RIP Hulk Hogan

[Shartnado]

7 hours ago, The Natural said:

I read FHH died on the tenth anniversary of the racist recordings released.

Irony or karma, you decide! (Said in the Epic Rap Battles of History voice)!

[AxB]

 

[The Natural]

Hulk Hogan Was a Racist, Liar, and Scab

In the 1980s, the professional wrestler portrayed himself as an all-American hero—but he was really a “jabroni” the entire time.

Dave Zirin

My 9-year-old self, uniformed in a Mets hat and Coke-bottle glasses, was a Hulkamaniac. It’s embarrassing now for countless reasons. I first saw the man born Terry Bollea as Thunderlips in the 1983 classic Rocky III. He was improbably muscled, blond, and tan: pure kid catnip. I became a World Wrestling Federation fanatic and was glued to the Zenith as Hogan rapidly climbed the WWF ladder. In January 1984, Hogan completed a meteoric rise to defeat the Iron Sheik and avenge the Iran hostage crisis (seriously). That title match wasn’t fake to me. It was as real as game 7 of the World Series, and when Hulk broke free from the Sheik’s dreaded “camel clutch” and secured the pin, I jumped up and down so much that the people downstairs called up to complain.

What I did not know was that there was a real world at odds with this ecstatic experience. I did not know that the Iron Sheik, a former Olympic wrestler who was once a bodyguard for the shah of Iran, could have cracked Hogan in two. He even almost went off script to do so because he found Hogan to be, as the Sheik put it, “a jabroni.” It was all 1980s fake, as fake as Reagan’s jet-black hair.

Now that Hulk Hogan has died at 71, the media, top wrestling honchos, and particularly the Trump administration are verbosely mourning this leather-skinned mass of steroids and bile stuffed in spandex. The media is treating Hogan’s death like they are in on a bit. They praise “Hulk Hogan” for being an American hero while ignoring that Terry Bollea led an ugly, amoral life; that he was accused of abuse by both one of his wives and a daughter; that he was broadly loathed by generations of wrestlers; and that his final act involved shilling full-time for Donald Trump. Hulk Hogan was a racist scab and a liar, which his prime-time appearance at Trump’s Republican National Convention a natural fit.

It is gratifying, however, that last Thursday is, in addition to the day of Hogan’s death, the 10th anniversary of the National Enquirer’s publishing audio of Hogan going on an n-word-laden tirade. The coincidence is serendipitous, allowing the legions he harmed to remind people that many mourning this man are mourning a myth. His racism also matters because it dovetails with years of complaints made by Black wrestlers about both his treatment of them and his role as WWF co-owner Vince McMahon’s right-hand man, making sure they never got a shot at his top spot. (In fairness, many white and brown wrestlers have made the same claim.)

Then, as Hogan has himself admitted following years of accusations, he informed on his coworkers, telling Vince McMahon about a secret unionization push led by Jesse “The Body” Ventura. When one considers the shocking number of wrestlers who prematurely died in the 1980s and ’90s because of depression and addiction, both results of being hellaciously overworked, a union could have saved lives.

But Hogan’s harm can be counted in more ways than just what took place behind the curtain. He sold what was left of his soul to Palantir founder and sweaty, ham-faced fascist Peter Thiel who bankrolled Hogan’s lawsuit that bankrupted Gawker. With Thiel’s help, Hogan crushed an audacious Internet journalism outlet that I guarantee would have published the Epstein lists by now. That we lost Deadspin because of Peter Thiel and Hulk Hogan will never not make me apoplectic.

Speaking of Jeffrey Epstein, Hogan’s death, as well as adoration for alleged rapist and alleged sex trafficker Vince McMahon, now also provides an opportunity for the secretary of education, Linda McMahon, to change the subject from Trump’s depredations. Fresh off freezing billions in desperately needed public education funds, Linda McMahon, the billionaire wife of Vince, will use Hogan’s death to try not to look like a repulsive representative of a scandal-soaked administration. It will be Hogan’s last act of fealty to the McMahons.

