WWE "feared a risk" with Hulk Hogan tributes - Reports

Last week, the world of wrestling was plunged into mourning after the news of Hulk Hogan's passing. The legendary wrestler passed away at the age of 71 after suffering a cardiac arrest. Soon, tributes and messages of condolences poured in for Hogan and his family.

As expected, WWE held a tribute on SmackDown in honor of the two-time Hall of Famer, giving him a 10-bell salute. This was followed by a speech by WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and a video package highlighting Hogan's career, voiced by The Game.

WWE followed suit with the tributes on RAW and NXT, but internally, there was a fear that the crowd in attendance might end up booing the speech and the video.

According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), WWE was fearful that the Detroit crowd, where RAW was being held, might boo the tribute. During the tribute, WWE played the tape from Triple H's speech on SmackDown in Cleveland, just in case the crowd might boo it.

The report notes that, given Detroit's majority black population, WWE feared things would unravel and also turned the crowd mics down to be careful. Moreover, WON reports that WWE "feared a risk" during Hogan's tribute on NXT, given the intimate environment at the company's Performance Center in Orlando and the presence of a "smarter-than-normal crowd."

Thankfully for WWE, the tributes on both RAW and NXT went ahead without any problems, as the crowd at both shows was respectful.

Hulk Hogan had been under fire due to his past racist remarks and was booed by the fans in his last WWE appearance on RAW's Netflix premiere.

---

Hulk Hogan was devastated by boos on RAW

When Hulk Hogan made his way out on RAW during the show's Netflix premiere earlier this year, he didn't expect the barrage of boos coming his way. He was on the entrance ramp with Jimmy Hart, as the crowd at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, made their feelings clear.

Afterward, Hart talked to Hogan about what happened, and in a recent interview on Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw, he revealed that Hogan was devastated by what happened.

"So we go out, so it’s kind of a mixed reaction, but it’s a little bit more boos than anything. But that devastated him. And we got in the back and he said, ‘What do you think happened?’ I said, ‘Hulk, it’s simple. Blue state, red state!'” Hart said. [From 53:13-53-25]

While Hulk Hogan's life outside the ring remains a subject of debate, his impact inside the squared circle is undeniable.

---

If you use quotes from the second half of this article, please credit Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

75 year old legend has challenged Cody Rhodes HERE

Edited by Arsh Das