Hulk Hogan Netflix doc reveals shocking fentanyl use during wrestling comeback

In Hulk Hogan: Real American, Hulk Hogan opens up about a dark period of drug use during his wrestling comeback years

A new Netflix docuseries about Hulk Hogan is shedding light on the wrestling icon’s struggles with substance abuse during the later years of his career.

In Hulk Hogan: Real American, the late WWE legend, born Terry Bollea, opens up about the extreme levels of fentanyl he was consuming around 2009 while attempting a return to the ring.

Hogan revealed he was taking high-dose fentanyl pills daily, along with multiple patches and medicated lollipops, describing a regimen so intense that even a pharmacist reportedly told him he “should be dead.”

The revelations come in the final episode of the series, which was released after Hogan’s death in July 2025 at the age of 71 due to a heart attack.

The documentary also explores the emotional toll of his personal life at the time, particularly his divorce from Linda Hogan. Hogan said the split left him financially and emotionally devastated, contributing to what he described as hitting “rock bottom.”

Former wrestling executive Eric Bischoff recalled that Hogan was struggling deeply during this period, dealing with pain, substance use, and pressure to continue working. Despite efforts to return to wrestling, those around him said it quickly became clear he was not physically able to perform.

The series also highlights Hogan’s long history with substance use, including steroid addiction earlier in his career and heavy alcohol consumption. At one point, he admitted he had considered suicide during one of the darkest periods of his life.

Through personal accounts and interviews, Hulk Hogan: Real American offers a raw look at the physical and emotional cost of fame, chronic pain, and addiction, revealing a side of the wrestling legend rarely seen before.