The wrestling world mourns the loss of one of its most emblematic figures. Hulk Hogan, who brought this sport to national stardom 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 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.
Maj. Nate Burnside
WWE expressed its sadness at the passing of the Hall of Fame member through its social media. “One of the most recognizable figures in pop culture, Hogan 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 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 resulting 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, near Madison Square Garden, the site of many of his most important matches.
In 1985, Hogan starred in the first WrestleMania, teaming with 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 national stage.
The match between Hogan and 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, crossing over into the mainstream with numerous appearances on television shows, as well as starring roles in films, including the third “Rocky” film, and television, including the series “Thunder in Paradise” in the 1990s. 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 most impactful change in wrestling history by joining WCW, becoming the leader of the “New World Order” group. This villainous turn revived interest in wrestling in a way that hadn’t been seen since WrestleMania I. The NWO, with Hogan leading, revitalized the wrestling industry during the 1990s, when audiences demanded a darker and more adult product.
Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 to face The Rock at WrestleMania 18 in Toronto.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
Ric Flair and Triple H were some of the prominent wrestling figures 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 some controversies. In 2015, video recordings were leaked where he used the term “N-word”. WWE terminated his contract at that 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.
