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Hulk Hogan was a larger-than-life personality who rose to great heights in sports entertainment and buoyed a successful career in the ring into an iconic one outside of it.
Hogan died after suffering a possible “cardiac arrest” at his home in Clearwater, Florida, TMZ Sports reported on Thursday. Emergency personnel reportedly rushed to his home and he was seen being carried out of it in an ambulance.
WWE released a statement later.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the company wrote. “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.”
Clearwater Police Department released a statement.
“Clearwater Fire Department and Clearwater Police Department personnel responded to a medical call at 9:51 a.m. today in the 1000 block of Eldorado Avenue on Clearwater Beach,” the statement read. “The nature of the call was for a cardiac arrest. A 71-year-old resident, Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, was treated by Clearwater Fire & Rescue crews before being taken by Sunstar to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.”
The news of Hogan’s death came weeks after he was alleged to having a health crisis. However, his wife, Sky, denied those reports saying he was “strong” and was recovering from surgeries.
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Hogan was set to join former pro wrestling executive Eric Bischoff in a new venture called Real American Freestyle. It was a fresh attempt at putting freestyle wrestling on the map.
Hogan also dipped his toe into the political waters. He stumped for President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention and at a Madison Square Garden rally last year.
The superstar pro wrestler, whose real name was Terry Bollea, got his start in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) in the late 1970s before he eventually joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979. But it wasn’t until his return the WWF, now the WWE, when he really turned into the superstar that fans came to know.
Vince McMahon had purchased the WWF from his father and picked Hogan to be the main attraction for the company. He started to wrestle as a babyface when he saved Bob Backlund from an attack by the Wild Samoans. “Hulkamania” became the rage from there.
Hogan demanded his followers to train, say their prayers and eat their vitamins. As his catchphrases and personality caught on, Hogan began one of his most famous feuds with Andre the Giant. The rivalry culminated in an epic match at WrestleMania III as Hogan, the champion, was going up against the so-called “undefeated” Giant.
Hogan was seen picking up the 520-pound behemoth and slamming him down on the ground. The move was dubbed “the bodyslam heard around the world” and became the calling card for WWE’s promotional events in the future.
He would continue with classic rivalries against Ric Flair Randy Savage, Earthquake, Yokozuna and the Honky Tonk Man. As he left the WWF, Hogan would later rebrand himself and kick off another wild six years of him being on top of the wrestling world.
World Championship Wrestling (WCW) brought over WWF stars Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in shrewd free agency move. The two branded themselves as The Outsiders and teased they were working together with a third man.
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Nash and Hall took on Savage, Sting and Lex Luger at Bash at the Beach in 1996. Hogan came out toward the end of the match to a huge pop. Commentator Bobby “The Brain” Heenan famously wondered on the broadcast which side Hogan was on. Sure enough, Hogan delivered a leg drop onto Savage and changed the pro wrestling world forever.
Hogan’s new faction would be dubbed the New World Order and the storyline would allow WCW to control the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks.
Hogan later would return to WWE after the company bought WCW for another run and had a dream match against The Rock. He had a four-year run with Total Nonstop Action wrestling and would make sporadic appearances in WWE after that.
He was a six-time WWE champion, won the Royal Rumble twice and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as an individual in 2005 and as a member of the NWO in 2020. He was also a six-time world heavyweight champion in WCW as well as the IWGP champion in New Japan Pro-Wrestling once.
He left an indelible legacy on pro wrestling.
He is survived by his two children, Nick and Brooke, who he had with his first wife Linda Claridge, and his current wife Sky Daily.
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