“You know something guys, I came out here wide open tonight in character because that’s exactly the way ‘Mean’ Gene would have wanted it,” said Hogan — whose real name is Terry Bollea. “I want to let all you guys know, ‘Mean’ Gene loved entertaining, and he loved entertaining everybody here in the WWE universe.”
Continued Hogan to the audience, ” ‘Mean’ Gene loved entertaining more than anything that he did.”
“You know, guys, I got to tell you, being out here in the ring without ‘Mean’ Gene, it’s not — he’s not here but, he’s right here,” Hogan said, pointing to his heart. “He’s right here man. I love you ‘Mean’ Gene. I miss you.”
Hogan and Okerlund’s careers were intertwined for decades, with the pair sharing an entertaining chemistry in countless televised interviews throughout the “Hulkamania” era of the 1980s, which propelled the former into an international superstar.
Hulk Hogan.
“[He was the] best partner I ever had. We never rehearsed or did anything scripted from a writer,” Hoganwrote on Twitterafter Okerlund’s death. “Gene would ask me ‘hey big man what do u want to do?’ I would always answer ‘just follow you brother’ and it worked from 1980 – 2017.”
The WWE distanced themselves from Hogan after the sex tape was leaked in 2015, and removed him the Hall of Fame.
While Hogan said he resigned from the entertainment company following the revelations, WWE stated he was fired.
Hogan’s relationship with the company has warmed over the last year, and he was reinstated to the Hall of Fame.
source: people.com
