[VIDEO] Shawn Michaels personally pays tribute to Hulk Hogan to start WWE NXT

The legendary Hulk Hogan passed away on July 24, aged 71. Shawn Michaels has now paid tribute to him on WWE NXT.

Hulk Hogan was one of the biggest stars in the history of professional wrestling. During the '80s, only a few people in the world could match his star power. As a result, the Hulkster became a flag bearer for the entire industry and elevated pro wrestling to new heights. During his illustrious career, Hogan accomplished pretty much everything there was to achieve.

After retiring from the ring, he continued to make sporadic appearances for WWE, with the last one taking place on RAW's premiere on Netflix. Sadly, Hulk Hogan passed away on 24 July, 2025. The news sent shockwaves throughout the entire world. WWE paid tribute to the Hall of Famer on both SmackDown and RAW this week with ten-bell salutes.

Tonight on NXT, the Stamford-based promotion continued to pay tribute to the Hulkster as several talents gathered in the ring to pay their respects. Shawn Michaels was present in person to pay tribute to the two-time WWE Hall of Famer. Following this, a video package of Hogan was played, which showcased his incredible journey as a professional wrestler.

What Went Wrong for Hulk Hogan? Watch Here!

You can check out the video below to watch the 10 bell salute for the Hall of Famer:

Given his contribution to the company and for his great efforts throughout his career in helping take pro wrestling mainstream, it was only fitting for WWE to honor Hogan on RAW, SmackDown, and NXT.

About the author

Sunil is a pro wrestling journalist, covering AEW and WWE news stories at Sportskeeda. He holds an MBA degree in Marketing, and has nearly 7 years of experience. A wrestling aficionado since childhood, Sunil used to imitate his favorite wrestlers as a young kid, and started writing professionally about the sport via Sportskeeda’s revenue-sharing opportunity.

Sunil admires former world champions AJ Styles, Will Ospreay, and Kenny Omega for their ability to consistently deliver great matches as well as entertain crowds with their mic skills.

If ever given a chance to change a storyline, Sunil would have booked Roman Reigns to end The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak instead of Brock Lesnar. According to him, The Tribal Chief needed the victory more than Brock Lesnar, as the latter was already an established performer when he defeated ‘Taker. He would’ve also made that as Taker’s final match.

Always focused on making his work accurate and reliable, Sunil thoroughly checks his facts before writing his articles. When not writing for pro wrestling, he spends his time watching cricket.

Know More

Edited by Sayantan Niyogi