Hulk Hogan & Eric Bischoff Announce Real American Freestyle Wrestling, Reveal 'Third Man'

After dropping a teaser earlier in the week, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff have officially announced the launch of Real American Freestyle Wrestling, a new league that aims to blend Olympic-style freestyle wrestling with the entertainment flair of professional wrestling.

The duo made a big deal about a "third man" that was involved in the project, having the internet throw at guesses as wild as Vince McMahon. The real answer is a bit of a disappointment because of the hype it got: joining them is Israel "Izzy" Martinez, a renowned wrestling coach known for training UFC Champions like Jon Jones and Holly Holm.

Hogan will reportedly serve as the league's commissioner, bringing his decades of experience in wrestling entertainment. Bischoff takes on the role of Chief Media Officer, leveraging his background in wrestling production to enhance the league's media presence. Martinez, as Chief Operating Officer, provides his technical wrestling expertise as well as years of coaching experience.

Hogan was inspired to launch Real American Freestyle Wrestling after witnessing Oklahoma State's Wyatt Hendrickson's dramatic national title win over Olympic champion Gable Steveson, an event that he believes showcased the sport's potential for mainstream success:

When I saw that happen and I saw our President hug him, I went, OK, we are on point, we’re ready to go and instincts have prevailed and I smell victory. I think we’re right on track, brother.

Whatcha Gonna Do When Real American Freestyle Wrestling Runs Wild On You?!

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff sat down with plenty of renowned publications and shared some details about their new project. Real American Freestyle Wrestling is set to debut its first event on August 30 in Cleveland, and it will feature eight men's and four women's weight classes. According to Hogan and Bischoff, the league has already secured commitments from notable athletes, including Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades and former UFC fighter Ben Askren.

The style and presentation will reportedly be similar to what pro wrestling promotions do in terms of lighting, entrance themes, and video packages. Bischoff compared what they want to do in that regard to the singing competition, The Voice:

On a piece of paper, what is The Voice? It’s a singing competition, a musical competition. Well, they’ve been around since Battle of the Bands in the 60s. That’s nothing new. But what is new and special with The Voice and others like it is, they spent so much time producing these packages where you really get to know how these singers, how these performers got to where they are — and those stories, to me, are what made that show.

Real American Freestyle Wrestling has secured significant financial backing, including Hogan's Real American Beer as the title sponsor. Investors like Left Lane Capital have also thrown their support behind the league.