While talk of any full-time return of the Monday Night Wars can be considered extremely premature, TNA have confirmed that Hulk Hogan’s first live appearance for the company will take place on Monday, January 4, with TNA running live against WWE Monday Night Raw.

Hogan will appear as part of a three-hour live special from 8pm EST on Spike TV.

Hogan, along with TNA president Dixie Carter and Eric Bischoff, were cageside last night in Las Vegas for the season finale of UFC’s Ultimate Fighter, where the announcement was made.

Hogan said: “We’re going wide open, head-on-head, we’re going to battle with the WWE.”

On TNA’s website, he added: “I knew when I signed with TNA, that it would be important to make a statement with the first episode. Going head-to-head on January 4th, makes the statement loud and clear: Game on!”

Carter said of the live special: “TNA is kicking off 2010 in the biggest way possible with the biggest name in the history of our sport. Hulk Hogan is a pop culture icon, and his arrival will change not only TNA, but the entire professional wrestling landscape. We’re firing that first shot.”

Impact will return to its normal timeslot the following Thursday (January 7) with a replay of the live special.

Although unconfirmed at time of writing, I wouldn’t be shocked if WWE counters by running completely head-to-head with a three-hour special edition of Raw on January 4.

Phil Lowe
phil@ifight365.com