The boos were very real during Hulk Hogan’s recent WWE TV appearance on January 6, 2025, as fans reacted negatively, according to his long-time manager and friend, Jimmy Hart.
Terry Borea, a.k.a. Hulk Hogan, passed away at the age of 71 on July 24, after suffering a heart attack in Clearwater, Florida.
In a recent episode of Brisco and Bradshaw’s podcast, Hart shared how the reception affected Hogan, saying, “It devastated him. It always bothered him.”
While Hogan was known for eliciting cheers from crowds throughout his career—even during his time with the notorious NWO—this time was different. The fans at the Intuit Dome seemed quite resistant to his presence.
The WWE had brought Hogan in for live tapings in Los Angeles, which would usually be a cause for celebration among fans. But this time? Not so much. The atmosphere felt, well, off. Crowd reactions showed a stark contrast to the typical support Hogan would receive, suggesting a discontent among fans regarding his past behavior.
Back in 2007, Hogan drew criticism for making a racist comment, and in 2015, he publicly supported former President Trump during the Republican National Convention.
Hart disclosed that Hogan’s political leanings, including wearing a Trump-themed shirt, only fueled the already mixed feelings fans had towards him. “Oh, my God. This will be a good thing,” Hart recalled thinking before the event.
This is the latest in the death of wrestler Hulk Hogan
Arriving in Los Angeles, Hart immediately sensed something was off with the fans’ reactions. He described it as a mixed bag, but the overwhelming memory would be Hulk receiving boos that night.
When Hogan asked Hart for his take, Hart replied that it was likely due to the political divide, saying, “Blue State, Red State, Trump, Vance. So, really?”
Later, Hogan appeared on the Pat McCuff Show and claimed he anticipated a response shaped by his politics and prior controversies. He remarked, somewhat puzzlingly, that perhaps the crowd’s disdain was due to his time in the NWO.
Hogan argued that all the backlash stirred a lot of internet engagement, which he saw as a positive, contrasting Hart’s more cautious viewpoint.
“But anyway, at the end of the day, I liked the impression of 11 billion so I watched it the next day,” Hogan said of his experience.
Despite Hogan’s death, WWE has continued to celebrate his legacy on shows like “Smackdown” and “Raw.” Hart, reflecting on his long friendship with Hogan, admitted he felt uneasy about the loss. “It just hits very quickly,” he expressed, lamenting that they hadn’t visited Hogan in his final moments, believing he was on the mend. It was a shocking loss for a figure who had loomed large in both the wrestling community and Hart’s life.
