Hulk Hogan‘s fall from grace within the wrestling world left him devastated, his former manager has revealed.
Just six months before his death, Hogan attempted to make a triumphant return to the WWE at Monday Night Raw back in January.
However, the wrestling icon’s appearance did not go to plan. Instead, Hogan was met with resounding boos from the 17,000-plus fans in Los Angeles.
Hogan died at the age of 71 last week after suffering a heart attack at his home in Clearwater, Florida. It was also revealed that the wrestling icon had been privately battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Following his death, his longtime manager and close friend, Jimmy Hart, has revealed how the ferocious booing at Hogan’s final WWE appearance left the wrestler heartbroken.
‘That devastated him,’ Hart said of the jeers on ‘Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw’, while noting the political undertones. ‘That always bothered him, it sure did.’
Hulk Hogan was booed by 17,000-plus fans during his final WWE appearance in January
His longtime manager and close friend Jimmy Hart revealed the jeers left the icon ‘devastated’
Before his death, Hogan endorsed Trump’s presidential candidacy at the 2024 GOP convention and later spoke in favor of his fellow reality TV star at a Madison Square Garden rally in October. He even pitched himself to be Trump’s Vice President before JD Vance was chosen.
In some corners, his act had already grow tired, especially after Hogan was recorded using racist slurs in 2015.
Hogan was infamously taped criticizing his daughter’s African-American boyfriend in 2007, and while the recording didn’t surface until 2015, his use of the N-word continues to tarnish his legacy in some circles.
Hart claimed he tried to warn Hogan that January’s appearance would take place in California, a traditionally Democratic state but it fell on deaf ears.
‘I said, ‘Hulk, it’s simple. Blue state, red state. Trump, Vance. I mean, really?” said Hart, who noted Hogan received cheers the next week during an event in Texas.
Hart said he began to notice the hostile atmosphere the moment Hogan stepped off the plane in Los Angeles, claiming fans began to almost immediately taunt the wrestling legend with jobes about Trump and Vance.
Hogan had made his appearance primarily to promote his beverage ‘Real American Beer’.
The late wrestling icon had been an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump
WWE announced a multi-year partnership with Hogan’s beer the day before RAW and the logo was plastered on the ring mat during the show.
Yet, when Hogan came out to speak to the crowd, it didn’t take long for them to let him know exactly how they felt.
The Hulkster tried to tell the WWE audience they were the best tag team partner he ever had. Their response was to boo him out of the building.
However, the reaction to the wrestling titan has changed in the week since his death. The WWE paid tribute to Hogan before both last Friday’s SmackDown and Monday Night Raw earlier this week.
