AEW is being slammed by fans for its complete refusal to acknowledge the death of WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan. While WWE, TNA, NWA, GCW, and nearly every major media outlet and sports organization have paid tribute to Hogan’s unmatched legacy, AEW’s silence has been deafening, and fans are calling it outright disrespectful. The lack of any recognition from the company has sparked outrage across the wrestling world, with many accusing AEW of letting personal grudges overshadow basic decency.

The criticism has reignited attention on AEW President Tony Khan’s public stance against Hogan, which dates back to 2020. At the time, Khan banned Hogan from all AEW events in response to his past racist comments and what Khan described as a failure to properly take accountability.

“What he said on the tape, long before George Floyd, I’ve told people I can’t work with Hulk Hogan… how can I look my black friends, football players, employees in the face or myself in the mirror after the things [Hulk] said and has never given an adequate apology for? He can’t blame what he said on tape on the dangers of social media.”

Although the ban was announced years ago, AEW’s current silence has reignited debate, with many fans believing that regardless of past controversies, Hogan’s influence on professional wrestling history should have been recognized in some way.

Tonight, WWE will be hosting a special tribute edition of SmackDown on USA Network.

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