Hulk Hogan learned the true meaning of when it comes crashing down and it hurts inside.
Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, blamed his right-wing political leanings for why WWE fans booed him mercilessly in his surprise return on “Raw” on Jan. 6 on the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif for this system’s Netflix debut.
The Hulkster, a known advocate for President Donald Trump, spoke at his October rally at Madison Square Garden and addressed the backlash with WWE announcer Pat McAfee Monday on his eponymous ESPN show.
“I believe the politics had an entire lot to do with it, as you said,” Hogan said.
Hogan is arguably probably the most iconic wrestler of all-time when it comes to mainstream significance, having carried the then-WWF into the national highlight in the course of the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties before creating the legendary Latest World Order (NWO) faction in rival WCW that modified the industry.
For many of his time as a wrestler, The Hulkster received thunderous ovations as a babyface — the wrestling term for a very good guy.
His post-wrestling days, though, have modified the highlight on him and fans are showering him with boos like they did during his time because the heel — aka bad guy — Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
Hogan, 71, returned to WWE for its Netflix debut, and legends returning are frequently received with an enormous pop as a result of the nostalgia factor.
In that show, the Undertaker, also a known Trump supporter, received a hero’s welcome.
Hogan as an alternative got jeered viciously by the California crowd — perhaps probably the most liberal state within the country — in a surprising scene while he used his “Let me inform you something, brother” shtick before promoting his “Real American Beer.”
Longtime manager Jimmy Hart stood behind Hogan holding the American flag, a throwback to when Hogan defended America’s honor against the likes of the Iron Sheik and Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter, but not even the ’80s and ’90s nostalgia could prevent the group’s animosity.
“On the Intuit Dome, I don’t think any of us expected,” McAfee said..
“Oh, I did,” Hogan responded.
McAfee continued: “You probably did due to the political stuff? Or due to every thing else?”
Hogan then actually partially blamed his response on him being a heel with the NWO during his time in WCW — which folded as an organization 24 years ago — along with the politics.
“Political stuff. You bought to comprehend, last time I ran hard in L.A. I used to be Hollywood Hogan, I used to be riding dirty with the boys, [Kevin] Nash and [Scott] Hall, we were spray-painting people and crotch-shotting people and commenced out the ‘Too Sweet’ stuff,” Hogan said. “So, the last time I used to be there as a heel.
And that’s when McAfee not directly referenced the opposite the reason why some folks is probably not fans of The Hulkster at this point.
Hogan was captured making a racist remark on a sex tape, which actually led to the WWE terminating his contract in 2015. He later apologized for using the slur.
“I might assume you get into politics and in addition another stuff,” McAfee said.
Hogan responded: “Yeah, after all.”
“Once you’re in the general public eye for 40 years,” McAfee said, before Hogan followed: “You do slip and fall a pair times.”
Hogan then decided to place himself over, like he did throughout his profession.
“But anyway, at the tip of the day, we type of checked out it the subsequent day because I had like 11 billion impressions,” Hogan said of a clip of him being booed, “and among the other guys, among the big stars that were on that card that night, only had like 3 billion. Don’t wish to name names.”
Hogan did note that he needed to act like a babyface during that segment for the reason that WWE is a partner with him for his “Real American Beer” as an alternative of responding to the group.
“If this was for wrestling, they usually turned on me like that, I might have was Hollywood Hulk Hogan,” Hogan said. “So, you hate me for every thing I’ve done for all of the Make A Wish kids and every thing I did to your kids? Well, guess what? I did it for the cash. And by the best way, since you would like a lot hatred coming your way, I hope you’ve gotten a very good time when Kamala Harris is your latest governor and also you’re all standing within the soup line.
“Mic drop, see ya. But I couldn’t do this. But I used to be able to go after them.”