Hulk Hogan Talks Gawker Trial, Racist Comments, Return To WWE, And Punching Vince McMahon In New Interview

Hulk Hogan, fresh off of a $140 million win in his lawsuit against Gawker Media, sat down with FOX 411 this week to discuss a variety of topics, including the trial, the racist comments that got him fired, and the first thing he’d like to do if were to ever return to WWE.

Hulk Hogan is aware that an appeal from Gawker is coming, especially since their CEO, Nick Denton, has stated that the trial was a “sham.” Denton claims that the trial was never about the sex tape but instead “about racist language on another, unpublished tape that threatened Hogan’s reputation and career.”

The comments made by Hogan on that tape were released last July and included Hogan using racial slurs when discussing his daughter Brooke’s boyfriend. In a statement to People, Hogan apologized for the remarks and told FOX that the comments were not the issue and had no bearing on filing the lawsuit.

“Even when there were rumors there may be racial comments on the tape I told [my lawyer] David [Houston], I said I don’t remember what happened seven years ago. I don’t know if I said for sure, but if there is, that isn’t going to deter me from moving forward… I’m not a racist.”

Hogan knows that the appeal is coming. He just doesn’t care. All Hulk Hogan wanted to do was expose Gawker.

“If there’s an appeal and they win, come what may, I’m fine. All I wanted was to let everyone know what Gawker’s all about and what they do to destroy lives.”

Hulk Hogan has had plenty of money for years, although he did lose a lot of it in his divorce in 2007. So when Hogan was asked about the $140 million that he’s due to receive from the verdict, Hulk really didn’t seem to care about that either.

“It wasn’t the money for me because in my life I’ve had a lot of money before, and I was very unhappy for other reasons. It was my personal life. But the last thing I wanted was that feeling again, and I knew that if I had done something to settle I would be unhappy because I knew what the truth was, and I knew how it devastated me, and it still makes me cower and not be the Hulk Hogan I used to be. When I leave my house and I meet people what do they think? Did they see the tape? What do the kids think?”

Hogan seemingly just wants to have his reputation restored.

“The good part is my fans, my kids, my wife Jennifer – the people that know me, know who I am, and the whole WWE universe – the fan base – they know who I am. And for the people that don’t know who I am hopefully by apologizing and being accountable, and over time hopefully I can win people back.”

One of the people that Hulk Hogan would like to win back is Vince McMahon, the man that runs WWE. Sure, there are others that make decisions, but the decision to bring Hogan back will ultimately lie with McMahon. Hogan simply wants another chance.

“Wrestling has always been my life, and the whole thing was erased and taken away from me. The WWE universe, the fans, and everybody are my family, you know, I’ve gotten nothing but respect for the whole crew that runs the whole WWE. I understand they had to do what was best for business in this case but at the end of the day, they know I’m not a racist. They’ve known me for 35 years. They know who I am. I made a dumb mistake, did something horrible that I’ll forever regret, but if I had a chance to ever come back home to WWE, the first thing I’d love to do is punch Vince [McMahon] right in the nose. That would be a dream come true.”

Only time will tell if Hulk Hogan ever returns to the WWE. Until then, he just seems happy being Hulk Hogan. Having $140 million certainly doesn’t hurt either.

[AP Photo/Steve Nesius, Pool, File]