Hulk Hogan’s death has sparked a wave of tributes, alongside reminders that not everyone in the business was a fan. Behind the “Hulkamania” persona was a long list of fractured relationships, political games, and grudges that lasted decades. These ten wrestlers openly clashed with Hogan, accused him of selfishness, or refused to associate with him entirely.
Bret Hart
Bret Hart has long accused Hogan of holding him back, both in WWE and WCW. Hart claims Hogan refused to lose cleanly, wouldn’t return the favor after Bret dropped the title in WCW, and constantly played backstage politics to protect himself. Bret has repeatedly called Hogan selfish and said he damaged the careers of others to stay on top.
CM Punk
CM Punk has never minced words about Hogan. He’s called him a “piece of shit” in interviews and described him as a toxic presence in wrestling locker rooms. Punk said Hogan contributed to a negative backstage culture and didn’t respect the wrestlers who came after him.
Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner has spent decades trashing Hogan in interviews and promos. He once called Hogan “a cancer in wrestling” and accused him of manipulating creative decisions to bury younger talent. Steiner saw Hogan as someone who always made sure he stayed over at the expense of others.
The Rock
While The Rock and Hogan worked together at WrestleMania 18 in one of the most iconic matches ever, their relationship didn’t carry on past the ring. Unlike others, The Rock never attacked Hogan publicly, but fans noticed that he never brought him up again in interviews or tributes.
He was also silent during Hogan’s Hall of Fame appearances and other big moments. The lack of acknowledgment has raised eyebrows, especially since The Rock is usually generous with praise for his peers. There’s no smoking gun, but it’s clear he kept Hogan at a distance.
Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels’ issues with Hogan boiled over during their SummerSlam 2005 match. Michaels claims they agreed to a best-of-three series, but Hogan pulled out after getting his win. In protest, Michaels oversold Hogan’s offense in cartoonish fashion during the match. He’s since said working with Hogan was frustrating and that Hogan always wanted control of the narrative.
Booker T
— 🪦🦇 (@DEADMAN_pt3) July 24, 2025
Booker T’s infamous promo slip — where he called Hogan the N-word — wasn’t a mistake. He later admitted that it came from real anger and frustration. Booker publicly criticized Hogan’s racist comments when they were leaked years later and made it clear he never felt comfortable around him.
New Day
Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods issued a joint statement when Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame. They said he didn’t represent their values and chose not to interact with him backstage or publicly. They’ve kept that stance ever since, avoiding any association with Hogan at fan events or WWE appearances.
Titus O’Neil
Titus O’Neil was outspoken about Hogan’s return and said his apology for racism lacked sincerity. He refused to appear in photos with Hogan and made it clear he wasn’t interested in helping repair Hogan’s image. Titus believed WWE’s push to bring Hogan back was more about PR than actual growth or accountability.
Mark Henry
Mark Henry initially supported the idea of forgiveness, but only if Hogan took steps to make amends. According to Henry, Hogan failed to follow through, particularly with meeting Black wrestlers one-on-one. Henry said many in the locker room felt betrayed by how WWE handled the situation, and he distanced himself from Hogan as a result.
Randy Orton
Randy Orton never had a major public feud with Hogan, but he didn’t hide his stance either. When a fan mentioned Hogan’s past racist remarks, Orton responded that Hogan “hadn’t changed.” Like others, he quietly supported the effort to keep Hogan at arm’s length inside WWE.
Not Everyone Was a Hulkamaniac
Even before his racist comments leaked in 2015, Hogan was known behind the scenes as someone who picked favorites and buried others. But the public fallout over that incident, where he used racial slurs and said he didn’t want his daughter dating a Black man, reshaped how many viewed him. Hogan apologized, but few believed it was sincere. Several Black wrestlers publicly said they wouldn’t welcome him back into the locker room. The stigma never fully left.
His MAGA politics only added to the divide. Hogan publicly aligned with Donald Trump, supported his campaign, and leaned into the same kind of “us vs. them” energy that made his in-ring heel turn work. But in real life, it pushed him even further from much of the modern wrestling community.
Hogan was a wrestling legend, no question. But for many of his peers, that didn’t make him likable.
