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“That’s not who I was” – WWE legend Hulk Hogan opens up about regrettable racist remarks from his past

Uddipta Das

WWE icon Hulk Hogan recently discussed the controversies from his past that have contributed to his polarizing image among fans.

At 69 years old, Hulk Hogan stands as one of the most legendary figures in the realm of professional wrestling. His charismatic presence captured the hearts of wrestling enthusiasts, leading to the rise of Hulkamaniacs worldwide. However, Hogan’s image took a drastic turn after a scandalous incident involving a leaked video tape surfaced, revealing a racist rant. Since then, many fans have viewed the WWE Hall of Famer through a different lens.

Hulk Hogan on racist comments

Despite the scandal, the Hulkster managed to make a comeback, but he openly acknowledged that it was an extremely challenging period for him. During an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Hogan confessed that the racially insensitive remarks he had made in the past did not reflect his true character, and those close to him were well aware of that fact.

“There was a temporary situation with the surgeries, some of the racial stuff that went down. That was a speed bump, but that’s not who I was, and everybody knew that. So, it was a tough time, but the main thing that really got me over the past ten years was the surgeries that was the thing that was in question when you come out of a back surgery and someone tells you you’re never going to walk again. That will really screw your head up,” Hogan said.

Hogan also spoke about his legacy

Hulk Hogan openly acknowledged that during the scandal, he experienced concerns about the impact it would have on his professional wrestling legacy. Following his departure from WWE, he joined WCW, where his tenure with the New World Order (nWo) stands out as a notable highlight in his career, appreciated by many wrestling enthusiasts. Despite the controversy, Hogan’s contributions to the industry have been recognized through his induction into the Hall of Fame twice—first as an individual superstar in 2005 and then as a member of the nWo in 2020. Since the scandal, the wrestling legend has made sporadic appearances with the company.

In his interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Hulk Hogan revealed that he experienced concern about the impact of the scandal on his WWE legacy. Nevertheless, he found solace in the goodwill he had earned throughout his years in the industry.

“There was a temporary situation where I thought, okay, where is this going to end up at? Where is this going to wind down? Where is the legacy? At the end of the day, there had been so much goodwill, you know, with the Hulk Hogan brand and people knew me so well. I mean I’ve been around for forty years and people know me so well from Mike Tyson, Brutus Beefcake to Vince McMahon, Verne Gagne to Bret Hart, everybody knows me so well that they knew I would come back and I would become the person that I was,” he said.

 

Hulk Hogan continues to be one of the most prominent stars in the wrestling industry, leaving fans intrigued about when the legendary figure will make his next appearance for the company in the future.

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