WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan recently opened up about the negative reception he received from fans at the WWE Raw on Netflix premiere in Los Angeles this past January. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hogan acknowledged the boos but framed them as continued interest in his enduring presence in the wrestling world.
Hogan compared the LA reaction to what other top stars sometimes face, but noted the unique attention his own reactions garner. “I can go out there and get booed in LA, or The Rock can get booed in LA, or John Cena gets booed in LA. But when I get booed, there’s a whole different reaction media-wise,” Hogan stated. “For some reason, I believe, some type of groundwork, that people are still interested in what I’m doing.”
He addressed those who remain critical of him: “For those that are the haters and still have a problem with me, there’s nothing I can do to fix that except just keep proving by my actions that I’m still in the game. I’m still pushing hard.” Hogan also referenced his extensive injury history, saying, “I took a lot of time off because I had like, 25 surgeries, and I was down for a long time… I’ve always loved the hunt. I’ve always loved to get back in the game.”
When asked if he felt the boos were solely for his character, Hogan attributed it to multiple factors. “No, no, no, no. All the above,” he responded. “There are certain people that boo the character. There are certain WWE superstars that had an opinion and they had advice for me. But I would like to ask those same guys, when I go to New York or Chicago and the people cheer out of the rooftops, I would like to know what their advice is then.”
Hogan described himself as an “old scarred up seal with a bunch of scars on me, and I’m really relatable to most normal people, because a lot of people have been through a lot of stuff.” He concluded with a resilient message: “If they boo me, fine, if they’re on the team, that’s great, too… I’m just I’m still here. I’m still moving forward. And it’s kind of like the old Rocky movie: it depends on how hard you can get hit. Get back up and keep moving forward. And brother, I’m always leaning into the wind.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit The Ariel Helwani Show with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
