Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has died at 71 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Florida home early Thursday morning, July 24, according to his family.
Emergency responders rushed to the WWE Hall of Famer’s Clearwater residence after receiving a call for cardiac arrest. Witnesses say multiple police cruisers and ambulances were seen outside, and Hogan was carried from the home on a stretcher.
“It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we confirm we have lost a legend. Our beloved Terry Bollea, known worldwide as Hulk Hogan, passed away today surrounded by his loved ones,” read a statement posted on Hogan’s Instagram page.
“At this time of grief, we ask that everyone please respect the privacy of his family and friends.
May we all take solace in the wonderful memories he left behind for the millions of fans worldwide whose lives he touched for more than four decades.
He will be missed, but never forgotten.”
Hogan had been battling health issues in recent months following a neck surgery in May. Despite growing rumors in recent weeks that he was in a coma or on his “deathbed,” his wife, Sky Daily, insisted just weeks ago that he was recovering and that his heart was “strong.”
Born on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, Hulk Hogan became one of the most recognizable figures in professional wrestling history. With his trademark handlebar mustache, bandana, and larger-than-life charisma, Hogan helped catapult World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) into mainstream pop culture during the 1980s and early ’90s.
Standing at 6’7” and weighing over 300 pounds, Hogan first gained national fame in 1984 when he defeated The Iron Sheik to win his first WWF Championship. That victory kicked off the “Hulkamania” era — a phenomenon that made Hogan a household name and wrestling a global entertainment juggernaut.
Known for rallying fans with his signature catchphrases like “Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?” and urging kids to “say their prayers and take their vitamins,” Hogan headlined eight of the first nine WrestleMania events and became the face of the company.
Beyond wrestling, Hogan crossed over into film and television, starring in movies like No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and his own reality show Hogan Knows Best. In the mid-1990s, he made a career-redefining move to World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he became a villain as the leader of the notorious New World Order (nWo) — one of wrestling’s most influential storylines.
Over his decades-long career, Hogan was a 12-time world champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice — once in 2005 for his individual career, and again in 2020 as part of the nWo faction. Despite various controversies and legal battles later in life, his legacy as a foundational figure in modern professional wrestling remains secure.
