Hulk Hogan Dead, WWE Hall Of Famer Dies Of Cardiac Arrest At 71
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has reportedly died at the age of 71.
TMZ broke the news of Hogan's death on Thursday, July 24. Hogan friend Jimmy Hart recently downplayed reports he was in ill health, though rumors persisted. Hulk Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, leaves behind wife Sky Daily and his two children Brooke Hogan and Nick Hogan.
Hogan entered the business 1977 not knowing that he would become one of the most iconic names to grace the squared circle. After coming up through the territories and working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Hogan officially joined WWF at the end of 1983. Mere weeks later in January 1984, "Hulkamania" took off when Hogan dethroned The Iron Sheik to win his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship.
From there, Hogan went on to compete at the first nine WrestleMania events, headlining eight of them. Whether it was teaming with Mr. T, bodyslamming Andre The Giant, or dethroning his rivals like Randy Savage, Sgt. Slaughter, and Yokozuna, "Hulkamania" ran wild for years... and not just in WWF. After his contract expired in 1993, Hogan joined WCW in 1994. While there, he participated in a massive heel turn that paved the way for the New World Order to be born.
Hogan continued bouncing around to different companies in the 2000s. During his returns to WWE, he battled the likes of the Rock and Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 18 and 19, respectively. In 2009, he joined TNA and ushered in a new era alongside Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair, and others. A return to WWE in 2014 preceded a controversial firing in 2015 surrounding leaked audio of Hogan using a racial slur, but he would be welcomed back in 2018 for periodic guest appearances.
Hogan's last televised match took place in TNA in 2011 — a pay-per-view loss to Sting. He's a two-time WWE Hall of Famer after being inducted individually in 2005 and then as part of The NWO in 2020. His accolades include being a six-time WWE World Champion, a two-time Royal Rumble winner, a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.