World Wrestling Entertainment was swift to cut ties with Hulk Hogan over his surfaced racist recording, wiping any mention of his name from the company's history and even WWE Hall of Fame last summer.
However, would WWE consider working with the wrestling icon once again?
TMZ hit Stone Cold Steve Austin with that very question, and the WWE Hall of Famer left the answer at none other than WWE CEO Vince McMahon's feet.
"Man, that's up to Vince. He's a lot smarter than I am," Austin began ranting during a phone call with TMZ Live earlier this week. "He's the one who's got to weather the storm, you know, since it is a public company now. How soon or how long does it take for something like that to be forgotten, let alone just forgiven? You can never forget it, but can you forgive it? Yes. We'll see what happens. I'll leave that to them."
Although Austin said he and Hogan don't have the kind of relationship where they're text messaging each other all the time, the Texas Rattlesnake did offer that he really doesn't think that Hulk has a malicious bone in his body.
Stemming from Hogan's $115 million win against Gawker in his invasion of privacy lawsuit over a sex tape release last month, the public may have a softer side toward Hulk.
Then again, nothing excuses him from making that racist rant years ago. Like Austin said, it's not a matter of forgetting, but rather if McMahon, WWE and legions of pro-wrestling fans want to forgive him. While Bret "the Hitman" Hart slammed Hogan relatively recently, we guess Austin saying that Hogan doesn't have a malicious bone in his body could have the potential to go a long way with McMahon.
Before WrestleMania 32 last Sunday night, Hogan commented about how weird it was not being present for the "Show of Shows." Well, maybe a meeting with McMahon and Triple H would restore Hogan's place with the company and within its Hall of Fame.
The question is when? WWE only cut ties with Hogan last July. Is there a certain amount of time before McMahon will even be willing to sit down with Hogan to discuss reinstating him?
