Fitness influencer and bodybuilder Joey Swoll has announced he is leaving social media after facing intense criticism for a now-deleted video tribute to late WWE legend Hulk Hogan.
The tribute, filmed at Gold's Gym in California, saw Swoll dressed as Hogan and citing the wrestling icon as his inspiration for fitness. The post went viral after drawing widespread backlash. Hogan, 71, had died on 24 July after suffering medical complications at his Florida home.
Who Is Joey Swoll?
Joey Swoll, born Joey Sergo, is a popular fitness personality with over 14.6 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, and X.
@thejoeyswoll #GymTok #duet with @cstef99 I’ve officially become a meme! 😂😂😂
♬ original sound - Dr. Civi
He gained fame creating content that champions gym etiquette—calling out 'gym bullies' and defending regular gym-goers from ridicule or harassment. Fans praised his mission to promote respect in fitness spaces, but some critics argue he failed to manage the negative consequences of his content.
He also defends other gym-goers from being ridiculed or filmed during their fitness journey. His audience praised the concept of educating people on gym etiquette. However, some netizens feel that he doesn't take enough responsibility for the people his content affects.
A redditor had a comment that summarised this, echoed by replies underneath a thread about Swoll's tribute.
'I liked that he'd call out bad behaviour in the gym, but I didn't like what would normally happen next,' he said. He went on saying Swoll's community would then call out, attack, and dox people in his videos.
'I never saw vids of him telling his community what they're doing is wrong, so it's kind of ironic that it's happening to him,' he added. Considering this, the controversy surrounding his tribute appears to have undermined the platform's message.
Controversial Hulk Hogan Tribute
Swoll paid tribute to the late Hogan in a now-deleted video during a workout at Gold's Gym in California. This led him to wear a costume resembling the wrestler, claiming that Hogan himself had gifted it to him.
A day after posting it, he said he faced backlash from an upset audience during a livestream. 'I would be a hypocrite if I didn't hold myself to the same standards. I am human, I am still growing and learning, and I promise to all of you I will do better,' he said.
Just moments later, he would receive more backlash. Swoll used the term 'colored' instead of 'person of colour' during the livestream, which he immediately apologised for.
People were quick to point towards Hogan's controversial past. This included his use of racial slurs in 2007, steroid use, and his infamous sex tape scandal.
For reference, Swoll has recycled his tribute to Hogan. It was first posted in October 2020, where he met similar grievances from his followers.
Initially, he said he was unaware of the extent of Hogan's scandals. He would later claim to have done 'a lot of research' on his history.
Responses To Backlash
'Instead of listening and understanding like I should've, I became defensive and said 'I was posting to celebrate the wrestling icon, the person so many of us looked up to as kids that we grew up with. That made us tear off our shirts and take our vitamins and say our prayers,' said Swoll concerning the Hogan tribute.
All the good I've done, all the people I've helped, all for nothing. I truly hope all the people I've inspired do great things in their life and pay it forward to help others and carry on my message. But no matter how much good you do, people just wait for a reason to hate you…
— Joey Swoll (@TheJoeySwoll) July 29, 2025
Swoll Says He's 'Done'
On Tuesday, Swoll returned to social media to announce he was stepping away:
'I'm done. People just wait for a reason to hate you.'
He has not confirmed whether his exit is temporary or permanent, leaving his 14.6 million followers uncertain about the future of his platform.
