Hulk Hogan wanted to body-slam Gawker founder Nick Denton in the wrestling ring, but he had to settle for a Florida courtroom.
"If this was WrestleMania, he was in the ring with me, it was just me and him, wouldn't it be fun?" Hogan told ABC's "Good Morning America"Wednesday after being awarded $140 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media.
Hogan, 62, whose real name is Terry Bollea, told reporter Linzie Janis that he came face-to-face with Denton — who he called "the puppet master" — in a courthouse bathroom during the two-week trial. No one else was present, only the two men on either side of the lawsuit.
"My first thought was, 'What if he just falls down and holds his neck or something?' Who are they going to believe?" Hogan said.
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The jury ended up believing Hogan, awarding him $115 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages — a judgment that could cripple the site if upheld on appeal.
"I knew we were doing what was right," Hogan said. "Even if we would have lost, it would have been good because everybody would have known what Gawker was all about, because I exposed them. And what they do, and how they look at the world — which to me, is very, very scary."
Good Morning America
Hulk Hogan discussed the jury's decision with ABC News.
The Hulkster — wearing his trademark bandana in court — argued that Gawker destroyed his life by posting video of the wrestler sleeping with the wife of his former best friend, radio host Bubba (the Love Sponge) Clem.
Hogan was dropped by WWE last year after transcript segments from the sex tape footage revealed concerns with his daughter dating a black man.
Hogan's legal team argued that Gawker invaded the pro wrestler's privacy by publishing the video.
"I will be naked forever, until my children’s children’s children die, because of the internet," Hogan told ABC News.
Later appearing on "The View" alongside his lawyer David Houston, the former wrestling legend branded Gawker "the ultimate bully" — stressing that his crusade against the gossip site had been motivated by principle, not money.