The wrestling world mourns the loss of Hulk Hogan, a figure who transcended the sport to become a cultural icon. The wrestler passed away on Thursday at the age of 71, according to Florida authorities 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.
There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity.
Mayor Nate Burnside
WWE expressed its sorrow at the passing of this Hall of Fame member through its social media.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was one of the most recognizable figures in popular culture. His impact helped WWE achieve worldwide recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.Hulk Hogan fue el evento principal de siete de los primeros ocho eventos de WrestleMania y revivió el interés de la lucha libre en la década de 1990 con su cambio para crear la NWO.Hogan, who last wrestled in 2012, had been dealing with health problems in recent years, including a persistent back injury. Recently, he was involved in the launch of the Real American Freestyle wrestling promotion and owned a bar in New York, near Madison Square Garden, the scene of many of his most important matches.
In 1985, he headlined the first WrestleMania, teaming with Mr. T to face Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. This event, held at MSG, attracted an audience of approximately 1 million people and is considered key to bringing professional wrestling, specifically the then WWF (now WWE), to the national level.
His match with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III took wrestling, and Hogan’s career, to new heights. The rematch, months later, 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 popular culture with appearances on television shows and roles in films, including “Rocky III”. He won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship six times, including a reign of 1,474 days.
In 1996, Hogan made the most impactful character change in wrestling history by joining World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and becoming a villain, leading the New World Order group. This turn captured the public’s interest in a way that wrestling had not achieved since WrestleMania I. The NWO, with Hogan as leader, revitalized the industry during the 1990s. Hogan helped WCW surpass 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. Despite his role as a villain in the NWO, the audience cheered him, forcing him to revert to his traditional attire.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
Ric Flair and Triple H were some of the wrestling legends who reacted to Hogan’s death on social media.
Former President Donald Trump also reacted to Hogan’s passing. Hogan gave a speech at the Republican National Convention last July to support Trump’s presidential campaign.
After his wrestling career, Hogan was involved in controversies. In 2015, recordings were leaked in which he used racial slurs. WWE terminated his contract at that time, although they reinstated him three years later as an ambassador with sporadic appearances. Hogan appeared on WWE’s Netflix debut show in January to promote his new beer “Real American Beer”, but was booed by the fans.
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.
