Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71, according to multiple reports. Hogan was of the most popular professional wrestlers of all-time who helped make WWE a juggernaut.
A “cardiac arrest” call was placed and medics were sent to Hogan’s home in Clearwater, Fla, TMZ reports. He was stretchered into an ambulance. Hogan was found dead at his home in Clearwater, Florida ,as per reports.
Just a few weeks ago, Hogan's wife, Sky, denied rumors he was in a coma ... stating his heart was "strong" as he recovered from surgeries.
Hulk Hogan established his unbridled patriotism when he legdropped his way through The Iron Sheik to win the WWE Championship in 1984. He became a household name from there, headlining the inaugural WrestleMania while brushing his 24-inch pythons against celebrities like Cyndi Lauper and Billy Crystal on MTV and “Saturday Night Live.”
The Hulkster’s fanbase knew no bounds as Andy Warhol showed up at his matches and millions of children listened intently as their hero urged them to “say their prayers and eat their vitamins.”
His best matches read like a shortlist of WWE’s defining moments. Who could forget Hulk’s showdown with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, his collision with Randy Savage at WrestleMania V, his iconic encounter with The Rock at WrestleMania X8?
After departing WWE for WCW in the mid-1990s, he embraced a villainous persona as fans began to tire of his heroic image. Leading the New World Order, he reinvented himself as a scheming antagonist and helped propel WCW to the pinnacle of sports entertainment.
Hulk Hogan revolutionized professional wrestling, turning it into a form of family-friendly entertainment. Before his rise, wrestling primarily appealed to a niche audience. But Hulk's larger-than-life personality and theatrical performances captivated both kids and their parents, helping to skyrocket the sport’s popularity.
Then in 1996, Hulk reinvented himself — shifting from beloved hero to notorious villain by launching the NWO (New World Order) and adopting the persona of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan. The bold move took both his career and the world of professional wrestling to new heights of fame.
Hulk Hogan was first inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. However, in 2015, he was removed following a scandal involving racist remarks made during a secretly recorded private encounter. The footage was published by Gawker, prompting Hogan to file a lawsuit—and win a high-profile legal victory.
In 2020, Hogan returned to the Hall of Fame, this time as part of the legendary wrestling faction, the NWO. He made headlines again in 2024 as the unexpected star of the Republican National Convention, where his dramatic appearance electrified the crowd.
Hogan also found success in Hollywood, beginning with his role as Thunderlips in the 1982 film Rocky III. He went on to star in movies such as No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny. Years of wrestling took a toll on his body—he’s undergone numerous surgeries and once joked during a taping of Objectified with Harvey Levin that he no longer had any original body parts left.
A “cardiac arrest” call was placed and medics were sent to Hogan’s home in Clearwater, Fla, TMZ reports. He was stretchered into an ambulance. Hogan was found dead at his home in Clearwater, Florida ,as per reports.
Just a few weeks ago, Hogan's wife, Sky, denied rumors he was in a coma ... stating his heart was "strong" as he recovered from surgeries.
Who was Hulk Hogan?
Hulk Hogan was a key figure in WWE’s rise from regional attraction to worldwide entertainment leader in the 1980s, according to its official website. A larger-than-life icon, he packed 93,173 WWE fans into the Pontiac Silverdome, won six WWE Championships, starred in movies, television shows and his own animated series and became an idol to a vast legion of fans he dubbed his Hulkamaniacs, it states.Hulk Hogan established his unbridled patriotism when he legdropped his way through The Iron Sheik to win the WWE Championship in 1984. He became a household name from there, headlining the inaugural WrestleMania while brushing his 24-inch pythons against celebrities like Cyndi Lauper and Billy Crystal on MTV and “Saturday Night Live.”
The Hulkster’s fanbase knew no bounds as Andy Warhol showed up at his matches and millions of children listened intently as their hero urged them to “say their prayers and eat their vitamins.”
His best matches read like a shortlist of WWE’s defining moments. Who could forget Hulk’s showdown with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, his collision with Randy Savage at WrestleMania V, his iconic encounter with The Rock at WrestleMania X8?
After departing WWE for WCW in the mid-1990s, he embraced a villainous persona as fans began to tire of his heroic image. Leading the New World Order, he reinvented himself as a scheming antagonist and helped propel WCW to the pinnacle of sports entertainment.
Hulk Hogan revolutionized professional wrestling, turning it into a form of family-friendly entertainment. Before his rise, wrestling primarily appealed to a niche audience. But Hulk's larger-than-life personality and theatrical performances captivated both kids and their parents, helping to skyrocket the sport’s popularity.
Then in 1996, Hulk reinvented himself — shifting from beloved hero to notorious villain by launching the NWO (New World Order) and adopting the persona of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan. The bold move took both his career and the world of professional wrestling to new heights of fame.
Hulk Hogan was first inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. However, in 2015, he was removed following a scandal involving racist remarks made during a secretly recorded private encounter. The footage was published by Gawker, prompting Hogan to file a lawsuit—and win a high-profile legal victory.
In 2020, Hogan returned to the Hall of Fame, this time as part of the legendary wrestling faction, the NWO. He made headlines again in 2024 as the unexpected star of the Republican National Convention, where his dramatic appearance electrified the crowd.
Hogan also found success in Hollywood, beginning with his role as Thunderlips in the 1982 film Rocky III. He went on to star in movies such as No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny. Years of wrestling took a toll on his body—he’s undergone numerous surgeries and once joked during a taping of Objectified with Harvey Levin that he no longer had any original body parts left.
( Originally published on Jul 24, 2025 )
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