Hulk Hogan, the wrestling star, has died at the age of 71, his manager confirmed.
Chris Volo told NBC Los Angeles that Hogan, given name Terry Gene Bollea, suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida, and died surrounded by his family.
Rumors about Hogan’s health have swirled for weeks, after he was reportedly hospitalised. Just last week, his wife, Sky, denied rumors that he was in a coma, stating that his heart was “strong” after multiple surgeries.
Instantly recognisable from his blonde horseshoe mustache and bandanas, Hogan was one of the most popular wrestling stars of the 1980s and considered one of the sport’s greatest of all time. Known for his ring theatrics and sizable physique – in his prime, Hogan clocked in at 6 foot 7 inches and weighed 22 stone – he helped transform professional wrestling into home entertainment, primarily through his partnership with Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the performance routine known as Hulkamania.
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The entertainment company also confirmed Hogan’s death and mourned its former star in a statement on X: “WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognisable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
“The Hulkster” headlined WrestleMania, WWE’s signature event, eight times, including a seminal showdown in 1987 with his 38 stone mentor Andre the Giant at Michigan’s Pontiac Silverdome, before a then record crowd of 93,173. Hogan won the WWE championship six times during his career.
In 1996, Hogan founded the New World Order (NWO) and became Hollywood Hulk Hogan. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, only to have his status revoked after scandal following the release of a secret recording of a sexual encounter, during which Hogan made numerous racist comments. The 2010s blog Gawker first published the recording; Hogan subsequently sued the website, winning and forcing it out of business.
Hogan was once again inducted in 2020, as he became a more prominent figure in Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (Maga) political movement. He starred at the 2024 Republican national convention, ripping off his shirt, WWE-style, to reveal a Trump 2024 T-shirt.
Ever the performer, Hogan maintained a decades-long acting career, appearing in the 1982 film Rocky III as the character Thunderlips, as well as films such as No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, Mr Nanny, Santa With Muscles and the 1994 syndicated series Thunder in Paradise. As one of the most recognizable figures of the 1980s – at his peak, he was the most requested celebrity for the Make-a-Wish foundation – Hogan appeared as himself in many shows and movies, including the A-Team, Baywatch, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Spy Hard and Muppets From Space. He also lent his voice to episodes of Robot Chicken and American Dad.
In 1985, he co-hosted Saturday Night Live along with Mr T. The same year, he was the star of his own cartoon series on CBS, Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling. Hogan parlayed his fame into reality television, starring on the VH1 reality show Hogan Knows Best along with his then wife Linda and his children Brooke and Nick, from 2005 until 2007.
Tributes began pouring in on social media in the hours after his death. US president Donald Trump described him as “MAGA all the way - strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart”.
In a message on Truth Social, he added: “He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the world, and the cultural impact he had was massive.”
Fellow 1980s wrestling star Ric Flair said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear of the passing of his “close friend”.
“Hulk has been by my side since we started in the wrestling business,” he said. “An incredible athlete, talent, friend and father! Our friendship has meant the world to me.” –Guardian
