Why did Hulk Hogan get booed during WWE's debut on Netflix?

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Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan has made a surprise return on WWE's Monday Night Raw debut on Netfilix on January 6, 2025. The show consisted of many grand appearances and truly memorable moments. So why was the star's appearance so negatively received by the crowd exactly?

   
     
After the wrestler's theme song was over, the audience reacted very strongly with an overwhelming number of boos that were more than noticeable, sometimes getting even louder than the Hulkster's own voice!
    Fans point out there are several factors that might be at play as to why his return was received so negatively:




  • Racism - Hulk Hogan was caught being incredibly racist on a leaked tape, repeatedly using the n-word to describe black people, as well as being overly disgusted with the idea of his daughter dating a black person. He's also expressed worry that after death, they'd reincarnate as a black family, which would be "karma" for them.
  • Union busting - wrestling is not an industry known for its strong workers rights. Wrestlers perform as not even workers, but 'independent contractors'. Over the years, the company has been severely criticised by their lack of support of wrestlers, mainly revolving around the injuries and health complications of the sport. Jesse Ventura tried to organize an union for the wrestlers to negotiate better working conditions, but Hulk Hogan was the one to expose these plans to the boss - Vince McMahon,
  • Real-life politics - On more than one occassion, Hulk Hogan proudly announced that he is the supporter of Donald Trump, appearing at rallies and conventions, once even suggesting that he would 'leg-drop Kamala Harris'. This also did not go unnoticed for the fans in the predominantly Democrat California.
  • Backstage politics - Hulk Hogan often used his position in the company to ensure the outcome was often in his favor, which led to other fan favorites not receiving a significant match on a Pay-per-view, changing the outcome of storylines and so on. He has also been called out for being a notorious spreader of false information, often not saying the truth or true statements in interviews.
  • Beer promotion - Hulk Hogan's appearance at the show could be mainly summed up to him greeting the audience and promoting his beer company. Obviously, many fans didn't appreciate the gesture as it made them feel like he appeared there solely for the reason of promoting the business, and not because of his passion for the show.









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