TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has died at age 71, according to multiple reports.
TMZ was first to report on Hogan’s death Thursday morning, saying emergency medical crews were seen outside of his Clearwater, Florida, home.
Police told Nexstar’s WFLA that officers were called to the home where Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, suffered a cardiac arrest just before 10 a.m. He was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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The WWE issued a statement Thursday, saying it was “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,” the statement continued. “WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
Hulk Hogan attends a “New Era In Florida” gaming event at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa on Dec. 8, 2023, in Tampa, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Hogan had made occasional non-wrestling appearances on WWE programming after stepping away from the ring, most recently in January to promote his Real American Beer company.
Fellow WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair said Thursday he was “absolutely shocked to hear about the passing of my close friend.”
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“Hulk has been by my side since we started in the wrestling business,” he wrote on X. “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!”
Hogan was regarded as one of the most popular professional wrestlers of all time after rocketing to stardom with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in the 1980s.
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He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.
Hogan first became champion in what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1984, and pro wrestling took off from there. His popularity helped lead to the creation of the annual WrestleMania event in 1985, when he teamed up with Mr. T to beat “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff in the main event.
He slammed and beat Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III in 1987, and the WWF gained momentum. His feud with the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage — perhaps his greatest rival — carried pro wrestling even further.
Hogan was a central figure in what is known as the Monday Night Wars. The WWE and World Championship Wrestling were battling for ratings supremacy in 1996. Hogan tilted things in WCW’s favor with the birth of the Hollywood Hogan character and the formation of the New World Order, a villainous stable that put WCW ahead in the ratings.
He returned to the WWE in 2002 and became a champion again. His match with The Rock at WrestleMania X8, a loss during which fans cheered for his “bad guy” character, was seen as a passing of the torch.
Hogan, who grew up in Tampa, won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
Outside of the ring, Hogan appeared in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, “Hogan Knows Best.” He had also recently hinted at political aspirations. Last June, Hogan told Nexstar’s NewsNation that he could offer 12 “good years” of leadership if elected to political office.
“If I was the VP, and then all of a sudden I roll right into that top spot, four years later … you get 12 good years out of me,” Hogan said. “And then all of a sudden, we would really be on track.”
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While he said at the time that, when choosing between then-presidential nominee Donald Trump and sitting President Joe Biden, he would “probably have to put myself in there somewhere,” he later went on to campaign for Trump.
Less than a month after speaking with NewsNation, Hogan took the stage at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to give a passionate speech to a loud and enthusiastic crowd.
Hogan, speaking of the 2024 election, said he had seen “some great tag teams” in his career but saw the “greatest tag team of my life,” referring to Trump and his running mate JD Vance.
“We lost a great friend today, the ‘Hulkster,'” President Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday. “Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. 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. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!”
Vance, on Thursday afternoon, called Hogan a “great American icon” and “one of the first people I ever truly admired as a kid.”
“The last time I saw him we promised we’d get beers together next time we saw each other,” Vance wrote in a post shared to X. “The next time will have to be on the other side, my friend! Rest in peace.”
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., also shared a tribute to Hogan on Thursday, writing, “R.I.P to a legend.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
