Hulk Hogan insists he "never laid a hand" on his ex

The wrestling legend`s former spouse Linda Hogan - who he divorced in 2008 after 25 years of marriage - has claimed in her new autobiography, `Wrestling the Hulk: My Life Against the Ropes`, that he had a violent temper that would manifest itself physically when they argued.

But the 57-year-old TNA grappler has branded Linda`s allegation a "total, blatant lie" and has accused her of still trying to trade off his famous name.

Insisting he has "no reason" to defend himself, he said during a radio interview on the `Bubba the Love Sponge Show`: "Dude, I never laid a hand on her ? If you step back and take a really good look at this - if you take the Hulk Hogan name out of her situation, her life, her career, the air she breathes ? she`s out of gas. She`s still riding on the Hulk Hogan name. Just take her and put her in the same category with the Iron Sheik and the Ultimate Warrior. They all belong together."

The Iron Sheik and the Ultimate Warrior are former wrestling opponents of Hulk - real name Terry Bollea - and have been vocal critics of him during their retirements.

In an extract from her book, Linda wrote: "Hulk tore my shirt. He threw lamps. He held me down on the bed with his hands around my throat during arguments, slamming doors, pounding walls. I was always afraid he would kill me in one of his rages."

Discussing the tome on `The Today Show`, Linda - who has two children, daughter Brooke, 23, and son Nick, 20, with ex-WWE star Hulk - claimed prescription medicines played a part in her husband`s mood swings.

The 51-year-old blonde said: "Drugs were always around - prescribed. Wrestlers have always got injuries. There was a constant flow of pain pills, anti-inflammatories, steroids - a lot of them did take steroids. It makes somebody - you don`t know what you`re dealing with."

sections: Celebrities