The wrestling world mourns the loss of one of its most iconic figures. Hulk Hogan, who brought 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 authorities 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, through its X account, expressed its sadness over the passing of the Hall of Fame member.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, had faced several health problems in recent years, including a persistent back injury. Although he hadn’t wrestled since 2012, he remained active as the founder of the new wrestling promotion Real American Freestyle and the owner of a bar in New York, near Madison Square Garden, the scene of many of his great 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 nearly 1 million viewers and is credited with bringing professional wrestling, specifically the then WWF (now WWE), to the national stage.
Hogan’s match with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III took the wrestling business, and Hogan’s career, to new heights. Approximately 80,000 people filled the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan for the match. The rematch, several months later, on NBC, drew 33 million viewers.
Hogan headlined seven of the first eight WrestleMania events. He was the face and hero of the wrestling world, venturing into television with appearances on talk shows and starring in movies and series.
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 a longer consecutive time.
In 1996, with interest in him as a hero waning, Hogan starred in the biggest heel turn in wrestling history. Working for WCW, Hogan became a villain, leading a group of invaders called the New World Order (NWO). The character change, 29 years ago, captured the spirit of the era in a way that wrestling hadn’t done since WrestleMania I.
The NWO, with “Hollywood” Hogan as the ruthless black and white-clad leader, instead of his traditional red and yellow colors, breathed new life into the wrestling industry during the counterculture of the 1990s, when the public 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 NWO, but the more than 68,000 attendees were not interested in booing Hogan. They cheered him over The Rock, which forced Hogan to return to Florida that weekend to retrieve his old red and yellow shirts and tights.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
Ric Flair and Triple H were among several notable wrestling figures who reacted to Hogan’s death on social media.
Former President Donald Trump also published a reaction. Hogan gave a speech at the Republican National Convention last July to support Trump’s presidential campaign.
“We lost a great friend today, the ‘Hulkster.’ Hulk Hogan was MAGA in every 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,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He entertained fans 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!”
After his wrestling career concluded, Hogan found himself embroiled in some controversy. In 2015, video recordings were leaked in which he used the “N” word and referred to himself as “racist to a certain degree.” WWE terminated his legends contract at the time, although they brought him back three years later as an ambassador with infrequent television appearances. Hogan appeared on the debut show of WWE on Netflix in January to promote his new Real American beer, but was booed by fans in Los Angeles.
A sex tape featuring 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 was awarded $115 million.
