Terry Bollea, recognized worldwide as retired WWE famous person Hulk Hogan, died Thursday at age 71. Essentially the most well known and well-known skilled wrestler in historical past, Hogan rose to fame as a popular culture icon with the arrival of “Hulkamania” main the explosive nationwide growth of the World Wrestling Federation within the Nineteen Eighties. He suffered cardiac arrest in his dwelling in Clearwater, Florida, earlier than being rushed to the hospital the place he was pronounced lifeless, in line with TMZ.
Hogan’s in-ring profession spanned 35 years from 1977 to 2012. He began because the consummate babyface (good man) with WWE the place he gained the heavyweight championship six occasions whereas main an trade revolution that noticed wrestling turn into actually mainstream for the primary time in its historical past. His mixed WWE championship reign of two,184 days is second-longest in historical past solely behind Bruno Sammartino (4,040).
Hogan headlined and essential evented eight of the primary 9 WrestleManias and have become the primary man to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches (1990-91). His notorious bodyslam of Andre the Large (“the bodyslam heard all over the world”) at WrestleMania III in 1987 stays one of many trade’s most iconic moments, and their subsequent match on “WWF The Most important Occasion” on Feb. 5, 1988, to at the present time holds wrestling’s United States tv rankings file, bringing in 33 million viewers.
Hogan infamously moved to World Championship Wresting (WCW) in 1994 and finally turned a heel (dangerous man) for the primary time, reinventing himself as “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, the chief of the New World Order faction in 1996. He went on to win six extra heavyweight championships in WCW whereas serving to lead WCW and its upstart “Monday Night time Nitro” tv program to 83 straight weeks of head-to-head victories over WWE’s flagship “Monday Night time Uncooked” present.
Returning to WWE after it bought WCW, Hogan gained his ultimate heavyweight championship with the corporate in 2002. The final of his most notable WrestleMania matches got here in a extremely anticipated showdown in opposition to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania X8 that yr, a bout many think about to be among the many most iconic in skilled wrestling historical past.
Inducted into the WWE Corridor of Fame in 2005 and once more in 2020 as a part of the nWo, Hogan lengthy explored pursuits exterior wrestling. His recognition exploded nationally within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties as Hogan was seen as a task mannequin for kids and adults. He referred to his followers as “Hulkamaniacs,” demanding they prepare and keep match, say their prayers and eat their nutritional vitamins. He could possibly be discovered in every single place from lunch containers and motion figures to cartoons and late night time speak reveals.
Hogan appeared in a number of movies throughout that point, together with “Rocky III” and “No Holds Barred,” and upon his retirement, he starred within the actuality TV present “Hogan Is aware of Greatest” alongside his household.
“The world misplaced a treasure as we speak. Hulk Hogan was the best WWE Celebrity of ALL TIME, somebody who was liked and admired all over the world. He was a trailblazer, the primary performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a worldwide phenomenon,” mentioned former WWE chairman Vince McMahon in a press release on social media.
“His grit and unbridled thirst for fulfillment have been unparalleled – and made him the consummate performer. He gave every thing he needed to the viewers whom he appreciated, revered and liked. He leaves us with one among his favourite expressions, ‘Prepare, take your nutritional vitamins and say your prayers.’ At the moment, we pray for him.”
Hogan has turn into the centerpiece of scandals and controversies over current years. He was caught utilizing racial slurs on a intercourse tape that was made public — 10 years in the past to the day of his demise — main Hogan to subsequently obtain a $140 million judgment in 2016 in opposition to Gawker, which printed parts that media. Hogan was fired by WWE however finally introduced again to the corporate years later. His involvement in politics has been a hot-button subject as properly, dividing followers.
Hogan lately reaffirmed a part-time position with WWE as a model ambassador. Making a quick look throughout the debut of WWE’s “Monday Night time Uncooked” on Netflix this January, Hogan was vociferously booed by the Los Angeles viewers to the purpose that he didn’t make deliberate subsequent appearances. Some present WWE superstars had been outspoken about not wanting Hogan concerned with the corporate.
Hogan in April launched Actual American Beer, an organization he co-founded. He was additionally serving as commissioner for startup beginner wrestling promotion Actual American Freestyle, which is about to carry its first occasion later this yr.
