Hulk Hogan to Lead Tributes for Gene Okerlund on RAW

Hulk Hogan to return to Monday Night RAW episode of 7th January 2018 to lead the tributes for Announcer and Interviewer, WWE Hall of Famer Gene Okerlund who passed away last Wednesday at the age of 76.

The friendship between Hogan and Okerlund spanned decades while working together through AWA, WWE and WCW. Their on-screen chemistry during interviews formed an inseparable bond. “Mean Gene” as he was named, Okerlund first came into WWE in 1984 and was the host of such WWF shows as All-American Wrestling and Tuesday Night Titans.

In the same year, he teamed up with Hulk Hogan to face Mr. Fuji and George Steele in a Tag Team Match. Also, Okerlund was the main backstage interviewer during Hogan’s landmark wins as champion in the 1980s. He followed Hogan to WCW in 1993 and shared the ring with him three years later when Hogan famously turned heel at “Bash at the Beach” and formed the nWo with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

The best partner I ever had. We never rehearsed or did anything scripted from a writer. Gene would ask me “hey big man what do u want to do?” I would always answer “just follow you brother” and it worked from 1980 – 2017. RIP my brother HH pic.twitter.com/OBtn6NxT1E

— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) January 3, 2019

Hulk Hogan has not appeared on RAW since 23rd March 2015 where he shared the ring with rapper Snoop Dogg and WWE superstar Curtis Axel. Hogan was fired from WWE later in 2015 for racist remarks caught on a leaked sex tape. He was reinstated to the WWE Hall of Fame in July this year and made appearances for the promotion of the Crown Jewel pay-per-view show in Saudi Arabia.

Who remembers the time when @HulkHogan trained @TheGeneOkerlund ??#RIPMeanGeneOkerlund pic.twitter.com/gHCHvEn9j2

— WWFOldSchool.com (@WWFOldSchoolcom) January 2, 2019