Controversial wrestler Hulk Hogan has died, aged 71
Hulk Hogan has died, aged 71. (Getty)
Hulk Hogan has died, aged 71. (Getty)
Professional wrestling veteran Hulk Hogan has died. He was 71 years old.
The American wrestler, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, reportedly died on Thursday (24 July) morning, according to TMZ.
The entertainment publisher claims medics were dispatched to the star’s home in the early hours of the day, with operators stating that a call was regarding “cardiac arrest.” No official statement has been given at this time.
Hogan first gained prominence in the 1980s under his “Hulkamaniac” persona before defecting to WWF rival, WCW, where he created the “New World Order” (nWo) wrestling group.
After retiring in 2012, Hogan eventually became a brand ambassador for WWE, despite the litany of controversies over his career.
In 2015, a leaked sex tape recorded in 2007 saw Hogan expressing disgust that his daughter was dating a Black man while repeatedly using the N-word to describe his daughter’s boyfriend. He admitted to being a racist “to a point.”
He also used homophobic slurs during the audio recording, calling an individual who lived at his former home a “big f*g.”
Later in his life, Hogan became a vocal supporter of the Trump administration, appearing at the 2024 Republican National Conference (RNC) wearing a Trump-Vance t-shirt ahead of the US election.
During the conference, Hogan said he wanted to show support for Trump “after everything that’s happened to our country over the past four years.”
Born in Augusta, Georgia on 11 August 1953, Bollea was the son of a construction foreman and a dance teacher. He began wrestling at 16 years old while in high school, revering fellow wrestler, Dusty Rhodes.
Donning the name Hulk Hogan, he first joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1979, eventually becoming one of the wrestling organisation’s top stars.
His 1987 match against Andre the Giant during the third annual WrestleMania broke the record for the largest indoor event until 1999 when it was surpassed by the papal mass with Pope John Paul II.
Terry Bollea is survived by his wife, Sky Daily, and his children, Brooke Hogan and Nick Hogan.
