The professional wrestling community is in mourning following the death of legendary figure, Hulk Hogan, who died on Thursday at 71 years old. The WWE confirmed his passing, extending their sympathies to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans. Hogan, born Terry Bollea, played a pivotal role in the global rise of WWE during the 1980s.
Emergency services were called to Hogan’s residence in Clearwater, Florida, after a reported cardiac arrest. He was subsequently transported to a hospital. Prior to his passing, Hogan had undergone a neck surgery in May and a major heart procedure just last month.
Hogan’s wrestling career took off in Florida in the 1970s, but it was during the 1980s that he became a household name. His “Hulkamania” persona, characterized by yellow tights, red kneepads, and bleach-blonde hair, propelled the WWE, then known as the WWF, into national prominence. Hogan’s charisma and larger-than-life personality were always on display during his wrestling promos, with his catchphrase “What’cha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?!” and his references to his “24-inch python” biceps becoming iconic.
However, Hogan’s career was not without its share of controversy. In 1994, he testified in a steroid trial involving Vince McMahon, the owner of WWE. Hogan admitted to using steroids via a prescription but denied that McMahon had ever encouraged him to do so or supplied him with the drugs.
In the mid-1990s, Hogan switched to the rival wrestling promotion WCW, where he formed the New World Order (nWo) with fellow ex-WWE stars Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. The group was immensely popular and helped WCW outperform WWE in television ratings for over a year. Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 after it acquired WCW.
Outside of wrestling, Hogan also had a successful career in film and television. He appeared in “Rocky III,” “No Holds Barred,” and “Mr. Nanny,” and starred in the television show “Thunder in Paradise.” He also made guest appearances on “The A-Team” and “Baywatch,” and his family was the subject of the VH1 reality show “Hogan Knows Best.”
Born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1953, Hogan had two children, Brooke and Nick, with his first wife, Linda. After his divorce from Linda in 2007, Hogan married Jennifer McDaniel in 2010, but they divorced in 2022. He then married Sky Daily in 2023. Hogan’s last public appearance was at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, where he showed his support for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.