Hulk Hogan’s final appearance in front of a live WWE crowd was hardly what the Hulkster wanted as his swan-song. Appearing at Raw’s debut on Netflix in January 2025, Hogan was met with overwhelming boos as he promoted his ‘Real American Beer’ beverage brand.
While Hogan tried to shrug off the reaction at the time, the response he reeived reportedly rattled the late-wrestler. On a tribute episode of Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, Jimmy Hart shared that Hogan was “devastated” upon his return to the backstage area.
“That devastated him. And we got in the back and he said, ‘What do you think happened?’”
Hart’s explanation? Politics. On the podcast, Hart suggested that Hogan’s endorsement of Donald Trump and JD Vance caused fans to turn on him in LA, a mostly left-leaning city. Despite the backlash, Hogan shared at the time that he wouldn’t change his political stance, telling his friend “this is the right thing.”
Hogan’s genuine reaction varies differently to what he presented following Raw’s arrival on Netflix. When asked about the response, Hogan chalked it up to him being a heel the last time he appeared in LA. Later, Hogan tried to put a positive spin on the situation, saying he’d rather be booed than forgotten.
While it is unclear why each individual attendee booed, much has been said about Hogan’s several controversies. From telling tall tales to reports of sabotaging others to his racist remarks, the WWE Universe was able to make their voices heard in the arena.
WWE has shared several Hogan tributes since his death where fans have been far more gracious to the late icon. Nevertheless, Hogan’s final appearance in front of WWE fans had a somber impact on the Hulkster.