Professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has died, according to TMZ Sports. He was 71 years old.
Emergency medical services were sent to the home of the legendary wrestler in Clearwater, Florida, early Thursday morning, to reports of a cardiac arrest.
Rumors that the wrestling icon’s health was deteriorating emerged a few weeks ago when his wife, Sky, dismissed rumors that Hogan was in a coma. Instead, she insisted that his heart was strong.
Hogan had recently undergone several surgeries, one of which prompted TMZ Sports to report last month that the “Hulkster” was on his “deathbed.”
No one in the world of professional wrestling, and few others in the realm of sports, impacted the generations that watched them more than Hulk Hogan. A symbol of patriotic strength, faith, and physical toughness, Hogan inspired children in the 1980s, 1990s, and beyond to reach their full physical and moral potential.
Every wrestling event during the peak of Hogan’s career featured thousands of “Hulkamaniacs” decked out in his signature yellow shirts with red lettering. Hogan settled America’s Cold War-era disputes in the ring to the delight of fans.
In 1984, he defeated the trash-talking Iron Sheikh for the heavyweight championship. And who could forget in 1985, when he defended that belt while carrying the Stars & Stripes, decked out in a shirt that read “American Made,” and handily defeated the Soviet enemy Nikolai Volkoff?
In 1996, Hogan went from hero to villain after creating the New World Order. He also changed his name to Hollywood Hulk Hogan. To kids from the 1980s, however, it was nearly impossible to view the Hulkster as a bad guy.
In 2005, Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Ten years later, he would be removed from the HOF after Gawker posted clips of racial comments during a sexual encounter. Hogan would later sue Gawker and re-enter the Hall of Fame in 2020 as a member of the New World Order.
In more recent times, Hogan made headlines outside the ring by becoming a baptized Christian at the age of 70.
He also made a splash in the world of politics with his passionate speech in support of President Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention.
