Not many WWE stars could cause an eruption in the arena like Hulk Hogan could during his prime. At "Hulkamania's peak, fans would always erupt whenever Hogan did his iconic "hand to the ear pose," which he performed before ripping his shirt off—one of the most recognizable poses in WWE history.
However, despite having an entire era of the WWE named after him, 'The Hulkster' was shattered by the way fans greeted him during what would be his last WWE appearance. Hogan's longtime friend recently revealed how his reception left him deeply "bothered".
'Raw' crowd's overwhelming boos 'devastated' Hulk Hogan, says friend
Hogan, who died on July 24 at age 71, appeared on the January 6 episode of WWE's 'Raw,' celebrating the show's move from the USA Network to Netflix.
Hogan's manager and longtime friend, Jimmy Hart, accompanied the WWE Icon. "The Hulkster" may have been expecting a hero's welcome, but walked out to a chorus of boos.
On the July 31 episode of the 'Stories With Brisco And Bradshaw' podcast, Hart detailed that the response from the crowd and how it affected his longtime friend.
"We go out, and we had a mixed reaction. You can have 500 people cheering you, and one person booing you, but I’ll be darned if that one person doesn’t outshine [the ones cheering]," said Hart.
Hart mentioned that that negative reaction from fans came as a shock to Hogan, leaving him "devastated" and "bothered".
"It’s a mixed reaction, but it’s a little bit more boos than anything. That devastated [Hugan]. That bothered him."
While there's no way to find out why exactly Hogan was booed during his last appearance, his misconduct involving the usage of racial slurs might be a strong reason behind his negative reception.
In 2015, an audio clip leaked where Hogan was heard using the N-word repeatedly, besides claiming that he was "racist, to a point." The deceased wrestling star's comments took a massive toll on his reputation, with the WWE severing their ties and removing him from their Hall of Fame.
After multiple public apologies, the WWE reinstated Hogan's spot in the Hall of Fame in 2018. However, it seems like some fans hadn't forgiven him till the beginning of 2025 for his insensitive remarks.