Pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan has passed away.
According to a report from TMZ, the WWE Hall of Famer was pronounced dead at a hospital after authorities in Clearwater, Florida, responded to a morning call about a cardiac arrest. A video of the scene outside Hogan’s residence shows responders desperately trying to save his life as he was being transported to an ambulance.
In the clip, which you can see below, several paramedics appear to be conducting chest compressions as Hogan is wheeled to the emergency vehicle.
“There were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity,” Maj. Nate Burnside told reporters.
WWE reacted to the news on X, offering its condolences to Hogan’s friend and family while reminding the world of his immeasurable contribution to sports entertainment.
“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,” WWE wrote.
“‘Hulkamania,’ as the energy he created was called, started running wild in the mid-1980s and pushed professional wrestling into the mainstream. He was a flag-waving American hero with the horseshoe mustache, red and yellow gear and massive arms he called his ’24-inch pythons.’”
Hogan helped launch the WWE from a regional promotion to the global juggernaut it is today. Through his career, he main evented WrestleMania eight times, his most iconic of which came at WrestleMania III inside the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. There, over 93,000 people gathered to watch his epic showdown with another larger-than-life character, Andre the Giant.
Hogan famously hoisted Andre off his feet and bodyslammed his fellow icon on the mat, creating a moment that is still regularly featured on highlight reels for WWE programming.
His subsequent feud with Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage and his pivotal role in the Monday Night Wars made Hogan an integral part of the sport for another decade before seeing his star power fade. Of course, ‘The Hulkster’ was far from done.
After jumping ship from the WWE to WCW and kickstarting the NWO in the 90s, Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 for a generational clash with The Rock — otherwise known as Dwayne Johnson — at WrestleMania X-8.
Hogan lost the match, but he gained a heap of momentum, ultimately leading him to another run with the WWE Championship and a plethora of critically acclaimed matches against Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar.
Hogan crossed over into movies and television at the height of his fame, appearing as ‘Thunderlips’ in Rocky III before embarking on a Hollywood run that included such films as Suburban Commando, Mr. Nanny, and 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain.
While none of Hogan’s movies earned him critical praise, he set the stage for future WWE Superstars like The Rock and John Cena to crossover from pro wrestling to mainstream media.
Hulk Hogan’s reputation in the wrestling community took a massive hit in 2015
As the saying goes, you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
Hogan has not been warmly welcomed by wrestling fans after a scandal erupted over racist comments he made while being secretly recorded during a sexual encounter. Gawker posted the clip, and Hogan subsequently sued, winning the lawsuit. The initial jury verdict included $55 million for economic damages, $60 million for emotional distress, and $25 million in punitive damages. However, Gawker filed for bankruptcy, and the parties reached a settlement where Hogan received $31 million in cash and a share of the proceeds from any future sale of Gawker.
Despite the big win for his bank account, Hogan’s reputation in the industry was permanently tarnished. WWE removed him from the Hall of Fame in 2015 following the scandal, but later re-inducted him in 2020.
Fans weren’t as forgiving.
