Wrestling sensation Hulk Hogan brought smiles to the faces of sick children at Burswood today ahead of his Perth show.
Hogan also presented the Make-A-Wish Foundation with a $5000 donation on behalf of Burswood.
Wrestling fanatics Jamie McDermott, 9, and Jesse Harp, 6, were overcome with emotion when the 200cm-tall wrestling icon fulfilled their wishes.
Jamie has a rare neurological disorder and Jesse is battling cancer. Both will attend “Hulkamania” at Burswood Dome tomorrow night as special guests.
Leslie Yungabun, another Make-A-Wish member and “Hulkamaniac”, flew in from Fitzroy Crossing in the state’s north just for the event.
Hogan described the Make-A-Wish children as “awesome”.
“Sometimes I will be tired from the road or tired from all the travelling, but whenever I get around those kids they give me the energy,” he said.
“These kids want to see me get in the ring. It doesn’t matter if I’m 100-years-old, the kids want to come and see me tear the shirt and wrestle around and have a good time.
“It’s just amazing to see these kids and realise this is the priority.”
Hogan will go head-to-head with old nemesis Ric Flair in tomorrow’s showdown, which will also feature wrestling favourites The Nasty Boys and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake.
Hogan’s Australian tour started in extraordinary fashion last week when he was caught up in a brawl with Flair at a Sydney media conference, which left the 56-year-old dazed and bloodied.
Hogan said tomorrow night’s clash with Flair in Perth would be payback.
“I need Ric to realise you can’t go around cheap-shotting people like that,” he said.
“I’d love to get him in a compromising position.”
Hogan and Flair have verbally agreed to throw the rule book out the window for the event.
“Ric Flair’s always about the lowest common denominator and always taking the cheap shots,” Hogan said.
“I told him on radio today, as far as Perth goes, let’s go by your rules.
“I know we’re going to be fighting in the building, but we (might) role out into the street and crash through your living room at home.”
It is first time Hogan has brought his show to Australia.
Burswood’s water fountain in the InterContinental lobby is named the “Make-A-Wish Fountain” and has collected over $85,000 in loose change since 1998. (Credit: News Limited / Perth Now)
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