WWE Hall of Famer Booker T shared his emotional reaction to the passing of Hulk Hogan on the latest episode of his Hall of Fame podcast, recounting the moment he heard the news and sharing deeply personal stories about the man who he says “put wrestling on the map.” Booker T revealed for the first time that it was Hogan who was directly responsible for the main event push of his legendary tag team, Harlem Heat.
“We definitely gotta mention the passing of Hulk Hogan. This is always one of those bitter moments for me, man, just because we’re in that fraternity,” Booker T began. “Hulk Hogan passed away on Thursday, July 24, 2025. I’m sure a lot of people are going to remember that day for many, many years to come. Hulk Hogan, an icon, you know, it’s no other way to say it.”
A Shocking Phone Call
Booker T recounted the moment he received the news from his co-host, Brad Gilmore. “I got the phone call early, and it was from you, Brad,” he said. “It was one of those things to where I was just kicking around the house, doing nothing… and then you called me, and you had that sound in your voice, you know, and it was a sound like, you could feel it… but that’s the last thing I thought you was going to say. The last thing I thought was going to come out of your mouth was ‘Hulk Hogan died.’ And I go, ‘Wow.'”
He reflected on Hogan’s immense legacy and his personal memories as a fan. “He’s been a part of the fabric of professional wrestling ever since my childhood coming up,” he said. “If you didn’t grow up wanting to be a Hulkamaniac, brother… all the Saturday Night’s Main Events coming up as a youngster, Hulk was a staple.”
The Man Who “Put The Rocket” on Harlem Heat
In a major revelation, Booker T shared the story of how Hulk Hogan personally went to bat for him and his brother, Stevie Ray, at a pivotal moment in their WCW careers. He credits Hogan’s endorsement with catapulting Harlem Heat to the top of the tag team division.
“My brother and I in WCW, at one point, they were wondering, ‘Man, what tag team, you know, they should go with?'” Booker T explained. “They had these guys in mind, guys over here, but Harlem Heat’s name was not mentioned in that group… And we got with Sherri Martel, and Hulk Hogan went to the company, and he said, ‘Look, guys, I don’t know why you’re looking for your tag team, when they’re right here in front of you, the Harlem Heat. These are your guys. These are the guys to go with.’ And boom, my brother and I, we got the rocket put on us from that point on, and we became the 10-time WCW Tag Team Champions, just from a word that Hulk put in.”
A Debt of Gratitude
Booker T was clear that he had expressed his gratitude to Hogan in person for this career-altering moment. “I must say, and I’ve told him this before too, this is not something that I’m just telling to the world now. This is something that a conversation that I’ve had with him. I thanked him for that,” he said.
He also thanked Hogan for his professionalism following Booker T’s infamous, accidental on-air slur during a promo. He wondered what would have happened to his career “if he would have taken a certain feeling about that and went to the office and said something.” He concluded, “I thank him for what he did for the business as well as sparking the flame for Harlem Heat to go on a run that will never be duplicated in all professional wrestling.”
Booker T continues to shape the future of wrestling at his own school, Reality of Wrestling, in Houston, Texas. The school has produced numerous stars, including NXT’s Roxanne Perez. Fans can learn more about the school and its upcoming events at realityofwrestling.com.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Hall of Fame with Booker T & Brad Gilmore with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
