Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan dies at age 71 from illness

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, has died at the age of 71, TMZ Sports has learned.

Medics were dispatched to the WWE icon's Clearwater, Florida, home, with officials declaring him to be in cardiac arrest. According to TMZ Sport, numerous police cars and ambulances were parked outside Hogan's home.

Just a few weeks ago, Hogan's wife denied rumors that he was in a coma, saying his heart was "strong" as he recovered from surgery.

He was a six-time WWE World Champion and appeared in eight WrestleMania main events, including his famous 1987 match against André the Giant in front of a then-record 93,000 crowd at the Pontiac Silverdome.

Born Terry Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953, in Augusta , Georgia, Hogan grew up in Florida and got into wrestling after being discovered in a gym by talent scouts. After competing in minor promotions, he exploded in 1984 when he defeated The Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden to win the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) title for the first time. That day, the legend of "Hulkamania" was officially born. Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 330 pounds, Hogan would enter the ring in his signature yellow trunks , rip his shirt to the tune of "Real American," and rouse the crowd with a hand to his ear gesture, flexing his famous "24-inch pythons"—the muscular biceps that became his trademark.

Hulk transformed professional wrestling into a family entertainment sport. Before Hulk, wrestling was aimed at a rather narrow audience. His in-ring "theatrical performances" were magnetic to children and their parents and gave the sport a major boost.

In 1996, Hogan shocked the wrestling world by transforming from beloved hero to villain , joining the New World Order (NWO) group in rival promotion WCW. Under the name Hollywood Hogan, dressed in black, with a dyed beard and dark glasses, he helped revolutionize televised wrestling during the so-called "Monday Night War" against WWE. He led the NWO alongside Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, and during that time faced opponents such as Sting, Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Randy Savage, and The Ultimate Warrior. He also won the world title in WCW six times.

Hulk was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was removed in 2015 after a scandal erupted over racist comments he made while being secretly recorded. Gawker published the video, and Hulk subsequently sued, winning. The jury awarded him $140 million, and the case contributed to the website's closure. After years of absence, he was welcomed back to WWE in 2018.

The Hulk headlined the 2024 Republican National Convention, igniting the room with his theatrics. Hogan's larger-than-life personality naturally led him to Hollywood . He made his debut in 1982 as Thunderlips in Rocky III alongside Sylvester Stallone (who inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005). Films such as Bloodsport, Gremlins: The New Batch, Things from Another World, Missiles for the Home, Spy and Let Spy, Go Santa Claus, Dragon Style, and The Ultimate Weapon followed.

On TV, he appeared in series such as Baywatch, The A-Team, Thunder in Paradise , and voiced himself in American Dad! and Robot Chicken. He also starred in the cartoon Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling and the reality show Hogan Knows Best, alongside his then-wife Linda and their children Nick and Brooke.