Hulk Hogan’s new Netflix documentary will focus on the wrestler’s many controversies throughout his career, but none plague the star’s legacy more than his multiple racist comments.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bolea, died in July of 2025 and the majority of the focus of tributes towards him were centred around his undeniable contribution to both American wrestling and the wider entertainment world.
Many however were unable to celebrate Hogan’s life in the same way due to the horrific comments the celebrity had made in two separate secret recordings of him.
The wrestler was fired by the WWE in 2015 after footage emerged of him saying that everyone was racist ‘to a point’ and repeatedly using a racial slur, also stating that he was disgusted by the idea of his daughter blacking a black man. This footage came from a leaked sex tape in which he was sleeping with his best friend’s wife.
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Whilst these quotes are well known, in large part due to his firing and the subsequent lawsuit surrounding the leaked sex tape, the WWE star had a second controversial tape leak in which he horrifically spoke about his desire for his son to not ‘be reincarnated as a black man’.
Hogan made the bizarre comment whilst his son was in jail for a car crash that left his friend in a coma
Hogan was visiting his son Nick Bolea, who at the time was serving an eight-month prison sentence for reckless driving, causing a crash that left his friend John Graziano in a coma.
In conversations with Nick that would later leak Hogan is seen using a racial slur at multiple points in their conversation before bringing up the topic of reincarnation.
He said: “You know that God gave you this vibe and this, this, energy that you and I are going to live forever, bro.”
The wrestler went on to add that he hopes that him and his son don’t come back as black men.
The wrestler apologised for his racial slurs but was still criticised by many
Hogan did not speak out about the jailhouse recordings of him and his son, but did apologise for the racial slurs and racist comments he made in his leaked sex tape.
Speaking in 2015 he said: “Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation.
"It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it and I apologise for having done it.
"This is not who I am. I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise."
He was brought back into the company in 2018 for his reinstatement into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Black WWE stars criticised his reinstatement into the WWE Hall of Fame
Kofi Kingston released a statement at the time on behalf of The New Day, a trio of black wrestlers who are considered amongst the best tag teams in WWE history.
Released on X, the statement said: “We are only writing this simply to provide an answer to the many who have bombarded us with questions on where we stand on the issue.
“Who WWE puts into the HOF is totally and completely up to the company.
“On a personal level, when someone makes racist and hateful comments about any race or group of people, especially to the degree that Hogan made about our people, we find it difficult to simply forget - regardless of how long ago it was, or the situation in which those comments were made.
“Perhaps if we see him make a genuine effort to change, then maybe our opinion will change with him. Time will tell.”
Hulk Hogan: Real American is available to stream on Netflix now.
Topics: Netflix, Racism, WWE, TV and Film, Celebrity
Michael Slavin