Hulk Hogan: Hero or Villain? Remembering the Legend After His Passing

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Yo, what is up, everyone? With the recent passing of Hulk Hogan, I’ve been reflecting on his legacy: hero or villain? I’m curious to know how you all perceive the news and how you choose to remember him.

For me, I grew up in the Saturday Night’s Main Event era of Hulk Hogan. The era where kids would try to leg press their brother, attempt to body slam him at ten years old, go around saying, “Hey, brother,” and address everyone as “brother”. You know, the era of trying to rip your shirt off, Hulk Hogan style, with all your cousins around. That’s the Hulk Hogan I grew up with. The WWF/WWE Hulk Hogan. I had the rubber action figures, the ones that could only strike a pose. For me, back then, Hulk Hogan was larger than life. He was the giant killer. He was this massive, muscle-bound Superman. Wrestling aside, he was in all our childhood movies and all our things. He was kind of like a modern-day superhero, in some regard.

Then I grew up, and when he turned heel, I turned heel with him. I was all about “nWo is for life” and Hollywood Hogan, man. Hollywood Hogan was a huge character that I just adored. But then I grew up even more and realized, hey, the person who played Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea, is kind of a jabroni. Maybe Iron Sheik was onto something with that.

And I think that’s okay, too. I think it’s okay to remember who he was as a character growing up, the legend of Hulk Hogan, without having to whitewash all the stuff that came after. Part of it is realizing that these characters, these giants of your childhood, are moving on too. That era, that lifestyle, even though you were never going to go back to it, is slowly fading as those people are passing on and time is moving on.

So, what I’m trying to say is that it’s okay to remember the character that meant so much, that inspired you to be better, to eat your vitamins, and all that, without whitewashing the human and all his flaws. I think we do that too often when people pass, and I don’t think we need to. You can celebrate that person for what they meant to you at that time without getting wrapped up in all the controversies. You can acknowledge that someone is or was a jabroni while still saying, “Hey, man, dude was a legend also.”

But where were you guys at? What was your initial reaction when you heard about the news of Hulk Hogan passing? What was your feeling? Let me know what’s good. Anyways, till the next one. Peace.

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updated_at 31-07-2025
Ai Disclosure: The above posts were transcribed using AI tools. Some language may not have been accurately transcribed.
Ai Header Image Prompt: A high-quality, highly detailed, stylized and abstract digital art representation of Hulk Hogan. The image powerfully illustrates his dual legacy as both 'hero' and 'villain.' One half of the figure, or one distinct overlapping layer, embodies the vibrant 'Hulkamania' era, characterized by dynamic poses, vivid yellow and red hues, and an aura of larger-than-life heroism. The opposing half or layer portrays the 'Hollywood Hogan' persona, using a stark black and white palette with angular, more fragmented elements, hinting at a darker, more complex character. The art style blends graphic novel aesthetics with sophisticated abstract digital art techniques: think luminous geometric overlays, subtle pixelation, digital brushstrokes that create a sense of movement and depth, and abstract energy flows. The overall composition should be dynamic and visually striking, evoking a sense of powerful memory and the passage of time. Ensure all hands, fingers, and limbs are rendered artistically and naturally, avoiding any overt AI-generated anomalies. The image should feel artful and thoughtful, not overtly AI-generated, and contain no superimposed text or titles.