D’Von Dudley has addressed the criticism he has received for publicly forgiving Hulk Hogan and made clear that no amount of fan backlash is going to make him walk that decision back.
Speaking on the Duke LovesRasslin podcast, D’Von explained that his forgiveness is rooted in his own personal experiences with Hogan rather than a dismissal of what others have been through, and that he refuses to pretend otherwise simply because it is an unpopular position.
“I refuse to hide it because again, I don’t want nobody putting me in the light where D’Von thinks he’s holier than thou because I’ve read some things even on my Instagram or in other YouTube videos and things like that, people are upset with me because I have decided to forgive Hogan for the things that he had said and the things they did.”
He was careful to draw a clear line between his own story and the experiences others have had with Hogan, acknowledging that he cannot speak for anyone else.
“I can’t speak on the relationships that he has had with other people in the business, whether it be Bret Hart, Randy Orton, the nWo, people like that, and other people that have said that he’s done what he’s done to them. That’s their story. That’s not my story.”
D’Von shared two specific examples of Hogan’s character that informed his perspective. During his time in TNA, Hogan helped him in ways D’Von says he did not have to. And at a charity event D’Von organized called Hope for a Single Mom, benefiting women with cancer, Hogan signed autographs for what Devon estimated was over a thousand people, for free, without charging anyone.
“He sat there and signed every single autograph that they brought to him. He did it for free.”
He also revealed that Hogan came to him personally with an apology, which played a significant role in his decision.
“I’m telling you from my perspective on the man, which is why I forgave him, especially when he comes to me personally and tells me that he’s sorry.”
D’Von then explained that his Christian faith ultimately made the decision straightforward for him regardless of how others feel about it.
“If the Bible says you have to forgive, then I’m going to forgive because when it comes time for you to be judged on judgment day, he is not going to forgive you.”
He was equally clear that his forgiveness is not a judgment of those who have not reached the same place.
“I’m not saying that if you don’t want to forgive him, that’s on you. That’s you. That’s your cross. That’s something that you have to bear. But I have.”
D’Von also became emotional while reflecting on the role Hogan’s character played in his childhood in Brooklyn during wrestling’s 1980s boom period, separating the performer from the person.
“When I look from 84 to 1990, I remember the joy that the character Hulk Hogan, not Terry Bollea, but the character Hulk Hogan had given me. The joy of enjoying pro wrestling.”
He also challenged the consistency of public outrage toward Hogan specifically, arguing that others who have said similar or worse things continue to be celebrated without the same level of scrutiny.
“There are other wrestlers that we look up to today that have done the same thing and said the same thing that that man has said and probably worse and still to this day continue to say it. But you look at them in a high regard, but you denounce Hogan.”
Hogan passed away on July 24, 2025 at the age of 71.