AEW Finally Acknowledges Hulk Hogan’s Death After Days of Fan Outrage

AEW’s silence on Hulk Hogan’s passing didn’t last forever—Tony Schiavone stepped up and addressed the situation during the July 26 episode of AEW Collision, delivering a tribute that marked the company’s first public acknowledgment of the wrestling icon’s death.

The message came right after the opening match, during Schiavone’s weekly address to the audience. With no official statement from AEW President Tony Khan, Schiavone became the unexpected voice delivering condolences on behalf of the promotion.

“Fans, we appreciate you being with us here on Collision each and every Wednesday or each and every Saturday. Don’t forget, Thursday will be Collision coming up live next week. And it was quite a week for all of us who have been in professional wrestling for a long time with the unexpected death of Hulk Hogan.“

“Hulk Hogan was the man who brought professional wrestling into the mainstream in the 80s and in the 90s, right here on this network, right here on TNT almost 30 years ago. Hulk Hogan lit the fire that began the Monday Night Wars, and he also put WCW on the cable TV map right here on TNT.”

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He then shifted focus to Hogan’s family and the human loss behind the headline.

“And, you know, sometimes we, we take a look at these stars that are bigger than life and we forget that they are just like us, human. And we forget they have families that care about them. Our condolences go out to Hulk’s family, his children Brooke and Nick, his wife Sky, and if you’ve never lost a member of your family, you have no idea what the pain they are going through right now. And believe you me, it is intense. From all of us here at All Elite Wrestling. RIP brother.”

The tribute followed growing backlash online directed at AEW and Tony Khan, who had remained completely silent in the days following Hogan’s death. While other companies like WWE, TNA, and NWA offered tributes immediately, AEW’s leadership said nothing. Khan went quiet on Twitter the day Hogan died, only returning days later to promote Collision and announce a tag team tournament bracket—prompting fans to slam him in the replies for ignoring Hogan’s legacy.

Some called Khan’s silence petty, referencing his 2020 public ban of Hulk Hogan and Linda Hogan from AEW events after Hogan’s racist comments surfaced years prior. Others accused Khan of putting his ego ahead of history, demanding the company recognize the man who helped put WCW—and TNT—on the map.

With Tony Schiavone now offering the first public words from AEW, some fans see it as closure. Others still believe the tribute should’ve come from Khan himself and much earlier.

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