Hulk Hogan, Wrestling Icon, Actor And Reality TV Star, Dies At 71

Wrestling legend, actor and reality TV star Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71 following a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida, according to World Wrestling Entertainment.

“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s,” said the company in a statement. “WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”

Born Terry Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977 and catapulted to superstardom after joining the World Wrestling Federation (then WWF, now WWE) in 1983. With his larger-than-life persona, trademark handlebar mustache, and signature catchphrases, “Hulkamania” became a cultural phenomenon throughout the 1980s and beyond.

A mainstay of WrestleMania and a frequent headliner on Saturday Night’s Main Event and The Main Event, Hogan is remembered as an icon in the wrestling world. His legendary showdown with Andre the Giant on The Main Event on February 5, 1988, still holds the record for the most-watched wrestling match in American television history, drawing a reported 33 million viewers.

Hogan also made history by becoming the first wrestler to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches in the early 1990s.

From Wrestling to Film and Television

In 1993, Hogan stepped away from the ring to pursue opportunities in film and television. His screen credits include Rocky III opposite Sylvester Stallone (1982), No Holds Barred (1989), Suburban Commando (1991), Mr. Nanny (1993), and 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain (1998).

Hogan’s filmography also includes voice work in animated productions like Gnomeo and Juliet and Robot Chicken: Star Wars. And, on television, Hogan was featured opposite his former wife Linda and their children Brooke and Nick in the 2005 to 2007 docuseries Hogan Knows Best. The show, which premiered as the highest rated series at the time on VH1, capitalized on the rising trend of reality TV programs centered around famous families, following in the footsteps of The Osbournes.

Hogan Knows Best was successful enough to spawn a spin-off, Brooke Knows Best, which centered around Hogan’s daughter and ran from 2008–2009.

Also on camera, Hogan also hosted American Gladiators on NBC in 2008 and the short-lived reality show, Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling. In 2010, he offered a more introspective look at his life in the television special Finding Hulk Hogan. And, beyond the screen, Hogan’s influence extended into merchandising. According to The Wrestling Figure Checklist, Hogan was featured in 171 different action figures released between the 1980s and 2010s.

Return to the Ring

Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by Sylvester Stallone. He made several on-screen appearances throughout the 2000s, including a match against The Rock at WrestleMania X8. And he made sporadic appearances in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, now Impact Wrestling).

Hogan was also a published author, with his memoir, My Life Outside the Ring, released in 2009.

Survivors include his wife, Sky, whom he wed in 2023, and his children, Nick and Brooke.