'TMZ Presents: The Real Hulk Hogan' Explores How Racist Comments Play Into Legacy

Hulk Hogan's life and legacy are complex ... he did lots of great things on his way to the top, but he made lots of mistakes along the way -- including using racial slurs that hurt fans and friends alike.

Hulk once admitted he was a racist and later walked back those comments ... and we look back on the consequences of his well-documented instances of racism in "TMZ Presents: The Real Hulk Hogan."

Hogan was fired from the WWE in 2015 after a sex tape emerged of him using a racist slur in 2007 to describe one of daughter Brooke Hogan's exes.

Former WWE honcho Vince McMahon is featured in our Hulk documentary, and he says the comments were unforgivable, and unlike the Hulk he knew ... and WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry tells us how the comments hurt him personally.

For his part, Hulk told Harvey Levin in a 2017 episode of "OBJECTified" he was NOT a racist and that the controversy was a slap in the face that woke him up and made him realize the power that resides in words ... and we revisit Hulk's change of heart.

Mick Foley tells us he's choosing to remember all the good Hulk did instead of the bad ... the former WWE champion doesn't think it's fair to judge someone for their worst moment, and feels the positives outweigh the negatives in Hulk's case.

Not everyone feels the same, though ... and even some of Hulk's fans turned on him at the end.

Hulk was actually booed in his last wrestling gig before he died ... and former WWE & WCW champ Bill Goldberg tells us how that impacted Hulk.