CM Punk, the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion at age 47, sparked controversy during the Royal Rumble kickoff show by dismissing fond memories of Hulk Hogan. When panelist Peter Rosenberg reminisced about childhood admiration for the wrestling icon, stating, ‘Remember back in the day when we were kids, everyone loved Hulk Hogan,’ Punk, whose real name is Phillip Brooks, shot back with, ‘I dunno where you grew up.’
Punk’s indifference toward Hogan was evident earlier as well. He remained stoic during a 10-bell salute honoring the late WWE Hall of Famer on Monday Night Raw following Hogan’s unexpected death at 71 last July.
Fan Reactions Divide Over Punk’s Comments
Online responses to Punk’s remarks varied widely. One fan labeled him an ‘edgelord wanting to be different,’ while another called him a ‘douchebag’ for breaking character to criticize ‘the most popular wrestler in history.’ Supporters, however, celebrated the candor, with one stating, ‘I’m so glad we live in a timeline where top stars of today can take a massive shit on Hulk Hogan.’ Another noted, ‘Seriously. No chill, straight talk from Punk here.’
Punk’s Long-Standing Feud with Hogan
Punk has openly expressed admiration for wrestlers like Bret Hart and Roddy Piper but maintained a well-documented rivalry with Hogan. In a promo before last year’s Royal Rumble, he declared, ‘You put Hulk Hogan in the Royal Rumble, I’ll throw his dusty ass over the top rope, and I’ll kill Hulkamania once and for all.’
During a 2021 interview, Punk went further, branding Hogan a ‘piece of sh*t’ and accusing him of monopolizing the spotlight as a top star while refusing to elevate emerging talent.
Fellow WWE star Becky Lynch echoed similar frustrations last year. After fans memed her return at WrestleMania as ‘Becky Hogan,’ she reacted strongly, saying she had been compared ‘to the scummiest person on Earth after everything I’ve done.’
Hogan’s Enduring Legacy and Controversies
Hulk Hogan stood as one of wrestling’s most iconic figures, captivating fans in the 1980s and 1990s. His larger-than-life persona extended to films like Rocky III, and his influence propelled WWE to global prominence.
However, Hogan’s off-ring reputation faced significant scrutiny. In 2015, WWE removed him from the Hall of Fame after audio surfaced of a racist rant where he used the n-word. He was reinstated in 2018. In his last televised WWE appearance on the debut episode of Raw on Netflix in January 2025, Hogan entered from the Los Angeles crowd to resounding boos.
