‘Imagine Walking Out With Him’: UFC Legend Claims He Will Return To The Octagon If Hulk Hogan Fulfills His Request

Hulk Hogan is to credit for pro wrestling’s emergence and widespread popularity. The man in Red and Yellow is the Pied Piper of pro wrestling many looked up to him as an inspiration not just for pro wrestlers but beyond that. 

Likewise, one of the greatest lightweight fighters of all time, BJ Penn, was one of the biggest fans of Hogan. In light of this, ‘The Prodigy’ recently said that Hogan’s criteria must be completed for him to return to the cage.

After dominating the beginning of his UFC career, which began in 2001, Penn recently stated on his own website that Hogan served as his inspiration for his ultimate title run. Notably, Penn had a great UFC career, achieving 16-14-2. However, he showed no signs of returning after suffering 7 straight defeats, thus it is doubtful that he will return any time soon.

Meanwhile, Penn told the website that the only way he can encourage himself to make a comeback is if Hogan can accompany him to the cage. His words were, “Man, could you imagine? When we were talking about having him come out (to my fight), I was just thinking of having him come and sit in the front row. But yea, imagine walking out with him? Geez, I would come back for one more fight to make that happen.”

Hulk Hogan served as a great motivational figure for a former UFC champion

In 2001, “The Prodigy” began his professional career in the UFC. He has faced off against some of the most illustrious figures in the history of the sport and became an UFC legend. Prior to that, however, he initially desired to be a professional wrestler before switching to MMA.

He stated, “To be honest it was probably when I was really young. You know how it is, everyone has that guy they look up to as a kid and for me that man was ‘The Hulkster’. Hulk Hogan was my hero and such an inspiration for me growing up.”

Read More: How Big is Hulk Hogan?

Since Penn grew up admiring Hogan and looked up to him as an idol, he always wanted Hogan to be there during their confrontation. Thus, he once invited him during his bout against Ryan Hall in 2018, but it didn’t materialize due to logistical issues. In light of this, he said that he would make his return if Hogan came to his match. However, it will be interesting to see if it will happen.

WATCH THIS STORY: Celebrities Who Appeared At WrestleMania