Former WWE executive Vince McMahon, 70, is defending the history of controversial comments made by late professional wrestling icon Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea.
Hogan passed away at 70 years old on July 24, 2025, though the wrestler’s complicated history has drawn mixed feelings for many unsure about honoring his legacy.
McMahon turned the WWF (now WWE) into an entertainment powerhouse with Hogan as multi-time champion, but Hogan was later removed from the Hall of Fame and WWE’s website after leaked audio revealed his bigoted remarks.
In a secret recording from 2007, he complained about his daughter, Brooke Hogan, dating Black men, and many have never seemed to let him forget it.
McMahon provided commentary for the “TMZ Presents: The Real Hulk,” which featured the disgraced wrestling promoter discussing the Hulkster’s problematic past. The documentary aired on Aug. 12.
“It was unforgivable, and I was aghast, ‘What happened?’ When those things occurred, that’s not like him. ‘What in God’s name is going on?’” McMahon recalled thinking after finding out about Hogan using offensive language.
Vince also said, “As soon as it happened, obviously, the company didn’t have anything to do with him anymore. We took him out of the Hall of Fame. You just don’t do those things.”
TMZ founder Harvey Levin asked McMahon why Hogan was allowed back in the WWE. Vince responded, “I’ve been with him for so many years. He wasn’t a racist. He said some racist things.”
“He should pay for that, and he did. But in the end, I think that everyone saw the real Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea, and they felt, ‘Now, wait a minute. This guy, he doesn’t act like a racist.’ He’s not a racist. We all make mistakes,” the creator of WrestleMania added.
McMahon’s defense of his longtime employee and friend did not sit well with a lot of people on the internet. Commenters on the Baller Alert Instagram page pushed back on his attempt to whitewash the “Hogan Knows Best” television star.
Some believe that if you say it, you mean it writing, “Not that hard to comprehend,” as one person expressed. Another individual wrote, “Is this the same Vince McMahon that wore a durag and said scripted himself to use N-word during a WWE broadcast? Hmmm. Not sure he qualifies to have a voice on this one.”
In addition, someone suggested McMahon might agree with Hogan, “Birds of a feather will flock together. He’s saying a bunch of nothing.” A second critic exclaimed, “Damn the both of them!”
When the news of Hogan’s prejudiced remarks broke, many wrestling fans condemned him. He later offered a public apology but his legacy was already permanently tarnished.
“I’m not a racist. I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I’m embarrassed by it. But a lot of people need to realize that you inherit things from your environment,” Hogan said in a September 2015 interview with ABC News.
Hulk was officially brought back into the WWE fold in July 2018. The company released a statement that read, “This second chance follows Hogan’s numerous public apologies and volunteering to work with young people, where he is helping them learn from his mistake.”
The Hogan controversy joined a long list of racially insensitive actions associated with the WWE. One example was McMahon infamously using the N-word on-air during a backstage segment at the 2005 Survivor Series.
This Nigga Vince McMahon Was a Menace pic.twitter.com/GUyBPUWilC
— KwanLi (Beats) (@KwanLi_) January 4, 2023
In a pre-scripted scene, Vince was filmed telling then-WWE champion John Cena, “Keep it up, my n—-a!” The head of the McMahon family then walked past Black wrestler Booker T and his Black valet Sharmell.
Like Hogan, McMahon’s legendary contributions to pro wrestling have been overshadowed by scandal. The controversial media proprietor was forced to resign as WWE’s CEO in July 2022 after an internal investigation determined he gave hush money payments to multiple women who made allegations against him.
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