Horace Hogan Michael Bollea ( October 21 , 1965 ) is an American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist . In wrestling , he is best known by his ring name , Horace Hogan . He is the nephew of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and cousin of the late Mike Awesome . Professional wrestling career . Bollea debuted in 1990 under the ring name " Horace Boulder " . Throughout the early 1990s , he wrestled for the Japanese Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion . On May 7 , 1992 in Tokyo , he and Sabu defeated Atushi Onita and Tarzan Goto for the FMW / WWA Tag Team Championship . They held the title until May 24 , 1992 , when they were defeated by Goto and Gregory Veritchev in Tokyo . For much of 1993 Bollea wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation as " The Predator " , competing in preliminary bouts . In 1995 , Bollea joined the stable " Lethal Weapon " with Hisakatsu Oya , Mike Awesome , Mr . Pogo , and Ricky Fuji . He and Oya began teaming together , and won the FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship from Daisuke Ikeda and Yoshiaki Fujiwara on December 21 , 1995 in Yokohama . Their reign lasted until January 5 , 1996 , when Jason the Terrible and Super Leather defeated them in Tokyo . Returning to America , Bollea debuted in World Championship Wrestling at Spring Stampede 1998 on April 19 , 1998 , helping Raven defeat Diamond Dallas Page for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship and joining Raven ' s Flock in the process , under the name " Horace Boulder " . He remained in the Flock until the stable disbanded on September 13 , 1998 . The fall of 1998 would hold one of the most crucial moments in Horace ' s wrestling career . Hulk Hogan , backed by fellow New World Order ( nWo ) members , revealed on the October 19 , 1998 episode of " WCW Monday Nitro " that Horace was the son of his dead brother . Showing a sincerity not seen in previous years , he continued by proclaiming his love to his family and offering Horace a membership in the nWo . The mood quickly took a turn for the worse , however , when Hulk Hogan bashed his nephew with a steel chair , causing a wound that would require several stitches . He continued by throwing his nephew off a stretcher and mercilessly beating him . During this time , Hogan was involved in a heated rivalry with The Ultimate Warrior , and this scene worked as a testament to Hulk ' s fragile state of mind . With fellow nWo members standing in bewilderment , Hogan took the mic and said , " If I could do this to someone I love , imagine what I ' m gonna do to you , Warrior ! " Despite their unsettling confrontation , Horace joined the nWo at Halloween Havoc 1998 on October 25 , 1998 , by interfering on his uncle ' s behalf during the final match between Hulk Hogan and the Warrior . Thereafter , he began using the ring name " Horace Hogan " to signify his blood ties with Hulk Hogan . He would wrestle for the nWo both in singles competition and tag teaming with the likes of Scott Norton , Stevie Ray , and Vincent . Hogan also participated in a " WCW Thunder " battle royal for leadership of the nWo Hollywood faction . When the nWo began to dissolve in 1999 , Horace began competing for the WCW Hardcore Championship . Horace and his uncle began feuding with Billy Kidman and the New Blood in April 2000 , with Horace helping Hogan defeat Kidman at Slamboree 2000 on May 7 , 2000 . Hogan defected to the New Blood , however , after the leader of the New Blood , Eric Bischoff , offered him Kidman ' s girlfriend Torrie in exchange for his assistance . Horace feuded with his uncle until the 2000 Great American Bash on June 11 , 2000 , when he refereed a rematch between Kidman and his uncle fairly , allowing his uncle to cleanly defeat Kidman . After Hulk Hogan left WCW in July 2000 , Horace was released from the promotion . Hogan wrestled on the Floridian independent circuit until being signed to a developmental contract by World Wrestling Entertainment . He remained with the WWE until being released on September 27 , 2002 , at which point he returned to the independent circuit .