Hulk Hogan’s legacy was marred by a leaked sex tape, a $140 million privacy lawsuit, racist remarks that led to his WWE suspension, and public family drama.
Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, is a legendary American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality.
He rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming one of the most influential wrestlers in history.
Tragically, Hulk Hogan passed away on July 24, 2025, at the age of 71 due to cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida.
He had undergone multiple surgeries in recent years, including neck fusion in May 2025, and was reportedly recovering well.
In one of the interviews, he admitted to having at least 25+ surgeries and dealing with chronic pain.
His sudden death shocked fans and fellow wrestlers alike, with tributes pouring in from legends like Ric Flair, Sgt. Slaughter and The Undertaker.
A Series Of Scandals And Controversies Led To Hulk Hogan’s Temporary Suspension From WWE!
Hulk Hogan’s life has been marked by massive fame as a wrestling icon, but also by controversies, scandals, and high-profile legal battles.
In 2012, he was involved in a high-profile scandal when a website, Gawker, published a secretly recorded sex tape of him and Heather Clem, the wife of his friend Bubba the Love Sponge.
He claimed the tape was recorded without his consent and the release violated his privacy.
Hogan sued Gawker for $100 million, and in 2016, he won the case, with the court awarding him $140 million in damages.
The case was secretly funded by tech billionaire Peter Thiel, and the lawsuit led to Gawker Media going bankrupt and shutting down.
This case became a turning point in media privacy laws and was seen as a victory for celebrity privacy rights.
Beyond that, Hulk Hogan faced major backlash in 2015 when a leaked recorded phone call captured him making racist remarks.
He used the N-word casually and joked about reincarnation, saying he hoped they wouldn’t come back as “black guys duing a hailhouse call with his son Nick.
This led WWE to cut ties with him, remove him from their website, and the WWE Hall of Fame.
Many fans and fellow wrestlers were deeply disappointed, and his once-positive image was badly damaged.
Hogan later publicly apologized, stating that he was embarrassed and not proud of what he had said.
After several years, in 2018, WWE reinstated him into the Hall of Fame, but the incident left a lasting stain on his reputation.
Hulk Hogan Was Involved In Personal And Public Dramas!
Beyond all the fame and controversies, Hulk Hogan’s personal life became a major topic in the media, especially during and after his divorce from his first wife, Linda.
Their marriage ended in 2009 after 26 years, with cheating allegations and emotional abuse.
Linda alleged Hogan was a “Sex addict and a Liar,” but later she called him a good father.
On the other hand, Hogan had an affair with Christiane Plante, a close friend of his daughter Brooke and a collaborator on her music project.
Due to this, Brooke distanced herself from both parents, citing family tensions and public embarrassment.
Additionally, Hogan claimed that Metallica asked him to be their bassist, but the band denied that ever happened.
Later in life, he got involved in politics and openly supported Donald Trump.
He made a dramatic appearance at a rally in 2024, tearing his shirt on stage and yelling pro-Trump phrases.
At one event, he even joked about attacking Vice President Kamala Harris, which led to heavy criticism.
Also, in the early 1990s, Hogan became a major controversy during the WWE steroid scandal.
Hogan appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show and said:
I’m not a steroid abuser and I do not use steroids.
In the statement, he admitted to using them briefly in the past for injury recovery but denied regular use. This statement was later criticized as misleading.
Later in 1994, during the federal trial against WWE boss Vince McMahon, Hogan testified under immunity.
He confessed to using steroids for 14 years, not just for injuries but also to maintain his physique.
Additionally, he admitted to sharing steroids with McMahon when they were still legal.
In a Netflix documentary and interviews before his death in 2025, Hogan expressed regret about lying to Arsenio Hall.
He said:
I self-destructed my own self. That was one of the worst decisions I ever made, not listening to Vince.
Despite all these scandals, personal setbacks, and public criticism, Hulk Hogan’s legacy still looms large over the world of sports entertainment.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Hogan was married for the third time in 2023 to Sky Daily.
- He married his first wife, Linda Claridge, in 1983, and they divorced in 2009 after 26 years of marriage, following allegations of infidelity.
- In 2010, he married his second wife, Jennifer McDaniel, and divorced in 2021.
