Professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, has died at the age of 71.
According to TMZ, emergency responders rushed to his Clearwater, Florida home early Thursday following a cardiac arrest.
Hogan was placed on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital, but could not be revived.
Despite undergoing a neck procedure earlier this year, Hogan’s wife, Sky, had recently assured fans that his heart remained “strong.”
Widely regarded as the most iconic figure in professional wrestling history, Hogan rose to superstardom in the 1980s as the face of the WWF (now WWE). Known for his red and yellow ring gear, electrifying charisma, and the anthem “Real American,” he became a pop culture phenomenon, amassing millions of “Hulkamaniacs” across the globe.
Hogan debuted in 1977 and headlined countless main events during wrestling’s boom era, capturing the WWF Championship six times. His groundbreaking heel turn in 1996 as “Hollywood Hogan” and the formation of the New World Order (nWo) in WCW reshaped the industry and reignited fan interest.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice — first in 2005 as a solo legend, and again in 2020 as part of the nWo. However, his legacy was briefly marred in 2015 after the leak of a racist rant led to his removal from the Hall of Fame. He was reinstated three years later following a public apology and legal victory over the media outlet Gawker.
Beyond the squared circle, Hogan enjoyed a successful crossover into entertainment. He starred in Rocky III as Thunderlips, and led in films like No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny. In the 2000s, he gained reality TV fame with Hogan Knows Best, which followed the lives of his family.
