NBA legend Dennis Rodman makes AEW debut, returning to the wrestling ring for first time in a decade
OVER a decade after his last appearance in the ring, Dennis Rodman’s return has been announced.
The five-time NBA Champion and Hall of Famer will perform at AEW Collision at his old home base in Chicago on Saturday.
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The news was announced by the organization on social media on Friday.
Her tweet read, “What will happen when the unpredictable @NBA Hall of Famer #theWorm @dennisrodman returns to the @UnitedCenter TOMORROW when Saturday Night is #AEWCollision LIVE from Chicago?!?”
Fan reactions were mixed, some excited and others confused by this sudden announcement.
“…well that’s out of left field,” wrote one fan.
A second added: “I’m incredibly excited.”
While one asked: “Quite literally why?”
This seemingly unexpected news marks Rodman’s return to the ring after a fifteen-year absence.
He made his debut when he was revealed on Uncensored as a member of nWo alongside the legendary Hulk Hogan.
Two months later, as a member of nWo, Rodman fought The Giant and Lex Luger for the first time at the Bash at the Beach ESPN.
He made another appearance on Road Wild the following month before appearing on Monday Nitro during the 1998 NBA Finals.
When Rodman’s Chicago Bulls played the Utah Jazz 2-1, Rodman traveled to Michigan to join Nitro, to the surprise of everyone, not least his head coach Phil Jackson.
Speaking in a WWE Chronicle documentary for WWE Network via ESPN, Hogan explained, “Phil Jackson calls me and says, ‘Where’s my man, where’s my man?’
“I’m like, ‘Rodman, Phil Jackson keeps blowing up my phone, you gotta go back, [and Rodman] says, ‘I don’t want to go back.’”
Rodman banged around and made appearances at Nitro before returning to win the championship.
At the Bash at the Beach that followed, he and Hogan defeated jazz stars Karl Malone and Diamond Dallas Page.
A year later, Rodman returned to face Randy Savage at Road Wild before making his last in-ring appearance in 2000, where he faced Curt ‘Mr. “Perfect” Hennig in a single game.
In 2008, Rodman won the CMT network TV series Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling
Exactly what the AEW has planned for Rodman and when he will appear is unknown.
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