Hulk Hogan, World Wrestling Legend, Passes Away
The wrestling world mourns the loss of one of its most iconic figures. Hulk Hogan, the wrestler who brought this sport to national stardom and became the biggest box office draw in history, passed away on Thursday at the age of 71, according to authorities in Florida and WWE. Clearwater, Florida authorities responded to a call on Thursday morning due to cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to a police statement.WWE expressed its sadness at the passing of the Hall of Fame member through a post on X. Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, had been battling several health problems in recent years, including a persistent back injury stemming from his days as a wrestler. Although he hadn’t wrestled since 2012, he remained in the public eye as the founder of the Real American Freestyle wrestling promotion and the owner of a bar in New York. In 1985, Hogan starred in the first WrestleMania, teaming up with 80s television star Mr. T to face Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. WrestleMania I, at Madison Square Garden, attracted an audience of around 1 million people through closed-circuit television and is credited with bringing professional wrestling, specifically the then WWF (now WWE), to national awareness. Hogan’s match with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III took the wrestling business, and Hogan’s career, to new heights. Around 80,000 people filled the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan for the match. The rematch, several months later on NBC, drew 33 million viewers. Hogan headlined seven of the first eight WrestleMania events. He was the face and hero of the wrestling world, breaking into the mainstream with numerous appearances on television talk shows, as well as starring roles in films and television. Hogan won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship six times, including a reign of 1,474 days. In 1996, with interest in him as a hero waning, Hogan made the biggest villain turn in wrestling history. Working for WWE’s competition, World Championship Wrestling, Hogan became a villain, leading a group of invaders called the New World Order. This change captured the public’s interest in a way that wrestling hadn’t achieved since WrestleMania I. The NWO, with “Hollywood” Hogan as the ruthless leader, revitalized the wrestling industry during the counterculture of the 90s. Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 to face The Rock at WrestleMania 18 in Toronto. His character was the villainous version of the NWO, but the more than 68,000 attendees were not interested in booing Hogan. They cheered him over The Rock, which forced Hogan to return to Florida that weekend to retrieve his old red and yellow wrestling shirts and trunks. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Ric Flair and Triple H were some of the most prominent figures in wrestling who reacted to Hogan’s death on social media.Former President Donald Trump also reacted to the news.After his wrestling career, Hogan was embroiled in controversies. In 2015, video recordings were leaked in which he used the “N” word and referred to himself as “racist to a certain degree.” WWE terminated his legends contract at the time, although it reinstated him three years later as an ambassador with infrequent television appearances. Hogan appeared on WWE’s Netflix debut show in January to promote his new Real American Beer, but was booed by fans in Los Angeles. In 2015, the website Gawker leaked a sex tape of Hogan, and Hogan subsequently sued for defamation, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. Hogan won the case and received $115 million.There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity.
Mayor Nate Burnside
