We’ve done some coverage around the Hulk Hogan-Gawker thing without really addressing what the whole mess is really about. That’s because I’m still not entirely clear. Back in 2012, Gawker got their hands on a sex tape between Hulk Hogan and Heather Clem, a tape that was made years beforehand. At the time of the making of the tape, Clem was married to Bubba the Love Sponge, but Clem and the Hulk were apparently having sex with Bubba’s blessing, implicitly or explicitly. There’s some issue around the consent for the actual sex tape – I believe Clem always knew she was on tape, but Hulk claimed he didn’t know about some or all of the taped sex sessions? That’s one of the sticking points for the lawsuit, because when Gawker published portions of the sex tape(s), Hulk Hogan sued Gawker.

The case was simmering in pre-trial motions for years, and before the trial even began this month, the shock waves from the lawsuit were already causing serious damage… to Hulk Hogan. Last year, the full tapes ended up at the National Enquirer, and because of Hulk Hogan’s repeated use of the n-word in his pillow-talk with Clem, the WWE ended up firing Hulk Hogan, wiping his records off of their website and pulling all of his merchandise. So, the trial began this month and on Friday, the jury came down with their verdict.

Hulk Hogan has been awarded $115m by a Florida jury over Gawker’s 2012 posting of his sex tape, PEOPLE can confirm.

“We’re exceptionally happy with the verdict. We think it represents a statement as to the public’s disgust with the invasion of privacy disguised as journalism. The verdict says no more,” the Bollea team said in a statement to PEOPLE.

Variety reports that the jury found that Hogan – real name Terry Gene Bollea – had suffered “severe emotional distress” in the last three years since the sex tape surfaced. Hogan claimed that the tape, showing Hogan having sex with his best friend’s then-wife, was secretly recorded.

Gawker’s lawyers argued the tape was newsworthy as Hogan, 62, openly discussed his sex life during various media interviews. In a statement issued Friday, Gawker Media indicated it is already contemplating an appeal.

“We’re disappointed the jury was unable to see key evidence and hear testimony from the most important witness,” says Gawker’s statement. “So it may be necessary for the appeals court to resolve this case. Hulk Hogan’s best friend Bubba the Love Sponge – who made the tape and offered up his wife in the first place – originally told his radio listeners that Hulk Hogan knew he was being taped. The jury was only able to hear a questionable version of events. Bubba should have been required to appear in court and explain what really happened.”

The statement from Gawker adds: “There is still more to the story. We expect the upcoming release of improperly sealed documents, important evidence that the jury should have been able to see, will begin revealing the true facts that the jury deserved to know about during deliberations.”

In his own statement, David Houston, another of Hogan’s lawyers, said Bubba Clem had previously testified under oath that Hogan “had no knowledge of being filmed” and had nothing to do with the tape’s production.

[From People]

The $115 million figure is enough to make me gulp, so I would imagine the folks at Gawker are drinking quite heavily this weekend. Still, Gawker publisher/founder Nick Denton has good lawyers and this is definitely not the end of it. It does feel like people are wondering if Gawker Media can live to fight another day though. But for what it’s worth, Gawker still has all of their original Hulk Hogan posts up.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.