Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at age 71
Jul 24, 2025, 9:30 AM | Updated: 9:58 am
Hulk Hogan rips his shirt before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71, Florida police and WWE said Thursday.
In Clearwater, Florida, authorities responded to a call Thursday morning about a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said in a statement on Facebook.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE鈥檚 long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.
He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, 鈥淗ogan Knows Best.鈥�
In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend鈥檚 wife. Hogan contended the post violated his privacy.
WWE posted a note on X saying it was saddened to learn the WWE Hall of Famer had passed away.
鈥淥ne of pop culture鈥檚 most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan鈥檚 family, friends, and fans,鈥� it said.
