Why WWE Forgave Hulk Hogan
After three years in the cold, 'The Hulkster' is back in the Hall Of Fame.
Almost three years to the day since Vince McMahon cancelled his contract and removed him from the company's Hall of Fame, Hulk Hogan is back in WWE's good graces.
The promotion reinstated 'The Hulkster' last night, issuing the following statement on WWE.com:-
"After a three-year suspension, Hulk Hogan has been reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame. This second chance follows Hogan’s numerous public apologies and volunteering to work with young people, where he is helping them learn from his mistake. These efforts led to a recent induction into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame."
The news broke a few hours prior to yesterday's Extreme Rules 2018 pay-per-view, leading to speculation that Hogan would return on the show itself. He didn't, but Hulk was backstage, and reportedly met with the roster in an interaction that F4Wonline.com's Bryan Alvarez claims was filmed for a future WWE Network special.
Hogan left the show before it ended. His televised return is now a question of "when?" rather than "if?", though PWInsider claim that the golden era icon isn't booked for this week's TV tapings, and is yet to sign a new deal. The overall feeling, however, is that Hulk is very much back in the WWE family.
The company originally cut ties with Hogan in the wake of his sex-tape scandal back in 2015, when the six time WWE Champion was unknowingly filmed making derogatory remarks against African Americans. The recordings went public, creating a huge media scandal, and WWE announced Hulk's release in a statement reaffirming their commitment to "embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds."
Hogan apologised, but his reputation was dragged through the mud, with revelations of homophobic slurs on the sex tape itself and reports that he'd used racist language in a 2008 phone call to his son soon coming to light. His career in tatters, Hogan launched a lawsuit against Gawker (the outlet that originally distributed the tape), claiming $100 million for defamation, loss of privacy, and emotional pain, eventually reaching a $31 million settlement that, in the eyes of many, absolved him of all wrongdoing.
But WWE weren't quick to reinstate their disgraced icon. Hogan had never hidden his desire to return, but it was reported as recently as January 2018 that Vince McMahon was actively blocking his comeback. Now, however, the Chairman has finally decided enough time has passed. 'The Hulkster' is back in the WWE ecosystem after what his daughter Brooke has described as a "spiritual and human transformation," and the debate surrounding his tainted wrestling legacy is reignited.
Hogan, like the Ultimate Warrior before him, has made it off the blacklist, though this isn't the triumphant redemption arc it'll likely be painted as...
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