Linda Hogan's feud with her daughter Brooke has her defending Hulk Hogan ... calling him a great father who doesn't deserve to be iced out from Brooke's life.

In a shocking twist, Hulk's ex-wife tells TMZ ... Brooke cutting off the family for "bogus, selfish, childish reasons" will have long-term consequences -- ensuring her kids never realize their grandfather is the great Hulk Hogan.

Linda says she's sad she won't be a grandmother to them ... but, she wants the kids to know how big a star their granddad was.

LH admits Hulk was "a s****y husband sometimes" ... but, she felt he was "always a good father" that "spent probably over $3 million on Brooke's career with no questions asked."

Linda says Hulk always supported the family with everything they ever wanted ... and, while it's sad he chose to cheat on her, he was mostly a "fantastic" person.

However, Linda worries his grandchildren will never truly know him or his accomplishments ... including the international stardom he achieved in places like Europe and Asia.

She adds, "Our marriage didn’t work out but what Brooke's doing to us is completely unprecedented, unexpected and unfair and not true. Hulk Hogan, my ex, has been really distraught and saddened by her distance just as I and her brother Nick have as well."

Linda goes on to say she thinks Brooke's trying to keep her family from diving into her alleged party girl past ... adding it seems she's trying to turn over a new leaf and act like a totally different person.

LH wishes Brooke and her family the best ... but adds, "After what Brooke has done and to punish us and torture us, to get married and to have twins and to not call us, the damage is already been done. I don’t think she could hurt us anymore, so she can just march on her merry way with her family. I wish them well but she has left a path of destruction."

This is a pretty huge change from past statements Linda's made about the Hulkster BTW ... a couple days ago, she referred to him as a "liar" and "sex addict" in a video calling her family a mess. She's clearly not forgiving him for cheating on her -- but, it looks like she's defending his parenting skills.

ICYMI ... Brooke has claimed this week her mother was physically and verbally abusive toward her when she was a kid -- an allegation her mother has denied, firing back that Brooke is conflating strict parenting with abuse.