Hulk Hogan makes his entrance during a match in Connecticut while with the WWE on July 28, 1991. The retired pro wrestler died Thursday.
Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan has died. He was 71.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, died Thursday in Florida following a cardiac arrest, TMZ first reported.
Hogan helped catapult World Wrestling Entertainment ― then called the World Wrestling Federation ― into mainstream success. But it was in 1996 when Hogan truly broke the mold with a stunning heel-turn that saw him go from hero to villain when he created the New World Order and officially became Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
In a statement, the WWE called him “one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures.”
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the statement said. “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.”
Hogan fires up the crowd between matches at WrestleMania 21 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2005.
Hogan’s theatrics included ripping his shirt off and calling his opponents “brother” as he served them beatings in the ring.
Hogan won the World Wrestling Entertainment championship six times in his career. One of his most memorable fights was against Andre the Giant in 1987. Hogan fought against the 520-pound heavyweight to a then-record crowd of more than 90,000 people, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Though he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, he was removed in 2015 after he was exposed making racist comments while being secretly recorded in a sex tape leaked by a friend to the gossip website Gawker.
Hogan later sued Gawker with the help of tech investor Peter Thiel , forcing the publication’s bankruptcy and ultimate demise after he won a $115 million lawsuit . Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.
Hulk Hogan (right) and world heavyweight boxing champion James Buster Douglas rejoice after they both defeated “Macho King” Randy Savage during the WWF Championship Title Match in Detroit on Feb. 23, 1990. Hogan defeated Savage to retain his title, while Douglas refereed. Savage didn’t like the count Douglas gave him, so he started fighting Douglas, who landed a right to Savage, knocking him out.
