on who will face TNA World champion Bully Ray in the main event. With the BFG series all but over we are down to our final four: AJ Styles, Bobby Roode, Brutus Magnus, and Austin Aries. Three former champions in the prime of their respective career and one popular new face emerging as a potential future (key word) champion. That takes Magnus out of the mix.

That leaves us with the three former TNA World champions and the classic two heels and a face triangle. Or does it? While Roode is unquestionably THE heel in this triangle, it's not too clear where the other two stand. Both Aries and Styles have made it clear that they are in this for themselves, however their definition maybe different. Do they mean that they are not part of any faction (which is true for both)? Do they mean that they mean to say they don't care what the fans think of their actions? That's a bit more difficult to determine. As both men have been riding the heel/face line for many months now, and they've only seen their popularity rise as a result, yet they've seemed to take no pride in it at all.

So who has the advantage?

• AJ Styles: The clear favorite to take it all. Winning the BFG series and then going on to the PPV and reclaiming the gold one year after losing his right to get a title shot (a stipulation from last year's BFG) would make his adventure come full circle and perhaps break him out of his shell to once again make him the hero of TNA. HOWEVER, he has the issue of his contract which will be expiring soon (more on this later).
• Bobby Roode: The longest reigning TNA World champion of all time was at risk of becoming lost in the shuffle but thanks to the brilliant formation (and interference) of the Extraordinary Gentlemen's Organization (EGO) he shot back to the top of the BFG series to finish in the final four. Could a few well placed Appletinis bring him to victory?
• Austin Aries: The underdog of the three, but a position he's been in before. In addition he is an extremely crafty player who knows how to stack the deck in his favor. Remember when he convinced Hulk Hogan to create what is now known as "Option C" and traded the X division belt for a World title shot that ultimately saw him win? Or how about when he stole the outfit of Suicide and wrestled the match undercover to defeat Chris Sabin for the X Division title? True he got caught and had to unmask but the point is never underestimate him.
  

Considering all the options, I have to go with "The Phenomenal One" to win the BFG series and the right to face the World champion at the Bound For Glory PPV.

So what does all of this have to do with Hulk Hogan? I'm glad you were wondering, because I'm going to tell you. As I mentioned above, a highly talked about issue is that AJ Styles contract expires "late this year". A lot of people are wondering what the hold up is on re-signing the man many consider to be "Mr. TNA". Why can't they come to an agreement? Ever since losing his rights to a shot at the TNA World title last year AJ has expressed that he feels betrayed, forgotten and unwanted. Could the problem be that maybe he doesn't want to sign?

Picture this scenario: AJ goes onto win the BFG tournament as predicted but his contract "expires" before the PPV. Dixie Carter calls AJ to the ring with a new contract to sign. Then in the ultimate show of rebellion, AJ tears up the contract and walks out of the company (kayfabe) leaving TNA with no main event match for their biggest PPV of the year. Enter Hulk Hogan. The man who Bully Ray has been undermining for months. The man who's daughter Bully humiliated and the fans have more desire to see tear Bully Ray apart than anyone.

With AJ (and the BFG tournament) out of the picture TNA is finally free to book Hulk Hogan vs Bully Ray for the TNA World championship at Bound For Glory - a match that has been teased since December of last year. Fans both for the idea and against it have had no shortage of opinion. The only question was how to get around the Bound For Glory series. They may have just done that. Or if they haven't, I have.

TNTMF,

The Boss