Vince McMahon Reflects on Hulk Hogan’s Final WWE Appearance
Vince McMahon, the former chairman of WWE, recently shared his feelings about Hulk Hogan’s last appearance in the wrestling world, expressing his frustration with the negative reaction from the Los Angeles crowd.
In a special airing on TMZ, which focuses on Hogan’s life and career following his death at age 71 in July, McMahon reflected on Hogan’s impact on wrestling. This special is particularly significant because it dives deep into the legacy of one of the sport’s most iconic figures.
Hogan’s final appearance took place on January 6 during WWE’s Monday Night Raw, which debuted on Netflix. Unfortunately, he was met with an unfavorable response, as the audience at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, booed him. “I was mad,” McMahon admitted in a teaser clip for the program. “He deserves more.” It’s hard not to feel the weight of those words—Hogan’s contributions to wrestling are enormous, yet the end of his public journey was marred by crowd hostility.
Of course, Hogan’s legacy is a complicated one. He is undoubtedly a titan of professional wrestling, but past controversies, particularly a leaked sex tape containing racist remarks, have clouded that legacy. His political affiliations, too, have altered public perception. For instance, he appeared at a rally for former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden last October, and later told Pat McAfee on ESPN that he believed he received a good reception there.
This latest TMZ special marks McMahon’s first televised interview since early 2024. At that time, he faced severe backlash after allegations surfaced claiming he sexually abused and trafficked a former employee, Janelle Grant, who alleged in a lawsuit that McMahon coerced her to meet him and others affiliated with the company.
McMahon has firmly denied these allegations. In February, federal prosecutors decided to drop a criminal investigation into him that examined whether there was an effort to suppress various sexual misconduct claims against him.
McMahon, who is now 79, stepped down as an officer and board member of TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company, in 2024 amidst the fallout from these legal issues. It’s all a whirlwind of events that really highlights how complicated the wrestling world can be—filled with larger-than-life characters yet deeply intertwined with the very real consequences of their actions.
