Hulk Hogan, face of ‘Hulkamania’ and WWE Hall of Famer, dies at 71

Published on Authored by C to I News Desk

Legendary American wrestler Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, passed away on Thursday, July 24, at the age of 71. He died of cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida.

Hulk Hogan
One of the most influential pro wrestlers, Hulk Hogan was the face of the WWE during the 80s. Photo courtesy: x.com/HulkHogan

According to reports, medics were rushed to the scene and the wrestling icon was taken by ambulance, but he could not be revived.

Hulk Hogan was one of the most iconic and influential figures in the history of professional wrestling. Born on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, he became a global superstar during the 1980s and played a major role in bringing professional wrestling into the mainstream.

With his handlebar moustache, colourful bandanas and powerful stage presence, he became a household name across the world.

Hogan’s wrestling career took off after he joined Vince McMahon’s WWF, now known as WWE, in 1983. Just one year later, he became WWF Champion after defeating The Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden. This victory marked the beginning of the “Hulkamania” era.

He became the face of professional wrestling during its golden age, headlining eight of the first nine WrestleMania events.

One of the most memorable moments of his career came during WrestleMania III, where he body-slammed Andre the Giant in front of a record-breaking crowd of 93,000 fans.

Hogan Rocky 3
Apart from pro wrestling, Hogan also dabbled in acting. Pictured above is a scene from Rocky III where he played Thunderlips, a ferocious wrestler who faced off against Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. Photo courtesy: x.com/OleTimeHardball

He also had famous rivalries with Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior and Sgt. Slaughter. In 1994, Hogan joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and in 1996, shocked fans by turning heel and forming the New World Order (nWo) with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. This move gave new life to his career and helped WCW dominate the wrestling world during the late 1990s.

Hogan returned to WWE in the 2000s for matches with stars like The Rock, Shawn Michaels and Brock Lesnar. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Outside wrestling, he also acted in films like Mr. Nanny and Suburban Commando, and appeared in the reality TV show Hogan Knows Best.

Reactions

Hogan’s long time colleague and fellow WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was shocked to learn of his death.

WWE Hall of Famer and renowned pro wrestler The Undertaker paid his respect to Hogan.

Another WWE Hall of Famer and current Chief Content Officer at the WWE, Triple H, said the company wouldn’t be where it’s today without the Hulkster.

The White House too mourned the death. Posting a screenshot of President Trump’s note on Truth Social, it said on X that the legend would be missed.