Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling
Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling was an American reality television program, which ran for eight episodes on CMT in 2008. The first episode aired on October 18, 2008. In Australia, the show premiered in July 2009 on the FOX8 channel. It was also shown in the UK on Bravo and Viva. The show was co-produced by Hulk Hogan and Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment. The show featured celebrities being trained to become professional wrestlers. The finale aired on December 6, 2008, where Dennis Rodman was declared the winner of the competition.
Cast
Judges
- Hulk Hogan – Hogan held multiple championships in his career during his tenures in the WWF/WWE and WCW, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Additionally is known for his acting outside of the wrestling area and serves as the host, creator and executive producer of the series. He is the main judge and dismisses the eliminated contenders in the competition by declaring "You're a jabroni, get out of my damn ring!".
- Eric Bischoff – Known for being the Executive Producer and later President of WCW and an occasional on-air personality during his tenures with both the original WCW and WWF/E. He appeared as an announcer, a member of Hogan's nWo faction in WCW and as the general manager of the WWE Raw brand. Bischoff is also credited as creator and executive producer of the series alongside business partner Jason Hervey and Hogan.
- Jimmy Hart – In-ring manager who worked for several different promotions including WWF/E, WCW, TNA, and others. Best known to fans as the "Mouth of the South" with his signature megaphone, he accompanied several wrestling stars like Hulk Hogan to the ring as manager.
Other
Former professional wrestlers also made special appearances in the series. Bill Goldberg, a film actor and former WCW World Heavyweight Champion and WWE World Heavyweight Champion, guest starred in the sixth episode. Rob Van Dam, a former ECW World Heavyweight Champion and WWE Champion, guest starred in the fifth episode.
Contestants
Bonaduce was originally eliminated in week 5 because of an injury, but he was brought back in week 6. He was later eliminated in week 7.Episode recaps
Week 1
The moves learned were the forearm smash, clothesline, and a kick to the midsection. Team Nasty won the match.Week 2
In week two, the moves learned by the celebrities included the headlock take down, schoolboy pin, and shoulder tackle. Originally, Dennis Rodman was going to wrestle for Team Nasty, with Stallone managing. During practice, however, Rodman injured his arm attempting a flying clothesline on Coach Nasty. Team Beefcake won the match.Week 3
| Team Nasty | Faces def. Heels |
| Team Beefcake | Faces def. Heels |
The basic tie up, as well as the techniques for working the arm and working the ropes, were the moves of the week. The challenge in week three was for the individual celebrities to create for themselves a gimmick, which is a character or persona. Team Beefcake won the match.
Week 4
The moves learned included the hip toss, taking the turnbuckle, and the elbow smash. The two teams tied for best match.Week 5
| 5-person battle royal | Red Hot Redneck def. Mean Bean, Rodzilla, The Winner and Mr. Not So Perfect |
In week five, the celebrities learned the "Over the Top" and "Duck and Boost" techniques. They also created their own finishing moves. "Dangerous" Danny Bonaduce was going to be in the match, but he had to withdraw due to an injury he sustained during practice. The two teams merged into one team, Team Hogan.