For decades, Hulk Hogan has been one of the most recognizable names in professional wrestling. But behind the fame and larger-than-life persona lies a complicated legacy filled with scandals, backstage politics, and allegations that continue to surface years after his retirement.
Now, according to his ex-wife Linda Hogan, several wrestlers and industry figures were connected to the controversies that surrounded Hogan throughout his career. Here’s a breakdown of the key names she has reportedly highlighted and the roles they allegedly played.
Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon sits at the top of this list. During the 1980s boom of the WWF, McMahon has been accused in federal court records of overseeing a steroid distribution network that supplied many wrestlers. Hulk Hogan himself later testified that roughly 75 to 80% of the locker room was using steroids at the time.
Court documents and testimony from McMahon’s 1994 steroid trial revealed that Hogan would place orders through McMahon’s secretary for anabolic steroids from Dr. George Zahorian. Shipments were allegedly delivered to Titan Sports headquarters, and McMahon was said to have kept portions for his own use. McMahon was ultimately acquitted, but the scandal exposed the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs in the industry during that era.
Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff played a major role in Hulk Hogan’s WCW career. When Hogan joined WCW in 1994, Bischoff reportedly gave him unprecedented creative control over his character and storylines — something no other wrestler in the company had at the time.
Bischoff also helped create the New World Order (nWo) angle at Bash at the Beach 1996, which became one of the most successful storylines in wrestling history. However, critics argue that Hogan’s creative control led to younger talent being sidelined and contributed to WCW’s eventual creative and financial problems.
Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash was one of the original members of the nWo alongside Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan. He has spoken publicly about the backstage politics of that era and has suggested that Hogan’s influence played a role in decisions that affected other wrestlers’ careers.
Nash has also discussed the personal toll the environment took on wrestlers, including his close friend Scott Hall. He remains one of the most outspoken figures from that period regarding the power dynamics inside WCW.
Scott Hall
Scott Hall was the other half of “The Outsiders” and a key figure in the nWo. According to Kevin Nash, Hall’s struggles with addiction were worsened by the pressures and politics of the time, including decisions made during the buildup to WrestleMania X8 in 2002.
Hall’s story is often cited as one of the most tragic in wrestling, and his close association with Hogan and the nWo placed him at the center of many of the era’s controversies.
The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior (Jim Hellwig) was one of Hogan’s biggest rivals and a product of the same steroid-fueled era. Like many wrestlers from that time, Warrior admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. He was suspended by the WWF in 1992 after failing drug tests.
Their on-screen rivalry at WrestleMania VI was iconic, but behind the scenes, both men operated in the same chemically enhanced environment that defined much of 1980s and early 1990s wrestling.
Roddy Piper
Rowdy Roddy Piper was one of Hogan’s greatest rivals and one of the few wrestlers willing to speak openly about the steroid culture. During Vince McMahon’s 1991 steroid trial, Piper testified that he had ordered steroids from Dr. George Zahorian.
Piper later wrote about the darker side of the business in his book and was known for being more willing than most to discuss the realities of the era, including the toll it took on wrestlers’ health.
Brutus Beefcake
Brutus Beefcake (Ed Leslie) was Hulk Hogan’s real-life best friend for over 50 years. They grew up together and rose through the wrestling business side by side. When Hogan joined WCW, he reportedly used his influence to get Beefcake hired.
Their friendship eventually ended over personal issues, with Beefcake claiming Hogan hit on his wife. The relationship reportedly remained strained for years, even extending to incidents after Hogan’s death in 2025.
Bubba the Love Sponge
Bubba the Love Sponge (Todd Clem) was one of Hogan’s closest non-wrestling friends. In 2007, a sex tape involving Hogan and Bubba’s then-wife was recorded in their home. The tape later leaked, leading to Hogan’s high-profile lawsuit against Gawker.
During the legal proceedings, additional audio surfaced of Hogan using racial slurs, which led to WWE firing him in 2015 and scrubbing him from their history. The scandal severely damaged Hogan’s public image.
Randy Savage
Randy Savage had one of the most famous on-screen rivalries with Hulk Hogan as part of the Mega Powers. Their partnership ended dramatically at WrestleMania V. Behind the scenes, the two reportedly had a tense relationship, with Savage allegedly becoming jealous and paranoid about Hogan’s interactions with Miss Elizabeth.
The rivalry continued into WCW, where Hogan’s nWo turn included a famous leg drop on Savage. The two men reportedly never fully reconciled.
Lex Luger
Lex Luger was WCW’s top homegrown star in the mid-1990s before Hogan arrived. According to Luger, Hogan’s presence and backstage power made it difficult for other top stars to get pushed. He has spoken about feeling overshadowed and has shared stories of tense interactions with Hogan.
Luger has also publicly commented on Hogan’s 2015 firing from WWE, expressing surprise at how quickly the company distanced itself from him.
A Legacy Still Being Debated
While Hulk Hogan remains one of the most important figures in wrestling history, the controversies surrounding his career — from the steroid era to backstage politics and personal scandals — continue to be discussed. Linda Hogan’s recent comments have once again brought attention to the people who were part of that world.
These names represent different aspects of Hogan’s long career: the business side, the creative control, the personal relationships, and the darker elements of the industry during its most controversial periods. Whether viewed as enablers, rivals, or victims of the system, their stories remain deeply connected to Hogan’s legacy.
