Following a 10 bell salute on the latest Monday Night Raw, Hulk Hogan paid an emotional tribute to late WWE interviewer “Mean” Gene Okerlund, who died last week age 76.
During the Monday appearance — Hogan’s first on the WWE’s cable programs since 2015, when it was revealed he made racist comments on a leaked sex tape — the 65-year-old wore a sleeveless, red shirt with the slogan “Mean Gene-o-Mania.”
“You know something guys, I came out here wide open tonight in character because that’s exactly the way ‘Mean’ Gene would have wanted it,” said Hogan — whose real name is Terry Bollea. “I want to let all you guys know, ‘Mean’ Gene loved entertaining, and he loved entertaining everybody here in the WWE universe.”
Continued Hogan to the audience, ” ‘Mean’ Gene loved entertaining more than anything that he did.”
“You know, guys, I got to tell you, being out here in the ring without ‘Mean’ Gene, it’s not — he’s not here but, he’s right here,” Hogan said, pointing to his heart. “He’s right here man. I love you ‘Mean’ Gene. I miss you.”
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The iconic wrestler concluded the tribute by getting back into character, and naming other wrestling greats who died before Okerlund.
Hogan and Okerlund’s careers were intertwined for decades, with the pair sharing an entertaining chemistry in countless televised interviews throughout the “Hulkamania” era of the 1980s, which propelled the former into an international superstar.
“[He was the] best partner I ever had. We never rehearsed or did anything scripted from a writer,” Hogan wrote on Twitter after Okerlund’s death. “Gene would ask me ‘hey big man what do u want to do?’ I would always answer ‘just follow you brother’ and it worked from 1980 – 2017.”
The WWE distanced themselves from Hogan after the sex tape was leaked in 2015, and removed him the Hall of Fame.
While Hogan said he resigned from the entertainment company following the revelations, WWE stated he was fired.
“WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea (a.k.a. Hulk Hogan),” the company said in a 2015 statement. “WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide.”
Hogan’s relationship with the company has warmed over the last year, and he was reinstated to the Hall of Fame.
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