The Hulk Hogan of 2025 embodied all that is wrong with this country. He should be remembered as a living expression of our national decay: a hero exposed as a fraud, a fraud exposed as a coward, and a coward who cried with joy upon finding an authoritarian who told him that his sins were, in fact, virtues.

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/hulk-hogan-racist-liar-scab-obit/

Savage!

Edited July 25 by The Natural

[Execproducer]

My first exposure to Hogan came when the AWA started running Vegas when I was a teen. We had moved from Florida sometime around 1977 where we got both the CWF and Mid-Atlantic shows on TV. We only sparingly attended CWF cards because it required a long drive to Jacksonville. Vegas was very different than it is today and the best we could get as far as wrestling went was the occasional card coming out of San Francisco, with guys like Wildman Jack Armstrong and Dean Ho. It was alright but not exactly Dusty bleeding for your sins. Then the AWA All-Star Wrestling show came to our TV in the early 80's and not long after, the first Showboat card. I believe the main was Bock vs The Baron and there was a battle royale that featured Andre but I'm pretty sure the draw was an arm-wrestling contest between Hogan and Jesse Ventura, which led to a match the following month. Eventually they did the exact same deal between Hogan and Ken Patera.

In the two years or so that we regularly attended those shows, I have to say, saw a lot of good Hogan matches. The Ventura one probably wasn't amongst them but everyone loved it anyway. There were also matches with Bock, Patera, Duncum, Adonis,and Saito and Shultz in both singles and handicap matches. At the time it was shocking when he jumped to the WWF. You would have thought Gagne would have done anything to keep him because he was already a different level of star than anyone else on the card. By this time though I was becoming a Bockwinkel fan and a fan of better wrestlers in general. Didn't follow WWF beyond what I read in the Apter mags and the occasional SNME or video store rental so my viewing of his major WWF matches is spotty. Didn't really start watching him again until he showed up in WCW though his act got old to me real quick until the Big Turn that made him relevant again. 

Didn't follow anything post-WCW. Didn't care much for Rock-Hogan, didn't watch anything from TNA or anything else. I'm too much of a film lover to ever intentionally waste my time watching Hogan movies. In the ensuing years he'd proven himself to be a less than sterling human being. But when he was big there wasn't anyone bigger. Only a handful of people had as big an impact on wrestling and realisticly only one person had more.

[Log]

Damn. Schiavone's savage.

[RazorbladeKiss87]

4 hours ago, MORELOCK said:

 

Feel like it's worth mentioning that no one in this thread has done that. It's all been muted praise of his contributions to the wrestling business. Which, despite the best efforts of some, are undeniable.

The person I'm specifically referencing made a comment about "stories in the press being exaggerated " and has a history of being a MAGA chud who passes judgement on everyone on this board, so yeah, I'd say he did that. The stories in the press featured direct quotes from recordings where Hulk said absolutely vile shit about minorities and the kid his son paralyzed. Not really any ground for exaggeration there, is there? 

[supremebve]

Dan LeBatard said something on his show that I immediately wanted to disagree with, but after thinking about it I'm not sure he's far off.  Was there ever a time where Hulk Hogan was the most famous athlete in the country?  I feel like there is an argument that he's top 5 in 1985-1987.  I think Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Mike Tyson, and Sugar Ray Leonard are probably more famous than him, but I don't really know who else would be definitely more famous.  It's a little too early for Jordan, hockey isn't mainstream enough for Gretzky.  It's a little past Reggie Jackson's peak.  The NFL then isn't the NFL now.  It's between Olympic years so I  don't know if Carl Lewis or Mary Lou Retton had the cache.  Seriously, if you're Johnny Carson in 1985 and you have a choice between all the athletes in the country to interview, how many names get named before Hulk Hogan?

[JLowe]

Was never a Hogan fan, started watching WWF in the Rock and Wrestling era because I liked Cyndi Lauper and Captain Lou was in her videos. My favorites at the time were the US Express and JYD, and then I moved onto Ricky Steamboat and The British Bulldogs. As far as I’m concerned, Andre pinned Hogan at WM3.

We got cable around 1985 or 86 at our apartment in NYC and I became a regular watcher of the afternoon ESPN shows, which made me realize there was much better stuff than WWF, even if I hated Flair and the Horseman (lifelong Sting fan, also lover Von Erichs and RocknRoll Express).

