The wrestling world mourns the loss of one of its most iconic figures. Hulk Hogan, the star who catapulted professional wrestling to national fame and became the highest-grossing wrestler in history, passed away on Thursday at the age of 71, according to Florida authorities and WWE.
Clearwater, Florida police responded to a call on Thursday morning regarding a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to a statement issued by the police on Facebook.
“There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity,” Major Nate Burnside told reporters.
WWE, through its account on X, expressed its sadness upon learning of the passing of the Hall of Fame member. “One of the most recognizable figures in pop culture, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans,” they communicated.Hulk Hogan fue el evento principal en siete de los primeros ocho eventos de WrestleMania y revivió el interés masivo en la lucha libre en la década de 1990 con su cambio para crear el NWO.Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, had been dealing with several health problems in recent years, including a persistent back injury derived from his wrestling days. Although he hadn’t wrestled since 2012, Hogan remained in the public eye as the founder of the Real American Freestyle wrestling promotion and owner of an upcoming bar in New York City, located across from Madison Square Garden, the scene of many of his most important matches.
In 1985, Hogan starred in the first WrestleMania, teaming up with 1980s television star Mr. T to face Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. WrestleMania I, at MSG, 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 the spirit of the national era.
Hogan’s match against 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 event in seven of the first eight WrestleMania events. He was the face and hero of the wrestling world, breaking into the general sphere with numerous appearances on television talk shows, as well as starring roles in films, including the third “Rocky” film, where he faced the main character played by Sylvester Stallone, and television, including the syndicated series “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, with interest in him as a hero waning, Hogan made the most impactful turn in wrestling history as a second act. Working for WWE’s competition, World Championship Wrestling, Hogan became a villain, leading a group of evil invaders called the New World Order. This change, 29 years ago this summer, captured public 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 audiences demanded a darker and 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 notable wrestling figures 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 in every sense: 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,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “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 controversy. In 2015, video recordings were leaked in which he used the term “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.
In 2015, the website Gawker leaked a sex tape starring Hogan, who subsequently sued for defamation, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. Hogan won the case and was awarded $115 million.
