WWE Rumors: With ‘Gawker’ Trial Over, Hulk Hogan Returning To WWE For ‘WrestleMania 32’?
Hulk Hogan has not fought in a wrestling ring for quite some time, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been in a brawl. It just recently ended this week with the Hulkster winning his case against Gawker for violating his privacy by posting a bit of a sex tape including him. Now, it’s believed that his next stop will be returning to WWE, but will it be in time for WrestleMania 32?
According to CNN Money, the jurors in the Hulk Hogan sex tape case not only rule in favor of the longtime professional wrestler, but also threw the book at Gawker. They awarded Hogan $115 million in damages, and then another $25 million on top of that.
Needless to say, Hogan was thrilled at the result and even dropped the leg on the website.
Thank you God,I am grateful,”I AM THAT I AM”. Only love HH pic.twitter.com/Y5R42C4EF7
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) March 22, 2016
Gawker has already said they do plan on appealing the court’s decision and are saying that Hogan has lied to the media about what he is doing.
“Hogan did not sue us, as he has claimed, to recover damages from the emotional distress he purportedly experienced upon our revelation in 2012 of a sexual encounter with his best friend’s wife, Heather Cole (then Heather Clem). It turns out this case was never about the sex on the tape Gawker received, but about racist language on another, unpublished tape that threatened Hogan’s reputation and career.”
On the sex tape, Hogan is heard speaking to Heather Cole (Clem) about his daughter’s choice of boyfriend and the guys she dates. At one point, Hogan makes a comment about his daughter Brooke dating some “f***ing n***ers.”
Gawker claims that Hogan was merely trying to stop them from putting evidence of his racist rants out there for all to hear. Those racist comments did get out, and were a big reason that WWE cut all ties with Hogan last year.
Now, the Hulkster wants back in.
About a month ago, PW Insider stated that it was no longer a matter of “if” Hogan would be brought back, but “when.”
With WrestleMania 32 less than two weeks away, it is hard to think that Hogan will be back with WWE by then. Yes, anything is possible, but there has been no sign from Vince McMahon or Triple H that WWE has started negotiations with Hogan or even spoken to him again about a return.
If the case with Gawker had been settled and completed maybe a month or so again, then WrestleMania 32 could be possible for Hogan. With Gawker planning an appeal, things aren’t quite done and another trial could happen, so WWE may not want to even touch it just yet.
Gawker wasn’t happy with the verdict, obviously, and Michael Berry, attorney for the site, said that it was going to put fear in a lot of people.
“Your verdict will send a chill down the spine of writers, producers and publishers throughout the country.”
Hulk Hogan’s battle with Gawker has gone his way so far, but it isn’t quite yet over as an appeal will be filed and changes in that huge settlement could come. As far as a return to WWE? Hogan likely won’t be a major part of WrestleMania 32, but it’s very possible that fans haven’t yet seen the last of the Hulkster in the ring.
[Image via WWE]
