Hulk Hogan appeared in a Florida court on Monday as he takes a case for $100 million (€92 million) in damages against the website Gawker. 

Hogan, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, is suing the website Gawker for posting a secretly recorded sex tape in 2012 which features him and the wife of a US radio personality.

The recording, which Bollea claims was made without his knowledge, features the wrestler using offensive language and racial slurs, and according to Rueters his lawyers stated that Gawker's editors were motivated by power and brand promotion in their decision to publish it. 

Hogan has apologised for his use of a racial slur in the video, while his lawyers have also stated that he had a right to expect privacy in a private bedroom. 

According to Reuters, Hogan's lawyer Shane Vogt stated that Gawker "have essentially replaced sticks and stones with clicks and phones", and that more than 2.5 million people had seen the video. 

Lawyers for Gawker have argued that Hogan publicly discussed his sex life, that the post is protected under the First Amendment, and that the company "believes this kind of reporting is important".

Footage from the trial is being streamed live online here. 

Via Reuters