WWE releases statement confirming Hulk Hogan's firing

WWE has issued a statement confirming the reason for scrubbing Hulk Hogan from their website and his merchandise from their online store - the Hall of Famer is no longer under contract with the company:

WWE terminated its contract with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan). WWE is committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds as demonstrated by the diversity of our employees, performers and fans worldwide.

While the statement doesn't directly reference the quotes The National Enquirer is saying they have verfied from multiple independent sources associated with the tape - supposed sealed under court order in Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker - where Bollea repeated uses the 'n-word' in discussing his daughter Brooke's sex life, WWE's mention of "embracing and celebrating...diversity" would indicate that there's some validity to the reports of racist speech on tape being out there in the world.

It will bear watching how extensive the company's disassociation from Hogan is. Company and pro wrestling history is littered with the man's presence, including two of the industry's biggest boom periods, right up to his present day role as Tough Enough judge and WWE ambassador.