-1600x900.webp)
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, died early Thursday at his Clearwater, Florida, home following a sudden cardiac arrest, TMZ Sports reported. He was 71.
Paramedics responding to a 911 call arrived at the residence and found Hogan unresponsive. Multiple police and emergency vehicles were on site, and Hogan was loaded onto a stretcher and transported by ambulance.
Just weeks earlier, Hogan’s wife had publicly refuted rumors that he was in a coma, telling TMZ that his heart remained “strong” following a recent surgery.
Hogan rose to fame in the 1980s under the ring name “Hulk Hogan,” captivating audiences with his towering physique, charismatic persona and signature “Hulkamania” rallying cry. He became the face of the then-WWF at a time when professional wrestling was entering the mainstream. He headlined the first nine WrestleMania events and held multiple world championships.
Beyond the ring, Hogan appeared in films like Rocky III and No Holds Barred, and starred in reality shows such as Hogan Knows Best. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, first in 2005 and again in 2020 as a member of the New World Order stable.
In 2025, Hogan had ventured into a new chapter in sports promotion, joining Eric Bischoff to launch Real American Freestyle, a wrestling league aimed at bridging amateur and professional wrestling. Hogan served as commissioner and helped steer the league toward its inaugural event scheduled for August in Cleveland.