Joey Swoll wanted to pay tribute to a childhood hero. Instead, he got dragged into a storm of outrage. His heartfelt post about the recent passing of pro-wrestling and pop culture icon, Hulk Hogan backfired, drawing heat for both the message and the messenger.

Soon, the fitness influencer known for gym positivity found himself apologizing, deleting posts, and announcing that he was done with social media altogether. But not everyone bought the exit act, especially not Chael Sonnen.

The UFC veteran fired off on Swoll in a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel. “He’s not yet, but he finishes by saying, ‘I am done,’” Sonnen said of Swoll’s dramatic farewell. “This is an egomaniac. There is zero chance in my mind that he is in fact done… not even for the next 24 hours.”

But Chael Sonnen didn’t stop there. He zeroed in on what he saw as the real issue: Swoll’s decision to retract praise for Hulk Hogan after facing backlash. To Sonnen, there’s a line you don’t cross, as he continued, “All right, now, there’s times in life, whether it’s true or not, you shut up. The number one time is when somebody dies. You don’t ever speak ill of that person, particularly in the short term, which what we are.”

Joey Swoll’s original post featured himself in Hogan-style ring gear, thanking the late wrestling legend for inspiring him. But soon after, fans reminded him of Hogan’s past controversial comments. Swoll responded with a livestream where he attempted to defend himself, but dug a deeper hole by using the term “colored athletes,” which he later called “a very outdated, very offensive term.”

The backlash intensified. Apologies followed. Then came the exit speech, where Swoll wrote, “You either die a hero, or live long enough to be the villain. Thank you for your support. I am done.”

But Sonnen wasn’t buying it. In his YouTube video, Sonnen further shared, “And that’s where b— move comes. Now, the irony of course is that the same complaint that’s always been said about Terry Bollea, which in fairness, guys, it’s just things that you’ve heard.”

He said Hogan can’t defend himself, but Joey Swoll can and did only to fold under pressure. It’s a complicated situation, no doubt. Sonnen boiled it down to one thing: timing and character.

In that moment, Chael Sonnen wasn’t just defending a legacy; he was calling out what he saw as a hypocrite trying to control a narrative. But what exactly was the legacy at stake?

Chael Sonnen’s response to Joey Swoll comes amid an outpouring of respect from the UFC world for Hulk Hogan

Just days after rumors about his health had circulated online, the world got the news: WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan had passed away at 71. TMZ first broke the story, which was later confirmed by WWE and Florida’s Clearwater Police Department. He reportedly suffered cardiac arrest at his home before being pronounced dead at Morton Plant Hospital.

The UFC world didn’t stay silent either. Hogan had recently made headlines walking Colby Covington to the cage for UFC’s Florida event in December. So when the legend passed, Covington posted a heartfelt message on social media, writing, “Thank you for inspiring a whole generation of Real Americans Hulkster. Hulkamania will live forever.”

Another MMA legend, Georges St-Pierre, echoed the sentiment. His message? Simple but powerful. “They say you should never meet your idols, but meeting Hulk Hogan made me admire him even more. He was so generous with his time and an inspiration not only as an athlete and entertainer, but also as a human being. He will be missed by us all. RIP Hulk Hogan”

Love him or hate him, Hulk Hogan left a mark that stretched far beyond the wrestling ring. For millions, he was a symbol of strength, charisma, and belief, even if the man behind the mustache wasn’t always perfect. And that’s the line Chael Sonnen refused to let Joey Swoll blur. In ‘The Bad Guy’s eyes, paying tribute, then backpedaling, wasn’t about growth; it was about saving face.