WWE paid tribute to Hall of Famer Mean Gene Okerlund last night on Monday Night Raw, days after the 76-year-old passed away in a hospital in Sarasota, Florida.
Raw opened with an in memoriam graphic and after the opening match, Hulk Hogan was shown walking backstage with a Mean Gene O Mania t-shirt. After commercials, a 10-bell salute took place as fans stood up paying their respects. Then, the Hulkster came out in his iconic Real American theme song with Orlando welcoming back Hogan on Raw for the first time in three-and-a-half years.
Hogan said he came out wide-open in character because that’s exactly what Mean Gene would have wanted. He said Mean Gene loved entertaining, especially the WWE Universe. A video then played of some of his greatest moments in his career with the song Forever On Your Side by Needtobreathe playing in the background.
“I love you Mean Gene…I miss you,” an emotional Hogan continued after the video. He then put on his sunglasses and cut a promo one more time looking at the in memoriam graphic on the screen.
“Well let me tell you something, Mean Gene. I know exactly what you’re doing brother. You’re up there and all the angels are singing Tutti Fruity on top of those big white clouds. I know that you’re putting the greatest tag match there together brother, a tag match between the Macho Man Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior versus Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr Perfect. And I also know that Andre The Giant is the special referee brother,” Hogan said.
He then continued, “And I also know you’re probably breaking up a fight between your close personal friends, Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. And you know something Mean Gene? I heard those whites pearly gates clanging and banging up there and brother you don’t have to get all swole up, you only got a choice between Moolah and Mae Young, brother. So Mean Gene, I guess there’s just one question left to ask, all the maniacs up there brother…watcha gonna do when Mean Gene O Mania runs wild on you brother?”
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