There’s a legal slugfest brewing over Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer — and the price tag is massive.
According to court filings via TMZ, Hogan’s estate has formally objected to an eight-figure claim brought by Carma HoldCo Inc., a celebrity branding company that says it was cut out of what became the Real American Beer deal.
Carma filed its claim on January 20, accusing the estate of breach of contract and arguing that the entire beer concept was originally their idea. The company alleges it had been developing a “Real American” beer line with Hogan positioned as the brand ambassador before former sources allegedly went around them and took the concept directly to the wrestling legend. The dispute didn’t start this week. It’s been building for months.
Back in July, Carma filed a federal lawsuit against Real American Beer, claiming its former president poached Hogan and used allegedly stolen materials to pitch a competing deal. Carma maintains that it was developing the project and that it was unfairly frozen out once the opportunity became lucrative.
Hogan’s side is pushing back hard. Alan S. Gassman, attorney for the estate, filed a formal objection to the claim, signaling that the estate intends to fight it. In earlier responses to the lawsuit, the defense described the allegations as meritless, arguing Carma never had a binding deal with Hogan, never actually developed a beer product, and possessed no beer-related trade secrets. They’ve asked the court to dismiss the case. Carma amended its complaint, and the legal battle remains active. The stakes are significant.
Hogan, who passed away on July 24, left behind an estate reportedly valued at more than $11 million in real estate alone, in addition to cryptocurrency holdings, personal property, and intellectual property rights. With Real American Beer tied to Hogan’s name and brand, control over that business carries serious financial implications.
Now, what started as a branding partnership dispute has escalated into a $10 million courtroom clash — one that could determine who really had the right to launch the beer tied to one of wrestling’s most recognizable names.
Do you think this is a legitimate business grievance, or an opportunistic claim after Hogan’s success? Let us know your thoughts.