In July 2015, Hulk Hogan’s world was imploding. WWE had just terminated the wrestling legend after leaked recordings surfaced of him using racist slurs. His reputation was in freefall, and in a desperate bid to salvage public support, Hogan took to Twitter. What followed was one of the most surreal social media episodes of the decade.
That weekend, internet pranksters saw an opportunity. They flooded Hogan’s mentions with messages of support, attached to photos of Premier League footballers. The trick was simple: pretend the images were of ordinary fans, claim to stand by the Hulkster, and see if he’d retweet them. He did. Gleefully. And repeatedly.
He retweeted a picture of Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere, believing them to be two regular fans. A user sent him a photo of Kolo Touré, calling him “my mate from the Ivory Coast,” and Hogan amplified it without hesitation. He also shared a shot of Romelu Lukaku giving a thumbs-up, mistaking the Everton striker for another random supporter.
Then came a photo of Rio Ferdinand and Drake. The tweet claimed they were father and son. Hogan, apparently not recognizing either global celebrity, thanked them for their support. Perhaps the most absurd post featured Emmanuel Eboué and Andrey Arshavin, presented as brothers. Hogan retweeted that too.
These weren’t subtle deepfakes or cleverly edited images. They were widely circulated pictures of professional athletes. Hogan, caught in a storm of backlash and craving validation, failed to spot the obvious. He responded with sincerity to most of them, thanking each for being on “Team Hogan.”
The anatomy of an internet hoax
This wasn’t the first time Hogan had fallen for a Twitter prank. In previous years, he’d retweeted photos of infamous criminals, missing persons, and other celebrities, all presented as supposed fans or relatives. But this one hit different.
At the center of the joke was a deep irony: a man accused of racism retweeting a parade of Black footballers under the false impression they were defending him. One Irish outlet noted the entire feed was a crash course in Premier League 101, a rogue’s gallery of Arsenal, Everton, and Liverpool players lined up as unwitting members of the Hogan fan club.
Sports journalist Jimmy Traina summed up the moment bluntly: “Wow, Hulk Hogan’s twitter feed is a complete disaster right now. Someone tell the guy to take a break.”
Even Rio Ferdinand chimed in. When told his image was being used, he laughed: “Hahahaha I just see the @HulkHogan re-tweet fest, desperado who said I look like @Drake’s dad??? Could have been worse I guess!!”
For a full day, Hogan’s feed became a running gag for football fans and Twitter trolls alike. He seemed genuinely touched, tweeting: “I’m overwhelmed by the love and support of the millions of people that never 4 a moment left my side.”
But none of it was real.
The episode reveals how easily celebrity access on social media can be weaponized for comedy or critique. It wasn’t just a prank at Hogan’s expense. It was a moment of collective internet catharsis, part satire, part protest, and entirely absurd.
It also served as a cautionary tale. When you’re retweeting fast and blindly, the internet always notices. And if you’re Hulk Hogan in the middle of a PR crisis? They notice a little louder.
