The former best friend of the late wrestling icon Hulk Hogan revealed his anger over being branded as a ‘bad guy’ for reporting ‘the truth’ about the WWE superstar’s physical condition prior to his death.
Hogan passed away on Thursday after paramedics were called to his Florida home for reports of cardiac arrest. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 71.
A day later, Hogan’s former friend – a radio host known to listeners as ‘Bubba the Love Sponge’ – called out multiple people for ‘lying’ about the wrestler’s condition.
Among others, Bubba called out Hogan’s wife, Sky Daily, and WWE Hall of Famers Eric Bischoff and Jimmy Hart.
‘I can’t take away from what I’ve already said, and what I’ve already correctly predicted,’ said Bubba, who was born Todd Clem before legally changing his name.
‘But I am officially the guy that was the only one telling the truth about Hogan’s physical condition.
‘Bubba the Love Sponge’ – a former friend of Hulk Hogan – is hitting out at those who criticized him for revealing the former wrestler’s condition before his death on Thursday at age 71
Bubba called out Hogan’s third wife, Sky Daily, for ‘lying’ about the his health in recent days
‘And that has caused some people to say, “You know what, Bubba was right.” — No, I wish to God I wasn’t right, because being right means we have a dead Hulk Hogan.’
‘I don’t know if my telling the truth would be such a big deal if the people like his wife [Daily], Brian Blair, Jimmy Hart, Eric Bischoff, Missy Beefcake and all the other keyboard tough guys were [calling me out].’
Bubba added, ‘I have a special connection to this guy that’s not special anymore.
‘But, for 15 years, this guys was one of my best friends. We saw each other everyday. There are things that I’ll take to my grave that I know that him and I went through.’
Bubba had been reporting on Hogan’s condition since mid-June – revealing that his health was getting worse and that he’d been in the ICU for six weeks on his deathbed.
Representatives for Hogan, Bischoff, and Daily denied Bubba’s reporting.
Bubba and Hogan had a very public and embarrassing falling out after a sex tape that Hogan made with Bubba’s then-wife Heather – recorded in secret in 2007 – was leaked by Gawker in 2012.
Hogan sued the outlet for invasion of privacy and was awarded $140m, leading to the downfall and eventual bankruptcy of Gawker in 2016.
Bubba – pictured in 2008 – and Hogan stopped being friends when a sex tape of Hogan having an affair with Bubba’s then-wife Heather was leaked by the celebrity gossip blog, Gawker
Days before Hogan passed away, Hart posted a since-deleted tweet saying, ‘Hulk is doing great, doing phenomenal!’
Earlier in the month, Daily denied rumors that Hogan was in a coma and had brain damage, saying ‘his heart is strong’ and that he was recovering from neck surgery.
Friday, the day after his death, Daily said in a Facebook post that Hogan ‘had been dealing with some health issues, but I truly believed we would overcome them.
She added: ‘I had so much faith in his strength. I thought we still had more time.’
