Hulk Hogan between matches during WrestleMania in Los Angeles in 2005.
Chris Carlson/AP
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Chris Carlson/AP
Hulk Hogan, one of the biggest stars of professional wrestling, has died. The police and fire departments in Clearwater, Florida, put out a statement stating they responded to a medical call for a cardiac arrest this morning. Hogan was pronounced dead at a local hospital. He was 71 years old.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, was one of the earliest stars of World Wrestling Entertainment and was the face of pro wrestling’s boom in popularity during the 1980s.
In a post on X, the WWE called Hogan “one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures,” and credits him for helping the brand achieve global recognition.
He was so popular, there was a name for his era of popularity – Hulkamania. Hogan parlayed that stardom into movie roles, including a memorable appearance in Rocky III.
More recently, Hogan was a figure of right-wing politics. During the 2024 Republican National Convention, he spoke on stage, tearing off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance shirt, saying, “Let Trumpamania run wild, brother.”
Hogan also became a major figure in the media after the website Gawker published a portion of a sex tape of Hogan in 2012. Funded by billionaire Peter Thiel, Hogan sued parent company Gawker Media. Hogan won the lawsuit. A Florida jury awarded him $140 million, driving Gawker Media into bankruptcy.
