'WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan),' says WWE's rep in a statement after they found out that the wrestler used n-word to refer to his daughter Brooke's boyfriend.
- Jul 25, 2015
AceShowbiz - The WWE cut ties with wrestler Hulk Hogan on Friday, July 24. According to TMZ, the decision was made following a just-released audio transcript featuring him making racist remarks about a guy his daughter Brooke was dating.
"WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan)," said the WWE rep in a statement. "WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide."
On the other hand, Hogan's lawyer David Houston claimed that his client wasn't fired and he left WWE of his own accord. "He decided to resign from WWE because he didn't want to put them or his family through this," Houston said.
Following WWE's announcement, the 61-year-old wrestler apologized for the racist remark he made. "Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it," Hogan said in a statement to PEOPLE.
"This is not who I am. I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise," Hogan continued. "I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs."
Meanwhile, Hogan's boxer friend George Foreman defended the wrestler, arguing that he is not racist. "I have known Hulk Hogan for well over 20 years. I do not condone the language he used, but he is no racist, he is a good guy," Foreman said. "He is a friend of mine. We have hung out together and we have even been in the ring together. I consider him a friend."
The said audio transcript features Hogan discussing his daughter Brooke's music career. He repeatedly used the n-word to describe an African-American guy she was dating.
