WWE Rumors on Hulk Hogan's Future, Penta's Debut and Tiffany Stratton's Popularity

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Hogan Reportedly May Be Kept Off WWE TV

Plenty of positives came out of WWE Raw's debut on Netflix this week, but one of the most-talked-about segments following the show focused on an icy reaction toward a WWE Hall of Famer.

Hulk Hogan made an appearance on Raw to hype up his Real American Beer, which is now partially owned by WWE and featured on the Raw ring canvas.

Rather than being greeted by raucous cheers like he was for much of his in-ring career, Hogan was heartily booed throughout the segment, even when he brought up the names of other legendary wrestlers.

Given how fans at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, received Hogan, WWE is reportedly considering handling its partnership with Hogan differently moving forward.

According to WrestleVotes on Backstage Pass (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News), fans "may not see" Hogan make live appearances as often in the future. Instead, the company could opt to use him in documentaries, commercials and other pre-taped scenarios.

Russ Weakland of the Daily Mail later reported that a source indicated Hogan was initially "disappointed" by the fan reaction on Raw before looking at it in a more positive light.

Hogan reportedly looked at the situation through the lens of any reaction being a good reaction in pro wrestling, and there has reportedly already been talk of Hogan portraying a heel character should he resurface on WWE programming.

While Hogan was a beloved babyface in the 1980s and early 1990s, he also played one of the top villains in pro wrestling history as the leader of the nWo in WCW.

The catalyst for fans turning on Hogan seemed to be the 2015 leak of audio that featured him using racial slurs. He has also come under fire more recently for his staunch support of United States President-Elect Donald Trump.

Whatever the reason for the rejection, it is clear that fans don't want to see Hogan on WWE programming right now, which is something the company has to take into consideration moving forward.

WWE Reportedly Changed Debut Plans for Penta

Despite plenty of speculation leading up to the show, former AEW, TNA and Lucha Underground star Penta did not make his WWE debut on the inaugural episode of Raw on Netflix.

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Carrier), that was the result of a late change, as the Mexican star was originally supposed to appear.

Meltzer added that "a lot of stuff" had to be cut or changed on the show even though Raw does not have a strict runtime on Netflix like it did during its three decades on cable television.

Over the past few weeks, vignettes have aired on Raw. It started with a zero with a line through it, which alluded to Penta's "cero miedo" catchphrase.

Penta's mask was shown in a subsequent teaser, and all doubt was removed regarding who the vignettes were referencing this week on Raw when Penta's name was emblazoned on the mask.

At one point during the show, Chad Gable had a backstage conversation with Raw general manager Adam Pearce backstage, and he asked Pearce to give him the best luchador opponent he could find next week.

It seems abundantly clear that Penta will debut as Gable's opponent, giving the former Impact Wrestling and Lucha Underground world champion a chance to have a strong match right out of the gate.

Whether or not it is true that WWE moved Penta's debut off the first episode of Raw on Netflix, it may be better for him to debut next week anyway.

It would have been easy for him to get lost in the shuffle on a show that included Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa, Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan and CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins, but Penta figures to be a main focus next week.

WWE Reportedly Impressed with Stratton's Crowd Reaction

After cashing in her Money in the Bank contract last week on SmackDown to become WWE women's champion, Tiffany Stratton made an appearance on Monday's episode of Raw.

Stratton was one of several WWE Superstars shown in the front row of the crowd, and she received a loud reaction from the fans in attendance at the Intuit Dome.

According to PWInsider.com (h/t Carrier), the pop Stratton received was a major topic of discussion backstage, and it left a "lasting impression" on many within the company.

Stratton signed with WWE in 2021 and made her on-screen debut late that year. It wasn't long before she was NXT women's champion and then got the call up to the main roster last year.

Her Money in the Bank ladder match win made it clear that WWE's decision-makers viewed her as a future champion and top star, and all of that came to fruition when she turned on Nia Jax and successfully cashed in her contract to win the WWE women's title.

Despite portraying a heel character, Stratton has often gotten positive reactions from the crowed with her cash-in on SmackDown and Raw appearance being prime examples.

Early last year at Elimination Chamber in Australia, it can be argued that Stratton was the most over woman on the entire roster aside from Rhea Ripley, who is an Aussie.

Given the timing of her title win, there is likely a good chance that she will be champion entering WrestleMania 40, and if that is the case, she will be lined up for a massive match on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

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