WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley recently revealed the emotional impact of Hulk Hogan's 2015 racist rant, saying the controversy involving his childhood idol left him heartbroken. He discussed the incident and their eventual reconciliation during a recent interview with VLAD TV.
Hogan's racist remarks containing the N-word were leaked in 2015, creating widespread controversy.
Dudley's Emotional Response
For Dudley, who idolized Hogan as a child and was inspired by him to pursue wrestling, the revelation was particularly devastating.
It hurt really bad. I idolized that man as a kid. And to hear that broke my heart," Dudley said. "It was like, how do I even see him again and even respect him as a man? You know, it hurt until finally we did see each other and he knew I was a little standoffish with him.
The two wrestlers eventually crossed paths, leading to a difficult but necessary conversation. Dudley admitted he struggled to reconcile the man he admired with the person who made those remarks.
Path to Forgiveness
Hogan met with Dudley and sincerely apologized, acknowledging his wrongdoing and asking for forgiveness.
I remember looking at him going, 'Yeah.' He was like, 'Well, that's how I felt.' He goes, 'When it was done, that's how I felt.' And then we walked away from each other," Dudley recalled.
"We come back, and I tell him, I say, 'Hulk, I forgive you. I don't forget it, but I forgive you,'" Dudley explained. The WWE veteran emphasized his spiritual beliefs in choosing to forgive while making clear the remarks would not be forgotten.
Dudley's comments come as he has been more open about addressing racism in wrestling, recently speaking about alleged racist remarks from former WWE commentator Jim Ross as well.
