WWE Fans Boo Hulk Hogan During WWE RAW’s Netflix Debut: Unpacking the Reasons

Hulk Hogan-the name that symbolizes the golden age of wrestling-found himself at WWE RAW on its Netflix debut, where the audience threw wild boos toward him. The event was held at a state-of-the-art venue, Intuit Dome, in Los Angeles. For this, WWE transitioned to Netflix, marking the beginning of a new streaming era for the giant. So, why WWE fans Boo Hulk Hogan?

Yet, the presence of Hogan drew much criticism and bifurcated fans, putting into limelight all the murky issues of his past. Lets dig deeper into the why’s and what’s of booing: the fan backlash and the implications of this for Hogan concerning his legacy and that of WWE going into the future.

Hulk Hogan’s WWE RAW Appearance on Netflix

Thus, on January 7, the year 2025, WWE celebrated the debut of RAW on Netflix as a new way of reaching a worldwide audience. The event was endowed with many of the wrestling greats, such as 71-year-old Hulk Hogan, a two-time WWE Hall of Famer, and his long-time ally, “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart. 

Hogan promoted his new venture, “Real American Beer,” and declared a multi-year partnership between his brand and WWE. Indeed, the well-known theme of Hogan and the colorful history in wrestling could not save him as spectators booed him in a rotten show of reception generally associated with his appearances.

Why WWE Fans Boo Hulk Hogan During WWE Raw’s Netflix Debut?

Lingering Impact of Racist Remarks

The real catalyst behind the resentment of fans against Hogan was the scandal of 2015, which involved his private recording being leaked with the usage of all sorts of racial slurs. The meat of this recording contained really horrible slurs where he was talking disparagingly about his daughter Brooke’s then-boyfriend.

Consequences of this incident compelled WWE to cut ties and suspend him from their Hall of Fame to ensure a disconnect with his legacy. Although Hogan has already apologized and has been reinstated, many fans have not forgiven or forgotten what he said.

Polarizing Political Affiliations

Hogan’s political affiliations have only fed his reputation as a controversialist in the ring. As an ardent supporter of Donald Trump, Hogan’s public endorsements during the 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns did not go well with fans of differing opinions.

The Netflix premiere took place in Los Angeles, a city known for its liberal ideologies, making Hogan’s political alignment another possible contributing factor to the crowd’s negative response. His political affiliations serve as a direct contrast to the broad, forward-looking image that WWE wishes to portray in its modern era.

Overshadowing Current Talent

Aside, critics again were heard arguing that the presence of Hollywood actor Hogan somehow takes away from the accolades achieved by the present roster at WWE. It is a big reason WWE Fans Boo Hulk Hogan on Raw.

The debut on Netflix was supposed to highlight the emerging talents, more so the current champions, yet with the entry of Hulk Hogan and the anticipated controversial debates, the rest of their endeavors have quickly faded into oblivion. Fans turned to social media to express their disappointment at the continued reliance on older names instead of concentrating on the next generation of talent.

The Role of Social Media Backlash

Hogan’s boos didn’t cease to echo inside the arena, as similar voices could be heard online as well. Social media users went all out against him; Twitter and Reddit became the most active areas where users voiced sentiments against past controversies and incriminated WWE for having him feature in the show. One tweet summed it all up: “Hulk Hogan was my childhood hero, but some actions are unforgivable. WWE should focus on its future, not its problematic past.” Most of those were just laying the sentiments, all of which were quite the same as those initial disparagements of the latest Hogan hail in sum.

WWE’s Gamble with Hulk Hogan

It was a calculated gamble for WWE to include Hogan into the fold. The backlash here, however, signifies that nostalgia is not enough for fans to overlook the transgressions. WWE Fans Boo Hulk Hogan to show the management to avoid bringing controvertial legends to the events.

This leads to the question of what WWE is supposed to do with legends at their major events. For many fans, the integrity of the brand is measured not only in honoring legends but also in ensuring moral accountability.