Mike Tyson’s shocking defeat to Buster Douglas didn’t just cost him the undisputed heavyweight championship. Hulk Hogan says it also wrecked plans for what was being touted as the first $100 million pay-per-view event in history.
Tyson’s tenth-round knockout loss in Tokyo remains one of the biggest upsets the sport has ever witnessed. Beyond surrendering his heavyweight crown, Hogan believes the defeat also wiped out a blockbuster crossover that Vince McMahon had been working to arrange.
Appearing on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1991, Hogan revealed the pair had already discussed the possibility.
“Mike and I have spoken about this. Everyone’s interested in what would happen if Mike Tyson and Hulk Hogan were to lock up.
“So at WrestleMania VII, Hogan is going to win the WWF Title, and when Tyson gets another shot at his belt, we’re going to sit down and talk about this thing.”
$100 Million Tyson Fight
Looking back years later, Hogan said the proposed event was expected to break every financial record.
“We were looking at about the first hundred million dollar pay-per-view ever,” Hogan recalled.
“Vince had been trying to put it together.”
Instead, Tyson’s defeat to Douglas ended those plans before they could become reality.
The controversial knockout, which came after Douglas was down for longer than ten seconds in the eighth, not only stripped Tyson of his titles but also denied boxing and professional wrestling what could have become one of the biggest crossover events either sport had ever seen.
Buster Douglas Changed Everything
Rather than Tyson appearing for the WWF, Douglas was brought in to fulfill the commitment after becoming heavyweight champion.
However, Hogan said the replacement never unfolded as planned.
“Buster Douglas would get in a boxing ring with Tyson and box for 12 rounds, but wouldn’t get in a wrestling ring and do a work.
“Well, he didn’t think it was a work. They thought we were setting him up.”
Hogan then admitted Douglas may have been right to be cautious.
“Vince and I talked about it—we were going to set him up. Really. Oh yeah.”
Tyson eventually carved out his own place in WWE history through his role at WrestleMania XIV alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin before entering the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012.
But according to Hogan, one of the biggest crossover events ever discussed disappeared the night Buster Douglas shocked the world.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
