10 Stretches Of Punishments WWE Stars Had To Endure To Be Forgiven

2. Hulk Hogan

JIM ROSS NAILZ
Netflix

Crime: The sex tape scandal.

Time Served: 3 years.

Hulk Hogan hasn't yet returned to WWE television, but it's only a matter of time. Reinstated into the company's Hall of Fame back in July, he's back in the WWE ecosystem, though the Golden Era icon has demonstrated few signs of genuine atonement since his 2015 expulsion.

For those living under a rock, Hogan dropped a hard N-bomb on a sex tape leaked by Gawker Media. His career in tatters, he sued the organisation for loss of privacy, emotional pain, and defamation, eventually reaching a $31 million settlement the following year. Still, he remained blacklisted by WWE, who understandably wanted nothing to do a man who famously admitted "we're all a little racist."

It's a delicate situation that shows no sign of dying down, no matter what happens with Hulk in the end, and his eventual re-emergence on WWE television will no doubt bring the debate back to the forefront. Regardless, why WWE brought Hogan back into the mix is straightforward: they feel the storm has passed, and believe they can now make money together again. That's all there is to it.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.