National Times Bureau, July 24, 2025: Hulk Hogan, the iconic figure who turned professional wrestling into a global sensation and remained a household name for decades, has died at the age of 71, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announced on Thursday. WWE shared the news on social media, noting that Hogan, one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, played a key role in bringing global recognition to WWE in the 1980s. The organization did not reveal the cause of death.
Known for his bleach-blond hair, bronzed physique, and booming charisma, Hogan helped elevate wrestling from a niche underground act to a billion-dollar family entertainment empire. His unmatched popularity, showmanship, and unforgettable catchphrases shaped an era of sports entertainment like no one before. His thunderous body slam of André the Giant at WrestleMania III in 1987 before a sold-out Pontiac Silverdome remains one of wrestling’s most iconic moments, symbolizing the peak of his larger-than-life career.
Born Terry Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, Hogan moved to the Tampa, Florida area with his family and initially pursued a career in music. But the wrestling rings of Florida in the 1970s soon lured him in. Trained under brutal conditions and known for his tireless dedication and use of anabolic steroids which he would later admit Hogan built himself into a phenomenon, nicknaming his bulging arms “24-inch pythons.” His persona as “Hulk” was inspired by comparisons to the green comic-book superhero, while “Hogan” was a name given to him by WWF promoter Vincent J. McMahon, who sought an Irish-sounding identity for the rising star.
After starring as Thunderlips in Rocky III, Hogan returned to the WWF, where he captured the world title in 1984 by defeating the Iron Sheik. His reign, charisma, and mass appeal drew mainstream attention to wrestling, landing him on the cover of Sports Illustrated and alongside celebrities like Mr. T. WrestleMania soon became an annual spectacle, and Hogan remained its biggest draw for years.
Later in his career, Hogan shifted to World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he reinvented himself as the heel “Hollywood Hogan” and formed the villainous New World Order. This darker persona recharged his career and kept him at the forefront of wrestling storylines. He returned to WWE in the early 2000s and faced off with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania in 2002, cementing his legacy against a new generation of stars.
Despite his immense popularity, Hogan’s career was not without controversy. In 2015, WWE suspended him after a leaked recording revealed he had used a racial slur. Although he was reinstated in 2018, the incident damaged his public image. A legal battle with gossip website Gawker over a sex tape invasion of privacy won him $140 million in damages, ultimately shutting down the site.
Hogan also stepped into politics, endorsing Donald Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Ripping off his shirt to reveal a Trump tank top, Hogan rallied the crowd with his famous energy, declaring, “Let Trumpamania run wild, brother!” His support drew both admiration and backlash, reflecting the polarizing nature of his late-life political affiliations.
Twice inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Hogan often compared himself to Babe Ruth, the legendary baseball player, suggesting that his influence on wrestling was just as transformative. He was married three times and had two children, who appeared with him and his first wife Linda in the reality series Hogan Knows Best, which aired from 2005 to 2007.
As fans and peers alike mourn the loss of the man who defined an era, Hulk Hogan’s legacy as the face of wrestling’s golden age will continue to echo through arenas, television screens, and the hearts of millions around the world.
