Wound, meet salt.
Pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan rubbed Gawker’s nose in it on Thursday, after Gawker announced that it will be shutting down next week.
“They messed with the wrong guy brother,” the Hulkster tweeted, following the news that the site — which was hit with a devastating $140 million in damages earlier this year after the wrestler sued it — had thrown in the towel.
On Tuesday, Univision won an auction to acquire Gawker Media, which filed for bankruptcy after losing the lawsuit. Pending approval by a bankruptcy court, Univision will pay $135 million for the company.
They messed with the wrong guy brother HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) August 18, 2016
Going forward, however, Gawker Media will operate without its flagship website. On Thursday, Gawker founder Nick Denton told staff that Gawker.com will shut down next week, after 14 years of Internet controversy.
Gawker.com staff will soon be assigned to other editorial roles, either at one of Gawker Media’s six other sites or elsewhere within Univision, according to the site. Plans for the site’s archives have not been finalized.
Hogan — real name: Terry Bollea — sued Gawker, claiming that the site violated his privacy by publishing portions of a sex tape featuring himself and the then-wife of his then-friend, radio DJ Todd “Bubba the Love Sponge” Clem. Hogan claimed that the tape was recorded without his knowledge.
A Florida jury agreed with Hogan big-time, awarding him $115 million damages, later tacking on another $25 million in punitive damages.