ESPN Writer Stands By His Controversial Hulk Hogan Article
Professional wrestling and entertainment legend Hulk Hogan died last week at the age of 71. For decades, Hogan entertained fans in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.
He played the role of a valiant, all-conquering hero before a switch to a darker, more villainous character later in his career. Hogan is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, and his popularity is credited with helping wrestling grow into a global industry.
Many reports on Hogan's passing highlighted the positive aspects of his legacy, but one ESPN writer took a different approach while reflecting on Hogan's life.
Last week, Andscape writer David Dennis Jr. published an article titled "Hulk Hogan's Legacy Isn't Complicated."
In the article, Dennis Jr. asserts that Hogan's controversial and racially insensitive comments are far more important to consider than his wrestling career.
Hulk Hogan admitted that he is a racist. He once told his son he was scared Karma would bring them back as Black men. When you are a racist that is your legacy above all else.
— David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) July 24, 2025
It’s not complicated. This is what I wrote. https://t.co/2gr7p52KgE
"Hulk Hogan is a self-admitted racist who who was caught on tape using the N-word freely on multiple occasions and also dreading the idea that his son’s arrest could mean that the two could be reincarnated as Black men," Dennis wrote.
"When that is part of your legacy, it becomes singularly defining. As a result, Hulk Hogan died being known a racist who also became famous as a professional wrestler. He only has himself to blame for that."
Dennis has received backlash for the article, in which he states that he and many other children raised in the 1980s and 1990s grew up as Hogan fans. He noted that this changed as Hogan's perception soured among wrestling fans.
The wrestler was known for allegedly using his status to undermine others in promotions he worked for, angling for more air time or to win matches at others' expense through creative control.
Hogan also admitted to shutting down an attempted wrestler's union, a point of contention that still exists for former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura.
"The Hulk Hogan tributes will still pour in, of course. Many people loved him until the day he died. But his legacy isn’t complicated," Dennis said in his article.
"It’s simple: Hulk Hogan’s racism is character-defining no matter what came before it. And it’s inextricable from any story there is to tell about the man himself, regardless of the memories he provided along the way."
WWE paid tribute to Hogan with a ten-bell salute ahead of its most recent televised event on Friday night.