After wrestler Hulk Hogan passed away at age 71 on July 24th, tributes poured in from across entertainment and sports. However, his legacy has been overshadowed online thanks to a tainted history, including a widely‑publicized racist rant in 2015 that led to WWE removing him from its website, though he was later reinstated to the Hall of Fame. Marlon Wayans posted to Instagram in response, offering a nuanced reflection:
“The Hulkster. Iconic, far from perfect. Flawed as hell… but you and Macho Man were my favorite wrestlers. I hope yall leg locking or piledriving each other in the after life. Glad you found Jesus before you passed. And I hope that gave you peace. Rest well ‘brother’.”
The comment earned immediate backlash. Within Black communities and wrestling fandom, many pointed out that honoring Hogan without reckoning with his racist past felt insensitive. On the other hand, many praised Wayans for offering grace to Hogan.
Hogan was rushed to the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead shortly after. His wife, Sky Daily, shared that he was recently experiencing health challenges, though she didn’t elaborate. His official cause of death has not yet been made public.
