Bruce Prichard returned to Something To Wrestle With and used his first show back to speak openly about the day he learned Hulk Hogan had passed away, describing every moment with a heavy mix of disbelief and emotion. He explained that the days leading up to Hogan’s death were filled with mixed signals about Hogan’s condition. He had been checking in with Eric Bischoff, who continued to reassure him that Hogan was improving. Prichard recalled how Bischoff spoke to him the night before Hogan died and insisted that Hogan was “totally optimistic” and in “great spirits,” even going so far as to say he was “out of the woods” and had “turned the corner and was doing good”. Bischoff urged Prichard to send Hogan a message because he “can’t really talk,” and Prichard did, sending his love and prayers in what would unexpectedly become his final words to him.

Early the next morning, Prichard’s phone rang again. “Eric called me on the way into the office and said, I just got word that they’re taking Terry by ambulance to the emergency room, had cardiac arrest,” he revealed. While still on the call, Bischoff received a text confirming the news. Hogan had passed away. Prichard said the shock hit him immediately. “Best way to describe it, and because he was there, man, you know it’s like, one day you’re there, one day you’re not”.

Once he arrived at the office, Prichard told the teams what had happened, and that moment cemented the reality for him. “Once I said it out loud, you know, on a group of people and everything, that was the first time, you know, that it hit me. And then I cried,” he said. He remembered looking at the news coverage as it came in and feeling like all of it “had to be a mistake,” but there was also the immediate responsibility of determining how to honour someone so pivotal to the business. “You gotta figure out what is, what’s the show’s gonna look like,” he explained, adding that staff were called in to begin shaping a tribute that would truly reflect Hogan’s legacy. He emphasised how deeply he felt for Hogan’s family, saying, “I felt so sorry for Nick, his son, and man, my heart goes out to his kids, and my heart goes out to his family”.

He also discussed Hogan’s funeral, calling it a “beautiful service,” and spoke at length about Vince McMahon’s tribute. Prichard noted that McMahon had been in a car accident the same morning Hogan died, yet still delivered a heartfelt memorial. McMahon asked attendees to give Hogan one final ovation, cupping his hands to his ears in Hogan’s iconic pose. Prichard praised the speech, saying, “I thought it was classy and the best tribute of the day… short, sweet to the point, and said it all in so few words”.

As he reflected on Hogan’s larger legacy, Prichard stated that Hogan’s place in wrestling history is unquestionable. “Hulkamania will live forever,” he said, adding that Hogan always wanted to be remembered as a hero who lifted people up. He also highlighted Hogan’s commitment to Make-A-Wish, explaining how seriously Hogan took each visit because he understood the weight of what he represented to children. “Hulk was the master at that,” Prichard concluded, making clear that Hogan’s impact went far beyond the ring.