Hulk Hogan appeared on a television segment to talk about a new initiative he’s launching with a fellow former wrestler. His appearance caught viewers’ attention, and many rushed to social media to share their opinions about his beard and facial features.

On May 1, 2025, wrestling legend Hulk Hogan appeared on Fox & Friends to discuss his reunion with Eric Bischoff and the launch of a new wrestling initiative. While Hulk spoke, netizens focused on his appearance, sparking a wave of varied reactions.

During the segment, Hulk announced that their new league aimed at professionalizing freestyle wrestling would be called the “Real American Freestyle.” As part of the initiative, the two icons will travel to major wrestling venues.

Their first stop will be in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 30, 2025. They plan to film the athletes’ backstories to help fans connect with them and understand their journeys before exploring where they are now.

For his interview on the Fox channel, Hulk wore a red durag with sunglasses perched on his forehead. His long blonde mullet extended below the head covering, and his beard, trimmed in his signature handlebar style, displayed visible black growth on his cheeks and chin, giving it a two-toned look.

He wore a black T-shirt with red writing, black pants, and red and white sneakers. Around the same time, Hulk appeared in an Instagram clip offering a first glimpse of his new establishment, Scores Sports Bar.

The bar is located in New York City across from Madison Square Garden. The video also featured Bischoff and showed Hulk with a similar appearance to what he had during the Fox interview.

After watching the interview, one person exclaimed, “Hulk is unrecognizable! OZEMPIC face, bad self tanner, mix match beard and hair color and crazy eyes! [sic]” Another viewer asked, “What is with the beard man. [sic]”

Echoing similar sentiments, a fan suggested it was time for the athlete to stop dyeing his beard. Another person claimed, “I legit thought this was someone doing some horrible Hulk Hogan cosplay before I hit play,” while someone else stated, “As much as I love him, this is not a good look. Looks like he used the just for men [sic] mascara wand.”

A netizen remarked, “Hulk Hogan’s new look shocks! [sic]” A displeased commenter wrote, “Oh my God, what is the matter with Hulk’s face?”

After comparing images of Hulk with and without the dark beard growth, one person noted, “Ok he’s [sic] 70 plus and looks better than 20 plus,” while another added, “Painted beard looks great brother [sic].”

On the website for their new venture, Hulk and Bischoff wrote, “Wrestling has always been about grit, sacrifice and raw determination. But for too long, athletes who give everything to the sport have not had an opportunity to pursue professional careers. Real American Freestyle was built to change that – to provide a platform for the best wrestlers in the world.”

The website already features four athletes: David Carr (National and World Champion), Kennedy Blades (Olympian and World Champion), Zahid Valencia (National and World Champion), and Ben Askren (Olympian and Pan American Champion).

While the 71-year-old World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Famer appears to be moving forward with his life, his ex-wife, Linda Hogan, recently appeared in a clip expressing her distress. In the TMZ video shared on TikTok, Linda looked puffy, bruised, and was crying.

She revealed in the late March 2025 footage that she was home alone as usual. Although she’s typically fine with that, something felt different that day. Linda explained that she’d gone for Botox the previous day, which left her bruised.

Crying, she shared that it has been 15 years since she left Hulk, adding, “My family’s the worst mess.” Referring to their daughter, Brooke Oleksy, Linda disclosed that the younger woman no longer speaks to them.

She lamented about Oleksy getting married and having twins without informing them. Referring to her ex-husband by his legal name, Terry, Linda explained that Oleksy had argued with him and, somehow, she became involved.

Linda said her daughter then cut her off and hasn’t spoken to her in seven, almost eight years. Speaking about her son with Hulk, Nick Hogan, she praised him, “God bless Nick, he’s still such a good boy.”

She noted that she’d never gone on social media appearing the way she did in the video, but felt compelled to be honest about her past marriage. Linda described Hulk as “a complete liar, a sex addict,” and criticized him for simply carrying on with his life.

She then mocked his promotion of a beer brand, saying, “Yeah, he’s such a hero, right?” and gave a thumbs-down gesture. Linda said she had given Hulk multiple chances to reconcile and rebuild their family, but after 20 years, she had never felt “this sad.”

While wiping her tears and nose with a tissue, she admitted she loves living alone and has no desire to remarry following her marriage to Hulk. The day after her video circulated, Oleksy responded via Instagram.

She revealed that she had tried to ignore her family’s issues, but doing so only harmed her career in music and television. Oleksy explained she wasn’t initially planning to speak out, but felt compelled to do so now that she has her own family.

She said concerned people forwarded Linda’s video to her, prompting her to respond. Hulk’s daughter revealed that what she was sharing was only a fraction of her experience. She stated that her mother’s behavior in the video was mild compared to what she had endured.

Still, Oleksy acknowledged and empathized with the “trauma and pain” her mother had experienced, adding, “You can’t control how others treat you, but you can control how you treat others and cope with things.”

She explained that she had stayed silent in the past to protect those who should have protected her. Oleksy shared that she had “no contact” with both parents for separate reasons, which also involved her father’s later wives.

The television personality said she’d been “extremely verbally and mentally abused since childhood,” with frequent instances of physical abuse. She had also been used as a “pawn” and a “buffer,” stating, “My family is very skilled at war.”

Oleksy shared that she had tried to help, protect, and see the good in her family, but was met with disrespect and dragged into emotional turmoil. So she established boundaries, and when they were violated, she chose to go no contact.

She revealed she is in therapy and working on herself to break the cycle because, as she put it, “It ends with ME.” Despite everything, she still loves her family, and her inner child still yearns for her parents.

She continued, “No one wants this, but their behavior became more painful than their absence.” Oleksy insisted she would not allow a false narrative about her to persist simply because she chose peace. She urged her family not to confuse her silence or kindness with weakness.

While Hulk Hogan’s latest appearance has stirred strong reactions, both for his public image and personal history, as he steps into a new professional chapter, his family’s struggles continue to unfold in the spotlight.