Vince McMahon slams Triple H’s creative direction for Hulk Hogan's last WWE appearance

Vince McMahon disapproves of how Triple H brought Hulk Hogan to WWE RAW on Netflix

Hulk Hogan’s final WWE appearance came during the debut episode of Raw on Netflix in January 2025, a night that proved far more controversial than intended.

Attempting to promote his Real American Beer, the WWE Hall of Famer was met with loud boos from the live crowd.

The segment quickly went viral, not for nostalgia or excitement, but as an awkward and widely mocked moment.

Few figures knew Hogan’s legacy better than Vince McMahon, who made a rare public appearance in TMZ’s new documentary The Real Hulk Hogan.

Speaking on camera, McMahon reflected on Hogan’s contributions to wrestling history, calling him a “pioneer” who changed the industry forever.

“He was a pioneer. There was no one like him,” McMahon stated.

Vince McMahon was angered over Hogan’s final reception

Despite having resigned from WWE months earlier, McMahon revealed he was still keeping tabs on the product. Watching Hogan be booed left him visibly frustrated, especially given his long personal and professional history with the wrestling icon.

Vince McMahon Buries Triple H's WWE Creative during Hulk Hogan Documentary on TMZ. pic.twitter.com/hf4VZgQh4M

— Mike Greenberg (@MainEventMikeYT) August 13, 2025

“I was angry because we’ve known each other for a lifetime, professionally and personally. And setting up, so to speak, this larger than life superhero, you don’t just let him walk out there. He deserved something very, very special. More than anyone, they owe him. It’s just like, okay, here comes Hulk Hogan. I got angry because that’s not the way I would have done it and he deserved much more.” McMahon said.

For McMahon, the reception that night was an indictment of the creative direction under Triple H. While the segment may have been intended as lighthearted nostalgia, McMahon clearly felt it disrespected a man who had been instrumental in WWE’s global rise during the 1980s.

Hulk Hogan wasn’t a racist

Vince McMahon has strongly defended his belief that Hulk Hogan was not a racist, despite the infamous scandal that saw WWE cut ties with him in 2015. Speaking in TMZ Presents: The Real Hulk Hogan, McMahon acknowledged the offensive language Hogan used but insisted it did not reflect his true character.

“I knew he wasn’t racist. I’ve been with him for so many years,” McMahon said. “He said some racist things. He should pay for that, and he did.”

McMahon said Hogan paid the price before being reinstated to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.

“In the end, I think everyone saw the real Hulk Hogan, Terry Bollea… he’s not a racist,” McMahon added. “We all make mistakes. That was a big one, but he wasn’t a racist.”

McMahon admitted hearing the 2007 tape left him “aghast,” but he believes the comments were completely out of character.

Hulk Hogan’s legacy softened after his passing

The response to Hogan shifted dramatically following his death in July 2025 from a heart attack. WWE tributes in the weeks after his passing were met with respect, silence, and cheers, a stark contrast to the jeers from earlier in the year.

Fans who once voiced their disdain for Hogan’s past controversies seemed to put that aside, focusing instead on his groundbreaking influence in wrestling. For McMahon, this respectful reception was the way Hogan always should have been treated, both in life and in death.

Hogan’s career remains one of the most influential and polarizing in the history of wrestling. The moment on Netflix Raw and the tributes after his passing serve as reminders of the complicated relationship fans have with their heroes.

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