WWE honored Hulk Hogan last night on Smackdown, opening the show with a 10-bell salute as the whole Smackdown locker room stood on the stage in front of a huge graphic of Hogan which occupied the whole LED entrance wall.
With Triple H front and center, he was flanked by Gerald Brisco, Bruce Pritchard, Jimmy Hart, Ted DiBiase, and Brian Blair on one side and Cody Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, and Jim Duggan on the other.
“Ladies and gentlemen, yesterday, we lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world,” Triple H said. “A man I grew up watching, was fortunate enough to share the ring with and, like so many of us, were honored to call a friend.”
“The truth is, he captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe. We would not be standing here right now, all of us together, if it was not for him,” he continued.
Triple H then asked the crowd to help them honor him now, calling Hogan “the one and the only.”
This time around, fans were super respectful with no boos heard and held up signs, and erupted in “Hogan” chants after the 10-bell salute ended.
Jimmy Hart and Brian Blair were visibly emotional, crying throughout the tribute.
A near seven-minute beautiful tribute video, narrated by Triple H, then kicked off the show, covering Hogan’s whole career.
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