Real American Freestyle Wrestling – Hogan / Bischoff together again
It was only a few months ago on his 83 Weeks Podcast with Conrad Thompson that Easy E, Eric Bischoff announced that he was stepping away from the world of professional wrestling. But as we know, retirement in wrestling is never truly an option. Especially when there is still money to be made.
It comes as no surprise then that the one-time WCW President and the man behind the nWo would announce just this past week that he was stepping back into the limelight alongside his longtime friend and nWo running buddy, Hulk Hogan with a cryptic announcement on X suggesting of a third man who would be joining them.
After the announcement on Monday 28/04/25 (American time) it would be just two days later that we would find out exactly who that third man was and what exactly Bischoff and Hogan were up to. In a follow-up to the post above, Hogan and Bischoff would announce that they are teaming up with UFC legendary trainer, Israel “Izzy” Martinez to create what is believed to be called Real American Freestyle Wrestling.
Speaking with Alfred Konuwa of Forbes, Hogan and Bischoff detailed their bold plans to revolutionize the sport and explained why they believe this new concept will turn heads across both the amateur and pro wrestling landscape.
“First off, I’d like to thank you for checking the video out, boss,” Hogan said about the viral nWo-style teaser that announced the new league. “Because we were just trying to wake ‘em up. That’s really going to be an electric shock to everybody, so we’re excited that we’ve got such a great response already.”
Bischoff added that the old-school energy wasn’t an accident. “The video was really Hulk’s idea in the very beginning, and I loved it,” he said. “We knew that Hulk and I together—that’s kind of cool news for people who are fans of the Monday Night Wars and all that—and nWo. But we wanted to get their attention, and that was such a cool way to do it.”
Bischoff continued, “If you look back, one of the things that really changed professional wrestling… it all started with those black and white video montage promos. Given our goals here at Real American Freestyle, that’s exactly what we’re bringing—another level of entertainment while maintaining the credibility of the product. These athletes’ stories have never been told. And I don’t care whether it’s golf, baseball, basketball, the NFL—it’s all driven by the stories. And that’s what we’re going to focus on.”
When asked whether the product would be “shoot style with storytelling woven in” Hogan and Bischoff both confirmed “Exactly”. Hogan likened the format to that of something mainstream Reality TV fans would recognize like The Voice. Hogan said. “You do the backstories first, so the people care about the athletes. You see where they started, the injuries, the family background—and in the history package, that sets people up to care. Then it’s up to the athletes to perform.”
The Real American Freestyle roster is expected to exceed 40 elite athletes, with early names announced including former UFC star Ben Askren, Olympian Kennedy Blades, and NCAA champion Zahid Valencia. With the Real American Freestyle league backed by Left Lane Capital (investors behind Gerard Piqué’s Kings League, Shaun White’s Snow League, and League One Volleyball), Hogan, Bischoff, and COO Israel “Izzy” Martinez aren’t just playing around. They’re building a new genre—and rewriting what it means to be a professional wrestler.
Tell us your thoughts on Real American Freestyle Wrestling. Do you see a spot for this style in the market? Can Hogan and Bischoff capture lightning for a second time?
Hello, I’m Scott aka RAZ. I’ve been an avid wrestling fan for over 30 years and have dabbled in both the world or pro wrestling and music. Previously commentated for Iron Fist Pro in South Australia, I now focus on more of the mainstream wrestling and run a few shows on YouTube where I breakdown the most recent happenings. Glad to be part of the team here at PWdownunder.com.
