The life and career of WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan was the focus of a new TMZ documentary that premiered Tuesday night on FOX, featuring rare comments from former WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.
Speaking candidly, McMahon reflected on Hogan’s passing, his meteoric rise in the 1980s, his 2015 firing over racist remarks, and his controversial final appearance at the Netflix premiere of WWE RAW.
McMahon admitted that Hogan’s death hit him hard, “Shock. You just don’t think about someone, a family member or someone that close to you. You don’t think about them passing away. Terry had kicked out, so to speak, of so many surgeries. I think he had like 20 surgeries on his back, plus others on his knees and hip or something. And he overcame all of that. It was a tremendous shock. It was a blow to my heart.”
Reflecting on why he pushed Hogan to the forefront during WWE’s 1980s boom period. McMahon said, “Just one of a kind. I knew what America wanted. Someone with charisma. Someone who is larger than life. And there was no one who fit that bill anymore than Terry Bollea.”
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The documentary also covered the highly publicized 2015 scandal that saw Hogan fired by WWE over racist comments that were made public.
McMahon didn’t mince words about his initial reaction, “It was unforgivable and I was agasp, ‘What happened?’ When those things occurred, that’s not like him. ‘What in God’s name is going on?’ As soon as it happened, obviously, the company didn’t have anything to do with him anymore. We took him out of the Hall of Fame. You just don’t do those things.”
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McMahon explained the thought process behind eventually bringing Hogan back into the fold, “I knew he wasn’t a racist. I’d been with him for so many years. He wasn’t a racist. He said some racist things, and he should pay for that. And he did. But in the end, I think everyone saw the real Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea, and they felt, ‘Wait a minute, this guy—he doesn’t act like a racist. He’s not a racist.’ We all make mistakes. That was a big one, but he wasn’t a racist.”
The documentary also touched on Hogan’s final WWE appearance at the January 6th, 2025 Netflix premiere of RAW, where he cut a promo alongside longtime manager Jimmy Hart to promote both the event and his Real American Beer brand. Despite praising the fans, Hogan was met with boos from the live crowd.
McMahon criticized how the segment was handled, “It wasn’t set up properly. I’m sure he was probably despondent after that.”
He continued, “I was angry because we’ve known each other for a lifetime, professionally and personally. Setting up, so to speak, this larger than life super hero, you don’t just let him walk out there. He deserved something very, very special. More than anyone, they owe him. It’s just like, ‘Okay, here comes Hulk Hogan.’ I got angry because that’s not the way I would have done it and he deserved much more.”
The TMZ documentary painted a layered picture of Hogan’s life, from his historic run as WWE’s top draw and cultural icon, to his public controversies, and ultimately, his passing.
For McMahon, the bond with “The Hulkster” ran deeper than business, making his reflections some of the most personal and revealing he’s ever shared about his longtime friend and star attraction.
