Hulk Hogan’s return to WWE during the debut of Monday Night Raw on Netflix was met with loud boos from the audience. The appearance was part of WWE’s new partnership with Real American Beer, but the negative reaction overshadowed the event. The boos were widely covered by major outlets like Variety and CNN.
Many within WWE were frustrated that the reaction took away from the importance of the evening, which marked a new era for Monday Night Raw. Some staff members had raised concerns beforehand about the possibility of a hostile crowd reaction. Hogan’s appearance was brief, lasting only a few minutes due to his physical limitations.
Sources backstage revealed that while Hogan was “surprised and disappointed” by the boos, he seemed to brush it off.
Hogan’s booed WWE comeback
Speculations about political motivations behind the reaction were met with skepticism by insiders.
Online fans suggested that Hogan could have embraced his iconic NWO persona to better handle the crowd’s reaction. However, a WWE insider dismissed this idea, stating that the focus was on promoting the new beer partnership rather than repackaging a 70-year-old legend. The source added that WWE will likely reassess how Hogan is used in future appearances, acknowledging that some had anticipated the negative reaction.
Despite the setback, the partnership with Real American Beer is expected to continue. However, there are suggestions that a more contemporary star or legend might be featured in the promotion in the future. WWE will continue to evaluate its strategies to ensure successful engagements with its audience moving forward.
