We previously reported that the legendary former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan died last week. He passed away on July 24 at age 71 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Now, Hogan’s longtime manager and friend Jimmy Hart is speaking out to reveal that the iconic wrestler was left “devastated” when he was viciously booed during his final appearance on WWE television on January 6, 2025.
Hogan ‘Devastated’ By Boos
“That devastated him,” Hart said of the jeers on an episode of Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw this week. “That always bothered him, it sure did.”
Hogan had been one of the most popular stars in the WWE for decades. That’s why the WWE turned to him back in January when it was time to usher in the new era of “Raw” on Netflix. Indeed, they brought Hogan in for an appearance during a live taping in Los Angeles, California.
Normally, this would gone over well with fans. Much to Hogan’s shock and dismay, however, he was met with a chorus of bitter boos after he made his entrance. This also came as a shock to WWE executives, as they don’t normally bring back storyline heroes just to have them get showered with boos.
Check out this difficult moment for yourself in the video below.
Related: Police Reveal Disturbing Details About Hulk Hogan’s Final Moments Before He Dies At 71
Were Politics At Play?
Hart believes that the boos came in for political reasons. He had warned Hogan prior to the appearance that he was venturing into a liberal-leaning state. In the months before that, Hogan had been seen publicity wearing a Trump/J.D. Vance t-shirt.
“I’m going, ‘Oh, my God. This is going to be good,’” Hart said of Hogan’s January WWE appearance. However, he was quick to add that “something didn’t feel right” when fans started chirping at Hogan when he landed in Los Angeles.
After the appearance, Hogan asked Hart what he thought happened when it came to the boos.
“I said, ‘Hulk, it’s simple. Blue state, red state. Trump, Vance. I mean, really?’” Hart recalled. He went on to note that the next week, Hogan received cheers when he appeared at an event in Texas.
In a February 4 interview, H0gan revealed his thoughts about the boos that he received.
“I think the politics had a whole lot to do with it, as you said,” Hogan said. “You got to realize, last time I ran hard in L.A. I was a bad guy, I Hollywood Hogan, man. I was riding dirty with the boys, (Kevin) Nash and (Scott) Hall, we were spray-painting people and crotch-shotting everybody and started out the ‘Too Sweet’ stuff. So, the last time I was there as a heel.”
Hogan’s Death
Hogan died on Thursday, July 24 after suffering a cardiac arrest. The next day, Hart spoke out to admit that he was shocked by his longtime friend’s death.
“It just hits so fast,” Hart told People Magazine. “It was like, ‘Oh my God.’ We thought he was doing so well, you know? We didn’t go to see him at the house and didn’t go to see him at the hospital, because we wanted to make sure that he didn’t get any infections or anything else, like if anybody had a cold or brought anything in. So, that’s what we all did.”
While Hart is saddened that Hogan is gone, he knows that he’s in a better place.
“Hulk loved this business more than anything,” Hart said. “And now he’s happy because he’s free of pain where he’s going. And then once he’s where he’s going, up there in heaven, he’s going to be with all his friends. He’s going to be with Andre the Giant, he’s going to be with The Wild Samoans, Sika and Afa. He’s going to be with Dusty Rhodes, who was his mentor.”
Hogan was a true legend, and there will never be another one like him. It’s devastating that he received such disrespectful boos during his final WWE appearance. Here’s hoping that despite this, Hogan knew just how loved he really was by millions of fans all over the world.
Rest in peace, Hulk Hogan.
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