CLEARWATER, FL – July 24, 2025 – Terry Gene Bollea, known worldwide as Hulk Hogan, the iconic professional wrestler who transformed the sport into a global phenomenon, died Thursday at the age of 71, according to the Clearwater Police Department and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Hogan succumbed to cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater Beach, Florida, leaving behind a legacy as one of wrestling’s most influential figures and a pop culture titan.The Clearwater Police Department reported that emergency personnel responded to a 9:51 a.m. call at Hogan’s residence in the 1000 block of Eldorado Avenue, where he was found in cardiac arrest. Clearwater Fire & Rescue crews treated Bollea on-site before transporting him to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:17 a.m. Police Maj. Nate Burnside stated during a news conference that there were “no signs of foul play or suspicious activity.” The death came weeks after Hogan’s wife, Sky Daily, denied rumors that he was in a coma following neck surgery, asserting his heart was “strong.”
Born on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, and raised in Tampa, Florida, Hogan began his wrestling career in 1977 but rose to fame after signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1983. His larger-than-life persona, marked by his blond horseshoe mustache, bandanas, and “24-inch pythons” (biceps), fueled the 1980s wrestling boom. Hogan headlined eight of the first nine WrestleManias, including the inaugural 1985 event alongside Mr. T, which drew 1 million viewers on closed-circuit television and propelled WWE into the mainstream. His rivalries with stars like André the Giant, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper defined the era, making wrestling a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Hogan’s career was marked by reinvention. In 1996, he shocked the wrestling world by turning heel as “Hollywood” Hogan in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), leading the New World Order (nWo) faction with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. This move helped WCW surpass WWE in ratings for 83 weeks, a feat unmatched since. Hogan returned to WWE in 2002, delivering an iconic match against Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania X8, where fans cheered the villainous Hogan. He later joined Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling from 2010 to 2013, though his tenure there was less successful. A 12-time world champion—six times with WWE and six with WCW—Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and again in 2020 as part of the nWo.
Beyond wrestling, Hogan was a pop culture fixture, appearing in films like Rocky III (1982) as Thunderlips and starring in the VH1 reality show Hogan Knows Best (2005–2007) with his family. His charisma led to appearances on The Love Boat, the 1985 Grammys with Cyndi Lauper, and numerous talk shows. However, controversies marred his later years. In 2015, WWE terminated his contract and removed him from its Hall of Fame after a leaked 2007 recording revealed him using racial slurs. Hogan apologized, stating on Good Morning America that he sought forgiveness, and was reinstated in 2018 after community service and public apologies. His final WWE appearance, promoting his Real American Beer at the Raw Netflix debut in January 2025, drew mixed reactions, with some fans booing.
Hogan’s recent ventures included launching Real American Freestyle, a traditional wrestling promotion set to debut on August 30, 2025, and opening a memorabilia shop and bar in Florida. He also became a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, delivering a shirt-ripping speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, endorsing the Trump-Vance ticket. Vice President JD Vance called Hogan a “great American icon,” while Donald Trump Jr. posted on X, “R.I.P to a legend.”
Tributes poured in from the wrestling world. Ric Flair, a longtime friend, wrote on X, “Hulk has been by my side since we started in the wrestling business… He was one of the first to visit me when I was in the hospital with a 2% chance of living.” Charlotte Flair recalled Hogan’s support during her father’s near-death experience, saying, “My heart breaks for Nick and Brooke.” Sylvester Stallone, who inducted Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, praised his role in making Rocky III “incredibly special.”
Hogan is survived by his third wife, Sky Daily, whom he married in 2023; his children, Brooke (37) and Nick (34), from his first marriage to Linda Claridge; and twin grandchildren, Oliver and Molly. His death, following a spinal fusion surgery in June, marks the end of an era for wrestling fans, who mourn the loss of the “Hulkster” whose charisma and theatrics defined a generation.
