Wrestling legend Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan has passed away at age 71. Medics were dispatched to his Florida home early Thursday morning where they were told Bollea had suffered cardiac arrest, according to a report from TMZ.
Hulk Hogan dead at age 71, per report
The wrestling icon has passed.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
A wrestling career that spanned over 50 years, Hogan began his career in 1977 with early success during the territory days of pro wrestling, and a notable run in Japan. It wasn’t until 1983 that Hogan became a mega-star, with the “Rise of Hulkamania.” This transformed Hogan from a professional wrestler into a pop culture icon, with Hogan becoming recognized globally as a portrayal of American Patriotism and jingoism.
Hogan’s rise to success is often a contentious subject. While some believe he thrived in his own right, a large part of his success behind the scenes was a willingness to throw other performers under the bus. Hogan played a critical role in ratting out proposed union organization in the then-WWF locker room in 1986, much to the joy and approval of owner Vince McMahon — who paid back the gesture by ensuring Hogan was routinely the biggest star in his company.
This came to a close in 1994, when Hogan stunningly left McMahon’s company to join WCW on a now-infamous contract that gave him complete creative control. This led to the brightest era in the history of the company, but would also be its downfall as Hogan refused to have other wrestlers beat him for the World Championship, stepping on the heads of dozens of young wrestlers to ensure he was always positioned as the top dog.
After several trips to other companies including TNA and multiple returns to WWE, Hogan made his final appearance on WWE in January of 2025 when he appeared on the launch of Monday Night RAW when it debuted on Netflix.
Hogan’s legacy will be remembered as both one of the best-known, and also most infamous men in wrestling. Alongside his momentous impact on the industry he also is responsible for some of the darkest moments in the business, and that’s before we even touch on the reprehensible racism he displayed in 2015, which led to his departure from WWE at the time.
Terry Bolea, aka “Hulk Hogan”: 1953-2025
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