Hulk Hogan‘s Real American Freestyle organization is set to make its highly anticipated debut Saturday night … and while people speculated the project could be scrapped following the WWE legend’s death last month — Eric Bischoff tells TMZ Sports the thought “never entered my mind.”

We spoke with Bischoff ahead of the brand’s first show on FOX Nation … and he told us leaving the Hulkster’s new endeavor on the cutting room floor simply wasn’t an option — and they were going to move forward with full force.

“Hulk Hogan would come down here and kick your ass if you throw in the towel,” he said. “It’s simple as that. No, it never crossed our minds.”

Still, the WWE Hall of Famer acknowledged that this Saturday will be bittersweet … admitting the days after his death were some of the “toughest periods I’ve gone through.”

“But the sweet part is I hear him every day. I talk to him every day, and I am really excited to do something that I know he felt so passionately about and was so excited about.”

So what can fans expect? Bischoff said besides a tribute to Hogan — which will include a video produced by WWE — folks will witness “some surprises.”

“I love surprises,” he said.

It all kicks off at 4 PM PT on FOX Nation … and plenty of action is expected.