Stopped watching by time I went to college in 1989, but remember the steroids trial and how unsurprising that all was.

Picked up again with the debut of Nitro, which I randomly caught with some friends while in grad school. Hated Hogan in WCW. I will say that the NWO would not have worked without him, but his continued presence made it less cool, and of course fucking over Sting was the breaking point for the promotion. I will also add I think his best match was the carry job he did with Goldberg, including giving a rare clean pin.

I was unsurprised his desperate attention-seeking carny ass would latch on to reality TV and exploit his family. Such an awful show, I still remember poor Brooke trying to be a pop star at his pushing, and claiming to have paid a million dollars for a beat.

The racism stuff was actually a little surprising to me, although in retrospect I should have realized that a generally awful person would be rotten through and through.

I got back into wrestling in 2021 when I saw a tweet mentioning AEW and that the booker/promoter was a former DVDVR poster, and ultimately the person who started the infamous sleaze thread. I only found out yesterday that Tony Khan publicly stated that Hogan was not welcome.

All that to say, I agree with The Natural. I grew up loving Bill Cosby, he was an important part of my childhood and youth, and I can unequivocally state that when he dies I won’t say a good word about him either.

[RandomAct]

10 hours ago, SovietShooter said:

What is the most high profile program that Hogan had with a POC outside of Japan?  

Looking thru Cagematch, he only had the one WM match against The Rock. Aside from a couple matches against Meng, and a single match against Kamala, he didn't wrestle any POC in North America after his original WWF run ended in 1993.  

Going back thru his original WWF run, he finished up with the program against Yoko, and he had a handful of matches with Bad News, Butch Reed, and Haku. in '87 he did work a ton of house shows against both Killer Khan and Kamala, and in '84 he worked the Iron Sheik quite often. His most high profile match against a POC in his first run was probably his PPV tag match against fucking Zeus.  

Not for nothing though, the Kamala matches in the 80s fucking ruled.

[odessasteps]

1 hour ago, supremebve said:

Dan LeBatard said something on his show that I immediately wanted to disagree with, but after thinking about it I'm not sure he's far off.  Was there ever a time where Hulk Hogan was the most famous athlete in the country?  I feel like there is an argument that he's top 5 in 1985-1987.  I think Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Mike Tyson, and Sugar Ray Leonard are probably more famous than him, but I don't really know who else would be definitely more famous.  It's a little too early for Jordan, hockey isn't mainstream enough for Gretzky.  It's a little past Reggie Jackson's peak.  The NFL then isn't the NFL now.  It's between Olympic years so I  don't know if Carl Lewis or Mary Lou Retton had the cache.  Seriously, if you're Johnny Carson in 1985 and you have a choice between all the athletes in the country to interview, how many names get named before Hulk Hogan?

85-87 gives you the Mets of Gooden and Strawberry. And in the NFL, you’ve got the Fridge, Jim McMahon, Joe Montana, Payton and maybe Hershel and Doug Flutie. I’d think Gretzky transcended hockey by then. Too early for Bo Jackson? You also have Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, John McEnroe, Jimmy Conners p, Chris Evert and Martina. 

[mystman]

5 hours ago, Log said:

Damn. Schiavone's savage.

That tweet is sort of out of context. He was giving a tribute to him, and that was him answering a reply.

[colonial]

While driving in Orlando today for work, I came upon an electronic billboard that paid homage to Hogan. It was a yellow background with "BROTHER" in red lettering, along with the years of his birth and death. Since I was driving I couldn't get a photo of it.

I've seen those short-lived "obit" billboards before for the likes of Leonard Nimoy, James Earl Jones and Kobe Bryant, among others. Since Hogan was based in the Central Florida area (he had several businesses and a home in the Clearwater area, plus his "Hogan's Beach Shop" on I-Drive in Orlando), I presume a fan paid to put that ad up.

[odessasteps]

We see them on billboards at the md/pa border.

[Cobra Commander]

1 hour ago, colonial said:

While driving in Orlando today for work, I came upon an electronic billboard that paid homage to Hogan. It was a yellow background with "BROTHER" in red lettering, along with the years of his birth and death. Since I was driving I couldn't get a photo of it.

