He Was A Real American: Hulk Hogan Dies At 71

Hulk Hogan, professional wrestler beloved by millions of Americans, with his signature theme song and love of ripping off his shirt, has died at 71 today (Thursday) of a heart attack, according to TMZ.

Hogan, who was retired, had made a big splash at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where he gave a rousing endorsement speech for Republican nominee Donald Trump, even ripping his shirt off there.

According to TMZ, "Hulk transformed professional wrestling into a family entertainment sport. Before Hulk, wrestling catered to a fairly narrow audience. Hulk's theatrics in the ring was magnetic for children and their parents, and it supercharged the sport."

Early Beginnings

Born on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, to a construction foreman, Pietro “Peter” Bollea, and a homemaker, Ruth V. Moody, young Terry moved to Florida as a boy, where his path to stardom began. A lanky kid with a knack for music, he played bass in local bands before fate steered him to the squared circle. Wrestling wasn’t his first love—Hogan once told *Vice* in 2014 that the sport “petrified” him as a child, with wrestlers so protective of their craft they’d “punch you in the face” for calling it fake.

Yet, by 1977, he stepped into the ring as Terry “The Hulk” Boulder, a name that echoed his massive physique. A chance meeting with Lou Ferrigno, TV’s Incredible Hulk, on a Memphis talk show in 1978 sparked a connection—Hogan, bigger than Ferrigno, began to shape his destiny.

By 1983, signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), Hogan became the face of “Hulkamania,” a pop culture juggernaut that transformed wrestling from smoky arenas to global spectacle. His blond horseshoe mustache, yellow “HOGAN” bandana, and red spandex pants became iconic, as did his mantra: “Say your prayers, eat your vitamins.” He headlined eight of the first nine WrestleManias, his 1987 clash with André the Giant at WrestleMania III drawing a record 93,173 fans to the Pontiac Silverdome.

Hogan’s charisma, flexing his “24-inch python” arms, made him a hero to kids and parents alike, turning wrestling into family entertainment. He won six WWF championships, his first in 1984 against the Iron Sheik, igniting a craze that never faded.

In 1994, Hogan jumped to World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he reinvented himself as the villainous “Hollywood” Hogan, leading the New World Order (NWO). This heel turn sparked the “Monday Night Wars,” a ratings battle that cemented wrestling’s place in the 1990s zeitgeist. He won six WCW championships, and his 2002 return to WWE, facing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania X8, saw fans cheer the villain they once booed. Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and again in 2020 as part of the NWO, Hogan’s influence was unmatched. Wrestling historian Dave Meltzer said, “You can’t possibly overrate his significance in the history of the business.”

Beyond the ring, Hogan was a cultural force. He starred as Thunderlips in *Rocky III* (1982), sending stuntmen to intensive care with his raw power, as Sylvester Stallone recalled. Roles in *No Holds Barred* (1989), *Suburban Commando* (1991), and *Mr. Nanny* (1993) followed, alongside TV appearances from *The Love Boat* to *Saturday Night Live*, which he co-hosted in 1985. His VH1 reality show, *Hogan Knows Best* (2005-2007), featured his first wife, Linda, and their children, Brooke and Nick. As the most requested celebrity for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the 1980s, Hogan’s larger-than-life persona graced *Sports Illustrated*, *People*, and *TV Guide* covers. He even had a CBS cartoon, *Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling*.

Yet, Hogan’s life was not without shadows. His health had been a battleground, with over 25 surgeries in a decade—10 on his back, plus knee, hip, shoulder, eye, and abdominal procedures. In May 2025, he underwent cervical fusion surgery, sparking rumors of a “deathbed” or coma. His wife, Sky Daily, whom he married in 2023, dismissed these in June, insisting his heart was “strong.” But whispers persisted, fueled by a June 18 X post from @WebGuyJames citing YouTuber Bubba the Love Sponge claiming Hogan “might not make it.” These were debunked, but the cardiac arrest on July 24 proved fatal, ending weeks of speculation.

Hogan’s personal life was turbulent. His 2007 divorce from Linda cost him 70% of their liquid assets, $3 million in cash, and 40% of business ventures. A 2012 scandal led to a $140 million lawsuit against Gawker, settled for $31 million, but exposed racist remarks that saw WWE suspend him from 2015 to 2018. His daughter, Brooke, 37, and son, Nick, 34, from his marriage to Linda, were estranged, and his flamboyant support for Donald Trump, including a rousing speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention, drew both cheers and boos.

Tributes poured in. WWE mourned, “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s.” Ric Flair, a lifelong friend, wrote on X, “Hulk has been by my side since we started… He was one of the first to visit me when I was in the hospital with a 2% chance of living.” Donald Trump Jr. posted, “R.I.P to a legend.”

Hogan’s net worth at his death was estimated at $25 million, built from wrestling, endorsements, and his Gawker settlement, despite a lavish lifestyle that burned through “hundreds of millions.” His final act was promoting Real American Freestyle, a wrestling venture with Eric Bischoff, set to launch in August 2025.

In the end, Hogan was a man who lifted wrestling to the heavens and stumbled in its shadows. As he once promised, “Hulkamania will live forever.” But on that July morning, the ring fell silent, and the world said goodbye to the Hulkster, a titan whose roar will echo for generations.