Hulk Hogan is suing Gawker for the second time.
The 62-year-old wrestler won $140 million in damages from the website in March after they published a 2006 sex tape of him and his friend Bubba The Love Sponge’s then-wife Heather Clem in 2012, but now he is taking further action after alleging the media outlet leaked racist remarks he made in 2012.
Hulk – whose real name is Terry Bollea – claims Gawker leaked sealed court documents to the National Enquirer, which featured a transcript of his verbal tirade against daughter Brooke Hogan’s then-boyfriend, in which he called him a "f***ing n****r".
After the remarks were made public, the wrestler – who apologised for his comments – was fired by the WWE, who also removed his name from their website and Hall of Fame, and Hulk claims in his new suit, which was filed under seal in connection with his sex tape case, that his "income was cut off, his legacy in entertainment was severely damaged (if not completely destroyed), and his global brand was forever tarnished" as a result of the leak.
Gawker have denied the link and slammed the wrestler – who had insisted he had no idea his sex tape was being filmed – for the "ridiculous" suit.
They said in a statement: "This is getting ridiculous. Hulk Hogan is a litigious celebrity abusing the court system to control his public image and media coverage.
"It was absurd enough that Hulk Hogan claims $100 million for emotional distress and economic damage for a story about a sex life that he’d already made public.
"Now Hulk Hogan is blaming Gawker for racist remarks he made on another sex tape, which Gawker never had."
Representatives for the wrestler insisted the new case served as a fulfillment of a pledge made by Hulk.
His legal team said: "Mr. Bollea said from the beginning that he would seek to hold all persons and entities fully responsible for their wrongful actions.
"This lawsuit seeks to do just that."
Hulk Hogan sues Gawker again