I've seen those short-lived "obit" billboards before for the likes of Leonard Nimoy, James Earl Jones and Kobe Bryant, among others. Since Hogan was based in the Central Florida area (he had several businesses and a home in the Clearwater area, plus his "Hogan's Beach Shop" on I-Drive in Orlando), I presume a fan paid to put that ad up.

someone put up an Ozzy-inspired RIP board in this area (KC suburbs) a few days ago

[Casey]

7 hours ago, Execproducer said:

I'm too much of a film lover to ever intentionally waste my time watching Hogan movies.

clearly not if you don’t love Suburban Commando, dude!

[Cobra Commander]

a subtle "tribute" move with enough plausible deniability to not be an obvious tribute to Hogan would involve someone bringing back the Eddie Graham/Florida style of applying the figure four that Hogan tried to do... 

it won't seem like a Hogan tribute if you can do it right https://i.redd.it/5qf4an2l4d2f1.jpeg

[Brandon Bones]

I had not ever heard or seen pro wrestling in the latter half of ‘84.  It was in 4th grade I overheard a trio of boys comparing the heights and sizes of Hogan, Andre, and Dusty.  This was the criteria by which that they would  determine the outcome of whatever combination of match.  Actually… excuse me.  The height and sizes determines who was guaranteed to kick whoever’s “fucking ass”.  
 

All within earshot of my disinterested Home Room teacher.  
 

Meanwhile the MTV crossover would soon grab my attention and I’d later completely buy in from the Orndorff piledriver heel turn.  

 

 

[just drew]

2 hours ago, Casey said:

clearly not if you don’t love Suburban Commando, dude!

It's good to know we have some common ground. That movie is so awful that it's thoroughly entertaining.

[Death From Above]

On 7/24/2025 at 10:09 AM, Curt McGirt said:

You know what Hogan will always represent for me? Endless NWO promos. Every fucking week. 

If that's your legacy...

Over a decade ago now, Hogan's actual WCW contract leaked and it contained a clause that any show he appeared on (not wrestled, appeared on) he got 25% of the gate. It explained SO MUCH about WCW TV.

[Curt McGirt]

Oh yeah I read that sucker through on the Discord, and think I already had in the Nitro book. ABSURD. 

Anyway, from tonight: 

[Cobra Commander]

Jacob Fatu's reactions during the ten count can be explained by Jacob's middle name being Yokozuna

(because well, Hogan probably would have pitched working with/going over Jacob Fatu if they were in the same place when Hogan could work)

Edited July 26 by Cobra Commander

[Nice Guy Eddie]

I went to Friday's Yankees/Phillies game. Not only did they play bits of Ozzy/Black Sabbath songs, but they also played some of Real American. 

[zendragon]

6 hours ago, just drew said:

It's good to know we have some common ground. That movie is so awful that it's thoroughly entertaining.

I maintain that NHB needs the MST2k treatment

[JLowe]

12 hours ago, odessasteps said:

We see them on billboards at the md/pa border.

Saw an Ozzy one and a Hogan one yesterday. The Hogan one was on 95 north near the Philly airport. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

14 hours ago, odessasteps said:

85-87 gives you the Mets of Gooden and Strawberry. And in the NFL, you’ve got the Fridge, Jim McMahon, Joe Montana, Payton and maybe Hershel and Doug Flutie. I’d think Gretzky transcended hockey by then. Too early for Bo Jackson? You also have Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, John McEnroe, Jimmy Conners p, Chris Evert and Martina. 

It would probably be fairer to compare him more to movie/TV stars or the top pop/R&B/rock stars at the time. I think maybe the sports fandom across the country then amplifies the celebrity. I think Hogan would be recognizable to at least 9 out of 10 people on the street for that particular timeframe as, "oh yeah, that's the guy from ______". 

Rock/Hogan was huge for wrestling fans as sort of Hogan's late era swan song, but Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul had folks gathered round like it was 1987 and he was 20 years old again fighting Bonecrusher Smith. You cannot compare that level of fame.