McMahon on Hulk Hogan: Sure, he talked like a racist—but everyone could see the ‘real’ non-racist him, and the internet lost it

Vince McMahon is no stranger to controversy, and he’s not about to stop now. The 79-year-old former owner of WWE decided to defend Hulk Hogan’s racist past one more time — and he didn’t get the reception he expected.

Hulk Hogan was outed during his successful case against Gawker in 2007. Hogan was initially in court to sue the publication for releasing a sex tape the former wrestler was part of. Although Hogan ended up making a fortune from the case, the transcripts revealed him using epithets to describe Black people. He specifically expressed disappointment in his daughter dating a Black man and said he’d rather she dated a Black man who was an athlete because at least he would be making a lot of money. That transcript ended up marring the wrestler’s legacy until his very last days.

For Hogan’s daughter Brooke, that transcript became a turning point in their relationship — one they never truly got over. So much so that Brooke excused herself from being a beneficiary of the late wrestler’s will. The two never even saw eye to eye enough to allow the WWE legend to visit her twins when they were born. So yes, racism did greatly affect Hogan, even at home.

But that’s not to say he didn’t have his good side. People are complex, and obituaries exist to remember public figures wholly for who they are. Some people remember Hogan as someone who was hardworking and driven, and some will never forget what he said about Black people. He never truly apologized, and wrestling fans never truly forgave him.

Now McMahon, after leaving his position at WWE in disgrace, is back in the news asking people to reconsider how they remember Hogan. TMZ is releasing a new documentary examining the late wrestler, and McMahon offered a few words. Per Yahoo! the now-retired WWE owner said, “He wasn’t racist. He said some racist things. He should pay for that, and he did. In the end, I think everyone saw the real Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea, and they felt, ‘Wait a minute, this guy doesn’t act like a racist. He’s not a racist.’”

When McMahon’s remarks reached the internet, users outright rejected his assertion. One user on X said McMahon’s claims made no sense. Another called McMahon racist himself, accusing him of covering for his kin. Another person jokingly added that the quote sounded like it came from the satirical news site The Onion.

One racist covering for another 🙄

— Alicia ❤️‍🔥 アリシア (@99Bananas007) August 13, 2025

Nah that didn't make sense he a racist

— T Tv (@ttvchannel11) August 13, 2025

I thought this was an Onion article for a second. Also I don't like seeing this man on my feed so often. It reeks of an impending return to WWE.

— BearsNsuch (@standingbear91) August 13, 2025

There are different takes about Hulk Hogan — some valid, some not so valid. But one thing we can all agree on is that someone saying something in their personal life does paint a picture of who they are and how they think. Now, can they change? Of course they can. But he never did that. He never found the time or way to drop the mask of the superstar wrestler and take accountability — and that’s why people are so vehemently rejecting McMahon’s claim that saying racist things does not make you racist. In all honesty, it does.