Hulk Hogan, one of the most recognizable and influential figures in professional wrestling history, has died at the age of 71. Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan’s death was confirmed Thursday morning by his family. Authorities say he died of cardiac arrest.
For many, Hulk Hogan was professional wrestling. His handlebar mustache, bandana, ripped yellow tank tops, and signature leg drop were etched into the minds of fans across generations. Hogan’s charisma helped transform Vince McMahon’s then-WWF into a global powerhouse, anchoring the very first WrestleMania in 1985 and launching professional wrestling into mainstream pop culture.
Born on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, Bollea moved to Tampa, Florida, as a toddler, a city that would shape both his upbringing and his wrestling career. A natural athlete and musician, he was a high school Little League pitcher until an elbow injury redirected his passions toward music and fitness. He played bass in local rock bands like Ruckus before being scouted by wrestling icons Jack and Jerry Brisco, who arranged for his training under Hiro Matsuda.
Hogan debuted in pro wrestling in 1977 under various names—Super Destroyer, Sterling Golden—before joining the WWF in December 1979 as “Hulk Hogan.” His persona exploded into the public eye in the early 1980s: a heroic all-American figure backed by the rousing anthem “Real American”, body-slamming André the Giant at WrestleMania III in 1987 before over 90,000 fans, and headlining eight of the first nine WrestleManias.
Hogan’s reign mirrored WWE’s transformation into a global billion-dollar enterprise. He held the WWF World Heavyweight Championship five times (and later nine world titles overall), became the first wrestler to win back-to-back Royal Rumbles (1990 & 1991), and helped launch the New World Order (nWo) faction during his late‑1990s WCW run as “Hollywood Hogan.”
His cross-media presence included a cameo as Thunderlips in Rocky III (1982), reality TV (Hogan Knows Best), commercials, and even a venture into music with the Wrestling Boot Band album Hulk Rules.
He was more than just a wrestler. Hogan appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, hosted Saturday Night Live, and starred in films like Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny. His reality series, Hogan Knows Best, gave fans a glimpse behind the curtain of his personal life. In the ring and on screen, Hogan was omnipresent throughout the ’80s and ’90s.
But death has a way of forcing a reckoning, not just with a man’s accomplishments, but with his contradictions.
In 2012, he sued Gawker Media for publishing a sex tape filmed consensually, ultimately winning a staggering $140 million verdict (later settled at $31 million) in a landmark case that tested the boundaries between privacy and press freedom. Then, in 2015, a leaked audio recording revealed Hogan using the N‑word repeatedly while speaking disparagingly about his daughter’s Black ex‑boyfriend, and even stating, “I mean, I’d rather if she were going to f**k some n*gger, I’d rather have her marry an 8-foot-tall n*gger worth 100 million dollars! Like a basketball player! I guess we’re all a little racist. F*ckin’ n*gger.”
WWE responded by terminating ties, and he was temporarily removed from the Hall of Fame.
Despite issuing an apology at the time, Hogan’s later public persona, including his vocal support for Donald Trump in 2024, split opinions and complicated his comeback. In 2018, he was reinstated to Hall of Fame status, but for many, the racist remarks remained a stain on his legacy.
Bomani Jones, host of The Right Time, addressed the division clearly: “This was never going to be one where people were going to mourn quietly.” For some, Hogan’s death is a goodbye to a childhood hero. For others, it’s a reminder that idols can fall—and fall hard.
Kazeem Famuyide, who once toured the country writing for WWE and co-hosts The Ringer Wrestling Show, called Hogan a “superhero” in his youth. But that image shattered. “You never really got the feeling that Hulk Hogan truly felt remorse,” Famuyide said.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, whose own father, Rocky Johnson, was one of WWE’s first Black champions, struck a more gracious tone in his tribute: “You drew the house,” Johnson wrote. “You sold out every arena and stadium across the country in your prime as Hulk Hogan, on your way to becoming the greatest of all time.”
Still, some wrestlers and fans chose silence over celebration. Master Tesfatsion, a veteran sports journalist, recalled booing Hogan during his final live wrestling appearance. “I never thought that I would see ‘The Hulk’ in person, and that I would resort to booing him,” he said. “But that’s what his actions made me do.”
Even as wrestling becomes more inclusive and diverse, the industry has long been haunted by its flirtation with racial tropes. Hogan’s death reopens old wounds and raises questions that remain unsettled. Lyric Swinton, a freelance wrestling writer, remembered feeling like she had to “check her Blackness at the door” to engage with the sport during Hogan’s heyday.
Despite the fallout, Hogan’s impact on professional wrestling is undeniable. He was the face of a golden era and helped turn a regional novelty into a billion-dollar business. Wrestlers like Booker T, Mark Henry, and Bianca Belair now flourish in an environment Hogan helped build—but not always in ways he would’ve wanted acknowledged.
Hulk Hogan is survived by his children, Brooke and Nick, and by the millions who once chanted his name. His death closes a chapter in wrestling history, a chapter filled with unforgettable moments, pop culture dominance, and deeply uncomfortable truths.
To some, he’ll always be “The Immortal One.” To others, he’s “a racist to a point” beneath the bandana. As always with Hogan, the reality was never quite as simple as the storyline.
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