Triple H, WWE deliver emotional Hulk Hogan tribute at SmackDown
Hulk Hogan’s tribute to open WWE SmackDown on Friday night was nothing short of a tear-jerker.
The event in Cleveland was opened with loud applause, with the crowd chanting “Hogan” in unison to honor the late wrestler who died at 71 years old on Thursday.
Fellow wrestler Triple H led the tribute for Hogan.
To start his speech, he said the WWE community “lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world.”
“A man I grew up watching, was fortunate to share the ring with, and, like so many of us, were honored to call a friend,” Triple H, who now serves as the WWE’s chief content officer, said.
Triple H — whose real name is Paul Levesque — also said how Hogan inspired millions of people “around the globe.”
Dozens of the most prominent WWE members stood behind Triple H on stage, with an in memoriam banner of Hogan in the background.
“The one, the immortal, Hulk Hogan,” he concluded.
A 10-bell salute for Hogan then followed, which met with roaring applause shortly after.
The tribute then ended with a video montage going through Hogan’s life and his long career in wrestling.