Hulk Hogan, WWE champion and Hall of Famer, dead at 71

(NewsNation) — Hulk Hogan, legendary World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler and Hall of Famer, has died at the age of 71, WWE has confirmed.

Authorities in Clearwater, Florida, said first responders responded to a medical call just before 10 a.m. local time for reports of a cardiac arrest. Hogan, born Terry Bollea, was treated by medical and fire crews before being taken to a local hospital, authorities said, where he was pronounced dead.

In a brief news conference Thursday afternoon, officials said foul play is not expected as a factor in Hogan’s death. Hogan’s wife, Sky, previously denied rumors that her husband was in a coma and that his heart was “strong” after a recent surgery, according to reporting from TMZ.

“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s,” WWE said in a statement issued by the company. “WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.“

Other tributes were posted to social media by fellow WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, who wrote on social media that he was “absolutely shocked” to hear about Hogan’s death.

“Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business,” Flair, known within wrestling circles as “The Nature Boy,” wrote. “An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn’t Ask For Him To Be.

“He Was One Of The First To Visit Me When I Was In The Hospital With A 2% Chance Of Living, And He Prayed By My Bedside. Hulk Also Lent Me Money When Reid Was Sick. Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!”

Darren Prince, Hogan’s longtime marketing agent and friend, told NewsNation that he got to know “the real Terry Bollea as a dear friend and family member.”

He added, “The world lost one of its biggest icons today. We both always put God first in our life. Prayers to his family.”

Hulk Hogan’s stardom in the pro wrestling ring

Hogan won a WWE heavyweight championship six times during his pro wrestling career and gained popularity during the 1980s. The 6-foot-7, 320-pound wrestler became infamous for his bright yellow wrestling tights and his “Real American” theme music.

He was also known for ripping apart his T-shirt after entering the ring and cupping his hand to his ear to address cheering fans. Hogan became known for his flexing and boasting about his bulging biceps, which he called his “24-inch pythons.”

Hogan, whose fans were dubbed “Hulkamaniacs,” was primarily known as what wrestling insiders call a “babyface,” or a heroic, fan-favorite character. In interviews cut by Hogan, the wrestler encouraged children to take their vitamins, drink their milk and say their prayers.

Hogan headlined WWE’s WrestleMania eight times, most notably at WrestleMania III at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1987, when his bodyslamming of Andre the Giant became one of pro wrestling’s most recognizable moments.

In addition to his matches with Andre the Giant, Hogan counted Rowdy Roddy Piper, the Macho Man Randy Savage and The Undertaker among his fiercest opponents. In a post on X on Thursday, The Undertaker wrote, “The wrestling world has lost a true legend. His contributions to our business are immeasurable and for that I am appreciative.”

Hogan remained with WWE into the mid-1990s, after which he joined the company’s main competitor, World Championship Wrestling, which was owned by Ted Turner, later becoming a villain as part of the infamous New World Order (nWo) stable.

After WWE Chairman Vince McMahon purchased WCW, Hogan later returned to WWE in 2002 before leaving the company again later that decade and appearing in several other wrestling promotions in subsequent years.

However, Hogan’s WWE stint wasn’t without controversy. Hogan admitted during a trial in 1994 that he took steroids while with the promotion. The trial centered around allegations that McMahon provided performers with steroids. As a witness, Hogan acknowledged that he took steroids without a prescription but said that McMahon never asked him to take the drugs and that he never purchased them from the wrestling executive.

On Thursday, McMahon remembered Hogan as a “treasure,” referring to him in a social media post as the “greatest WWE Superstar of all time” and as someone “who was loved and admired around the world.”

“He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star to a global phenomenon,” McMahon wrote. “His grit and unbridled thirst for success were unparalleled and made him the consummate performer. He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved.”

On Thursday, Mario Mancini, another former WWE performer, compared Hogan’s legacy in sports entertainment to another legendary athlete.

“Hulk Hogan was the Babe Ruth of professional wrestling,” Mancini told NewsNation.

Hulk Hogan and the Gawker controversy

In 2012, a sex tape involving Hogan was published online by the gossip website Gawker. Hogan sued the company, and after a yearslong legal battle, the two sides eventually agreed to a $31 million settlement.

Three years later, the same sex tape was leaked to Radar Online and the National Enquirer and included footage of Hogan using racial slurs. The footage led to WWE officially severing ties with the former wrestler before the two sides reconciled. Hogan last appeared on WWE programming in January, but his appearance was met with largely negative reactions from fans.

Charles J. Harder, Hogan’s attorney who represented Bollea throughout the Gawker lawsuit, told NewsNation he is devastated to learn of his client’s death.

“He was larger than life and a fighter in so many ways,” Harder said. “It was a pleasure and an honor to know him and work for him.  He had so much energy and life—I expected him to outlive us all.  Taken much too soon.  To his fans: He loved you very much and would say this often. My deepest condolences to his family. “

Hulk Hogan enters the political ring

Hogan was among several celebrities to appear at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, when he came out in support of then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Hogan appeared on stage in prime time at the convention and delivered a speech to Republican supporters and delegates that included him adding his trademark ripping his shirt as part of the appearance. Hogan told delegates that he had never been political but that the assassination attempt on Trump’s life that took place just days before the RNC led him to publicly support Trump.

Hogan, wearing a red bandana, began his nearly nine-minute speech wearing a sports coat, which he then emphatically removed before ripping his T-shirt to expose another shirt pledging his support to Trump and running mate JD Vance.

Hogan referred to Trump and Vance as the “greatest tag team in my life” and said the pair would restore the United States to greatness.

“At the end of the day, with our leader up there, my hero, that gladiator, we’re going to bring America back together, one real American at a time, brother, ” Hogan said, pointing to Trump.

On Thursday, Trump was among those who mourned Hogan’s death.

“We lost a great friend today, the Hulkster,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account Thursday. “Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way. Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed.”

Hulk Hogan outside of the ring

Before gaining notoriety with WWE in the middle of the 1980s, Hogan made a splash in major motion pictures.

Hogan co-starred in “Rocky III” and was cast as Sylvester Stallone’s in-ring counterpart, Thunderlips, as part of a wrestler vs. boxer match. Hogan later appeared in films including “Suburban Commando,” “Gremlins 2”, “No Holds Barred” and “The Ultimate Weapon.”

The “Rocky III” role would be a turning point in Hogan’s career. While taking the role led to his leaving WWE amid a disagreement with then-owner Vincent J. McMahon, the father of the more famous Vince McMahon, and joining the American Wrestling Association, it also increased his popularity in a way that landed him a much more lucrative WWE contract on his return several years later.

It also gave him the kind of name recognition that would lead to appearances on MTV with musician Cyndi Lauper. This “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling” connection is commonly credited with skyrocketing the popularity of both WWE and MTV and, by extension, cable television.

Hogan also helped launch the celebrity reality TV genre of shows with “Hogan Knows Best,” which debuted in 2005 and centered on Hogan’s family life with his then-wife Linda and his children, Brooke and Nick. The show laid groundwork for other popular reality television series, including “The Kardashians.”

Most recently, Hogan reentered the public stage with the release of Hulk Hogan’s “Real American Beer”, which launched in 2024. The beer, which promoted itself as a light beer featuring only 110 calories, wasn’t without controversy. It found itself at the center of two lawsuits, the most recent of which involved a $10 million claim that the concept was stolen.

NewsNation’s Diana Falzone contributed reporting to this story.