“Backstabbing, Self-Serving, Two-Face” — Why Do So Many People Hate on WWE Legend Hulk Hogan?

Netflix's debut of RAW, which occurred on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, kicked off things with a bang to mark the WWE's partnership with the massive streaming service. Travis Scott, who created the new RAW theme song "4x4," was in attendance during the song's debut. The Rock, John Cena, and women's champion Rhea Ripley were also there, as was the man credited for helping turn the WWE into the powerhouse it is today: Hulk Hogan.

Except the Hulkster wasn't exactly warmly welcomed when he appeared on Netflix's RAW, which led many to wonder: Why do so many people hate him?

Hogan popped up during RAW as a surprise guest to announce a sponsorship deal he made with the pro wrestling brand to promote his new beer brand, Real American. In tow was manager and pro-wrestling personality Jimmy Hart, who brandished the American flag as Hogan delivered a speech while rocking a t-shirt with branding for his light beer.

However, he was met with a combination of cheers and audible "boos" from the crowd, which the OG Hulkamaniac and six-time WWE Heavyweight champion of the world ignored. During his speech, he said, "You, the fans, have been my greatest tag team partner because you guys have stuck with me through thick and thin, dudes."

The platitudes did little to quell the continued jeers from the crowd, who continued to boo him as he spoke into the microphone. So why the anti-Hulk sentiment? It could have something to do with some of the business maneuvers he pulled, which were recently aired in Netflix's documentary on Vince McMahon.

The former head of the WWE, Vince McMahon, was largely attributed for helping build Hogan's brand. In fact, it was said in the documentary that much of Hogan's dialogue, catchphrases, and persona was created by McMahon, and there's footage of Vince feeding him lines as he cut his promos.

What was also featured in the documentary, with Hogan's own admission, was his decision to snitch on fellow professional wrestlers who were planning a walkout on Vince prior to Wrestlemania II. The talent, led by Jesse Ventura, was staging the walkout in the hopes of securing a union for pro wrestlers.

While working as a professional wrestler today still carries a rigorous schedule, it pales in comparison to the working conditions many of the ring's entertainers were expected to uphold back in the day. If performers didn't wrestle, then they didn't get paid. This was the case even if they were injured.

When Hogan caught wind of the potential uprising against Vince, he warned him, and the union talks were quickly squashed by McMahon, who recorded a portion of his talks with company talent to air their grievances pertaining to a union, effectively ending the chance for performers to unionize.

Additionally, as many folks in a Wrestling Forum post discussed, Hogan gained the reputation of being self-serving and two-faced among colleagues and folks in the business. This can be attributed to his decision to work for Vince's opposition at the time, the WCW when his show Thunder in Paradise was clearly not panning out to be the TV meal ticket dream one would probably hope for.

Despite being the face of professional wrestling and selling loads of merchandise in the '80s and early '90s, getting movie roles and appearing on commercials and magazine covers and despite all of this success being associated with his close working relationship with McMahon, Hogan opted to jump ship to a rival organization because of the money that was being offered to him.

He's also been accused of "burying" other wrestlers he may've felt threatened by and "refusing to lose" certain matches. Then there's also the controversy of recordings where he's audibly heard using the "n-word" as part of his dispute with Gawker, which didn't help matters, either.