You’d think the passing of one of the most iconic figures in pro wrestling — a man who defined an entire era of American pop culture — would be one of those rare moments where people could just… pause. Mourn. Maybe even put their Twitter rage down for a day. But nope. This is 2025, and apparently not even Hulk Hogan gets a grace period.
This made me a little choked up. https://t.co/85T2AORfGm
— Samuel Sey (@SlowToWrite) July 25, 2025
Within hours of his death being announced, the usual suspects were out in force. Left-leaning users on X (because of course) weren’t posting “RIP, brother.” They were posting “fuck him.” Literally. One user snarled, “I USED to love Hulk too, back in the day. Once I learned he was racist, it faded away in an instant. Very easy. Fuck him.” Another wrote — and I quote — “Onie more trumpie dow many coming soon.” (Yes, that’s exactly how they typed it.)
Sad to hear that Hulk Hogan has passed away.
The Hulkster was an icon for so many of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s, and he was a Floridian through and through.
RIP, Brother. pic.twitter.com/zJyVvsxlli
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) July 24, 2025
It didn’t stop there. “Don’t let ya wrestling nostalgia make you forget that Hulk was a racist, union busting, boot licker,” said another. A former Gawker writer (still bitter over the lawsuit that bankrupted their employer) gleefully declared, “Dance on any grave you want to, but this one’s mine.” And when JD Vance posted a respectful tribute? Someone actually replied: “Hulk was a racist, a homophobe and a real MAGA dickhead Trump ass tonguer!”
It’s hard to express for kids who grew up in the 80s what Hulk Hogan meant to us. He was a real life super hero. He taught us to say our prayers and take our vitamins. And even when we knew WWF was pre-determined, it didn’t matter. He was an idea, a dream we all wanted to be: a… pic.twitter.com/Z2jwdzIGbZ
— Hans Fiene 🦬 (@HansFiene) July 24, 2025
Classy, huh?
Look — nobody’s pretending Hogan’s later years weren’t controversial. He had scandals. He had lawsuits. He wasn’t perfect. But let’s not rewrite history: Hulk Hogan wasn’t just a wrestler. He was an era. He was the neon-yellow mustache-twirling embodiment of 1980s Americana — larger-than-life, absurd, beloved. Millions of kids grew up saying their prayers, taking their vitamins, and tearing their T-shirts because of Hulkamania.
Hulk Hogan was 70yrs old when he became born again. Now he’s with Jesus. pic.twitter.com/RZyebggP8p
— Kathy (@rankheresy) July 24, 2025
And yet, in death, instead of a moment of reflection, we get the Twitter mob dancing on his grave because he didn’t pass their purity test.
HULK HOGAN – THE GREATEST OF ALL
Can’t thank you enough for all that you did for me and for wrestling fans all over the world. I loved you and I will miss you.
My friend, Terry Bollea, RIP pic.twitter.com/DoM4tGaRHT
— Sting (@Sting) July 24, 2025
Thankfully, they were drowned out. Hogan’s real fans — the ones who grew up with him as a hero — responded with a tidal wave of tributes, from wrestlers to celebrities to everyday people. They remembered the showman, the icon, the guy who filled arenas and made little kids believe in larger-than-life heroes.
