Hulk Hogan's controversies and scandals explained

Overview

• Hulk Hogan passed away on July 24, 2025, at the age of 71, due to a cardiac arrest
• Hogan had an illustrious Wrestling career in promotions like WWE and WCW
• At the same time, he had some controversies and scandals in his personal life

Hulk Hogan passed away due to a cardiac arrest on July 24, 2025, at the age of 71. The 2-time WWE Hall of Famer had an illustrious Wrestling career in promotions like World Wrestling Entertainment and WCW. At the same time, he had some controversies and scandals in his personal and professional life, which nearly tarnished his legacy.

In 2007, Gawker got a secret copy of a recorded sex tape, which featured him and his friend's wife. The video of nine seconds was published in 2012 by the outlet against whom he filed a civil lawsuit for $100 million. In 2016, Florida's jury claimed the video was posted by Gawker without Hulk's permission. However, the damage had been done to his image.

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As per Hogan, the video was secretly recorded without his permission, and he added that he was mortified. 

"I was relieved that people actually finally believe me. So many people thought I was making a sex tape to sell as entertainment," Hogan told PEOPLE.

Hulk Hogan's racism against his daughter and his divorce from his wife

Likewise, in 2015, an audio transcript went viral, in which Hogan made racist comments on his daughter's relationship. In 2023, in an interview with PEOPLE, Hogan accepted that he should have never used offensive language and claimed it was unacceptable from him, and even apologized to his daughter for his actions.

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Hogan believed he was a better person and claimed everyone in the world is important and must not be treated based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs, or otherwise. Hogan was disappointed with himself for his tone, which he felt was offensive to his own daughter.

"Eight years ago, I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it," said Hulk Hogan in the interview.

"This is not who I am. I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise. I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs," Hogan added in the interview.

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While Hogan's Hall of Fame status was temporarily halted for his actions, it was reinstated in 2018. His children and wife became popular in the 2005-07 period due to their appearance in the VH1 reality show, Hogan Knows Best. A month after the show, Linda Hogan filed for a divorce, 24 years after their marriage, due to infidelity and an affair with their teenage daughter's close friend. 

While Linda was upset that her life was destroyed, in an interview in the mid-2010s, she claimed that Hogan was a sex addict and a liar. She even claimed him to be a good father but an a*s husband. In WWE, he was complained f having ego issues and not putting over wrestlers on several instances.