Dwayne Johnson, better known to wrestling fans as The Rock, has hailed Hulk Hogan as his childhood hero in a thoughtful tribute to his former adversary.
Johnson posted a lengthy statement on Instagram after it was confirmed on Thursday that Hogan, also known as Terry Bollea, died at the age of 71.
Johnson recalled a childhood memory of returning Hogan’s “Hulkster” headband in the Madison Square Garden locker room, and then, 17 years later, facing off at Wrestlemania X8 in 2002.
“I’m standing in the middle of the ring and facing you – one of my wrestling heroes in the main event of WRESTLEMANIA,” Johnson wrote.
“When you kick out of my Rock Bottom finisher – just listen and FEEL that crowd go ELECTRIC… all for you. I’ve never felt anything like that in my entire wrestling career. It takes two to tango, but that historic crowd reaction was all for you.”
“You may have ‘passed the torch’ to me that night, but you, my friend… you ‘drew the house’ meaning you sold out every arena and stadium across the country in your prime as Hulk Hogan, on your way of becoming the greatest of all time.”
He continued: “From deep in my bones, and on behalf of this wild and crazy world of professional wrestling that we love, I say to you now, and forever… Thank you for the house, brother.”
Outside of the ring, Johnson and Hogan did not always see eye-to-eye. In 2015, when Hogan was in the eye of a storm over racially charged comments arising out of a 2012 sex tape, Johnson said he was “disappointed” in his former colleague.
“I’ve known Terry for years,” Johnson said. “My dad helped train him in Florida in the 1970s, and even my uncle. I come from a long line of professional wrestlers. I didn’t know [Hogan] to be a racist. It’s one of those things where it’s not definite in terms of what he said. We’ve all talked trash. He said what he said, and he’s paying the price.”
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