Hulk Hogan didn’t no-sell Gawker, but he still won. To the tune of an astounding $115 million.
The WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE and WCW Champion won the outstanding sum as a Florida jury sided with him in his suit against the media company, which released a trailer of a sex tape recorded without his knowledge. Hogan was awarded $55 million for economic injuries, and another $60 million for emotional distress. He could receive more money with punitive damages.
The video, recorded by controversial longtime friend Bubba The Love Sponge, was allegedly stolen from him by “Spice Boy” Matt Lloyd, who was an employee of Bubba’s show for years. Hogan first gained knowledge of the tape in 2012 during the build for TNA Bound For Glory.
Hogan was fired from WWE and his role as a judge on WWE Tough Enough last summer after racially charged comments in relation to the case came to light. Gawker alleged that Hogan only filed a lawsuit against them to prevent the racial statements from being released.
The trial was an interesting one, with Hogan calling TNA a “small company,” Linda Hogan firing back at Hulk for statments made in testimony, and a Gawker editor saying that the limit for celebrity sex tapes being ‘newsworthy’ was four-year olds.
Hogan was seeking $100 million.
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– As noted, Hulk Hogan defeated Gawker in court today and was awarded $115 million, $15 million more than he was seeking. Hogan sued the website in 2012 for publishing portions of a sex tape that was recorded without his knowledge. Gawker argued that they were protected by the First Amendment because the video was newsworthy. Gawker founder Nick Denton responded to the verdict with the statement below, and said that they would be appealing the decision:
Given key evidence and the most important witnesses were both improperly withheld from the jury, we all knew the appeals court will need to resolve the case. I want to thank our lawyers for their outstanding work and am confident that we would have prevailed at trial if we had been allowed to present the full case to the jury. That’s why we feel very positive about the appeal that we have already begun preparing, as we expect to win the case ultimately.
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Hulk Hogan simply tweeted the following after the case
Thank you God for justice,only love 4Life. HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) March 19, 2016
