The wrestling world mourns the loss of one of its most iconic figures. Hulk Hogan, who brought professional wrestling to stardom and became the highest-grossing wrestler in history, passed away on Thursday at the age of 71, according to Florida police and WWE.
Clearwater, Florida authorities responded to a call Thursday morning related 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.
Maj. Nate Burnside
WWE expressed its sorrow at the death of the Hall of Fame member through a message on X (formerly Twitter).
In the statement, WWE highlighted Hogan’s global impact in the 1980s and sent its condolences to his family, friends, and fans.Hulk Hogan fue el evento principal en siete de los primeros ocho eventos de WrestleMania y revivió el interés principal en la lucha libre en la década de 1990 con su cambio para crear la NWO.Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, had faced several health problems in recent years, including a persistent back injury stemming from his wrestling days. 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.
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, attracted an audience of approximately 1 million people via closed-circuit television and is recognized for catapulting professional wrestling, specifically the then WWF (now WWE), to the national stage.
The match between Hogan and Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III took wrestling and Hogan’s career to new heights. Around 80,000 people filled the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan for the event. The rematch, broadcast months later on NBC, drew 33 million viewers.
Hogan was the main star in seven of the first eight WrestleMania events. He became the face and hero of the wrestling world, transcending to popular culture with numerous appearances on television shows and starring roles in movies and television. He 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 a longer consecutive time.
In 1996, with interest in him as a hero waning, Hogan made the most impactful character change in wrestling history. Working for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), WWE’s competitor, Hogan became a villain, leading a group called the New World Order (NWO). This change captured the public’s interest in a way that wrestling hadn’t achieved since WrestleMania I. The NWO, with “Hollywood” Hogan as its leader, revitalized the wrestling industry during the 1990s, when the public demanded a darker and more adult product.
Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 to face The Rock at WrestleMania 18 in Toronto. Although his character was the villainous version of the NWO, the audience did not boo him. They cheered him over The Rock, forcing Hogan to return to Florida to retrieve his old wrestling shirts and tights.
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 was also one of the notable figures to react to the news. Hogan participated in the Republican National Convention last July, supporting Trump’s presidential campaign.
Today we lost a great friend, the ‘Hulkster’. Hulk Hogan was MAGA to the core: 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 his wrestling career, Hogan found himself embroiled in some controversy. In 2015, video recordings were leaked in which he used a racial slur 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 of 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.
