WWE star Chelsea Green has stepped away from social media after receiving death threats over her comments on Hulk Hogan.
The inaugural Women’s United States Champion was criticised for paying tribute to the 71-year-old shortly after his death on Thursday.
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Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, passed away in his Florida home from a cardiac arrest, WWE confirmed this week.
Just hours after his death, Green represented the company by paying tribute to the wrestling icon live on CBS News 24/7.
The 34-year-old acknowledged Hogan’s ‘polarising political views’, before hailing the impact of the Hulkster as an ‘absolute icon.’
The Canadian is a staunch advocate of the LGBTQ+ community, and as such, her interview didn’t sit well with sections of her fanbase.
Hogan, who helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s, was an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.
The announcement of his death also came 10 years to the day that he was fired by the company amid his racism scandal in 2015.
In a statement, Green attempted to defuse the increasing vitriol towards her online by apologising for any offence she had caused.
“A significant part of my role at @WWE involves engaging w the public & responding to questions, often on live platforms,” Green wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Yesterday, I was asked to comment on Hulk Hogan on live tv. Let me be clear: my stance on racism is unwavering. I do not condone it—period.
“If my response (or tweet) seemed dismissive of real concerns, I sincerely apologize,” Green continued.
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“That was never my intention. I tried to acknowledge a death respectfully, even when the legacy is complicated.
“I am learning one day at a time and will continue to learn.”
Unfortunately, Green’s appearance on SmackDown on Friday, which opened with WWE’s Hogan tribute, only increased the abusive criticism towards her.
As a result, after the episode went off air, Green confirmed that she was ‘stepping away’ from social media due to the ongoing harassment.
She added: “I’ve tried to keep my page positive and comedic, but today, a lot changed… and it hit harder than I expected. The name calling, the death threats, the faceless accounts.
“Social media was supposed to be a fun place and it hasn’t been for a while. It’s been overwhelming and I need to step away for a little bit.”
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Hogan, who was one of the most recognisable names in the wrestling industry, died at the age of 71 on Thursday.
He began his wrestling career in 1977 but shot to nationwide prominence six years later when he signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as WWE.
Such was Hogan’s star power, he headlined eight out of the first nine WrestleMania events, which helped transform the business from a regional attraction into a multibillion-dollar industry.
‘Could do things no mortal could do’
Hogan was also a six-time WWF/WWE Champion and a two-time Royal Rumble winner, which he achieved in 1990 and 1991.
The icon’s legendary run in the squared circle earned him two inductions into the WWE’s Hall of Fame.
Hogan was first inducted in 2005 as an individual and in 2020 as a member of the legendary faction New World Order.
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Speaking on talkSPORT Drive, former WWE commentator Todd Grisham paid tribute to the larger-than-life figure as he declared Hogan will always be the first name mentioned on wrestling’s Mount Rushmore.
“He was the first superhero come to life,” Grisham said.
“You could watch the Batman movies, the Batman cartoons, the Superman comic books. But this was a guy who you could go watch and you could see and he was always defying the odds.
“The irresistible force meets the immovable object. The guy that body slammed Andre the Giant. He could do things that no mortal man could do. And we always had that positive message, say your prayers and take your vitamins.
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“How could anybody be against those two things? So he was just such a big part of our childhood.
Grisham added: “There will never be another Hulk Hogan. People talk about the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. Anyone who doesn’t start with that name, to me, doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
“Not only was he the greatest good guy ever, like the best baby face ever, but he was maybe the greatest bad guy ever, too.
“When he joined the NWO, that was an entire movement. John Cena kicks somebody between the legs. he’s not supposed to, and he’s a bad guy. But Hulk Hogan became a real, real bad guy. He’s incomparable to anyone else, I think.”
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