Hulk Hogan Passes Away: A Wrestling Icon Leaves an Unforgettable Legacy
The wrestling world mourns the loss of one of its most emblematic figures. Hulk Hogan, the star who catapulted this sport to national stardom and became the highest-grossing wrestler in history, passed away this Thursday at the age of 71, according to Florida authorities and WWE.
Clearwater, Florida, officers responded to a call on Thursday morning related to a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to a police statement.
There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity.
Maj. Nate Burnside
WWE expressed its sorrow at the passing of this Hall of Fame member through its social media.
Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, had faced health problems in recent years, including a persistent back injury stemming from his days in the ring. 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, near Madison Square Garden, the scene of many of his most important matches.Hulk Hogan fue la estrella principal de siete de los primeros ocho eventos de WrestleMania y revitalizó el interés en la lucha libre en la década de 1990 al convertirse en el NWO.In 1985, Hogan starred in the first WrestleMania, teaming with 1980s television star Mr. T to face Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. WrestleMania I, held at MSG, drew an audience of approximately 1 million people via closed-circuit television and is credited with bringing professional wrestling, specifically the then-WWF (now WWE), to national consciousness.
Hogan’s clash 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 was the main star of seven of the first eight WrestleMania events. He was the face and hero of the wrestling world, transcending into the mainstream with numerous appearances on television shows and leading roles in films, including the third installment of “Rocky”, where he faced the main character played by Sylvester Stallone, and on television, including “Thunder in Paradise” in the 1990s. Hogan won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship six times, including a reign of 1,474 days. Only Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund held the belt for more consecutive days.
In 1996, as interest in him as a hero waned, Hogan pulled off the biggest villain turn in wrestling history as a second act. Working for WWE competitor World Championship Wrestling, Hogan became a bad guy, leading a group of invaders called the New World Order. The villain turn, 29 years ago this summer, 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 dressed in black and white instead of his signature red and yellow, breathed new life into the wrestling industry during the counterculture of the 1990s, when the public demanded a darker, more adult product. Hogan rose to the challenge, helping WCW beat WWF in television ratings for 83 consecutive weeks starting in 1996.
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, then the biggest hero in WWE, which forced Hogan to return to Florida that weekend to pick up 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 iconic figures in wrestling who reacted to Hogan’s death on social media.
Former President Donald Trump also reacted to the news. Hogan gave a speech at the Republican National Convention last July to support Trump’s presidential campaign.
Today we lost a great friend, the ‘Hulkster’. Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way: strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He gave an absolutely electrifying speech at the Republican National Convention, which was one of the highlights of the whole week. He entertained fans from all over the world, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and his family, we send our best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!
Donald Trump
After concluding his wrestling career, Hogan found himself embroiled in some controversies. In 2015, video recordings were leaked in which he used the “N” word and referred to himself as “racist to a certain extent.” WWE terminated his legends contract at the time, although they 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.
A sex tape involving Hogan was leaked by the website Gawker in 2015, and Hogan subsequently sued for defamation, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. Hogan won the case and received $115 million.
