Hulk Hogan, the legendary WWE wrestler and actor has died aged 71.
Police have said emergency services responders treated Hogan at his home in Clearwater, Florida, for cardiac arrest before he later died in hospital.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, is perhaps the most iconic star in WWE’s five-decade history – known for his distinctive blonde moustache and colourful headbands.
His charisma and theatrics in the ring are credited with helping to transform professional wrestling into a family entertainment sport.
Hogan was the main draw for the first-ever WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years in its signature event, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.
He won six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by Sylvester Stallone.
WWE said in a post this evening: “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. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
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Hogan was also able to transcend his “Hulkamania” fan base to become a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, “Hogan Knows Best”.
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In 2024, he appeared at the Republican National Convention to endorse the presidential bid of Donald Trump.
Hogan said he made the decision to support the Republican candidate after seeing his combative, fist-pumping reaction to an attempted assassination on the campaign trail.
In a reference to so-called “Hulkamania”, he ripped off his shirt to reveal a Trump tank top and bellowed to a cheering crowd: “Let Trumpamania run wild, brother… Let Trumpamania rule again!”
The making of a pop culture phenomenon
Born in the US state of Georgia in August 1953, Hogan played bass guitar in local bands before getting involved in the wrestling scene in Florida in the 1970s.
The young wrestler, who later admitted to taking anabolic steroids during his career, gained in notoriety as his biceps turned into what he dubbed the “24-inch pythons.”
The “Hulk” moniker came from comparisons to the comic-book hero portrayed on TV at the time.
He would end up paying royalties to Marvel Comics for years.
“Hogan” was the invention of promoter Vince McMahon, the owner of what was then called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), who wanted Irish representation among his stable of stars.
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