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Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, born Terry Gene Bollea, has died at 71. Emergency responders were called to his Clearwater, Florida home for a cardiac emergency.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan (WWE)
Professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71, according to a report from TMZ.
Emergency responders were dispatched to Hogan’s residence in Clearwater, Florida, early Thursday morning following a call reporting a cardiac emergency.
While no official statement has been released by Hogan’s family, early indications suggest the cause of death was cardiac arrest.
A Storied Wrestling Career
Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan began his professional wrestling journey in 1977. He rose to global superstardom after joining the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in 1983.
During his prime, Hogan was one of wrestling’s most recognizable faces. He headlined eight of the first nine WrestleMania events and helped bring professional wrestling into mainstream pop culture. After leaving the WWF in 1993, he explored a career in film and television but remained a dominant figure in sports entertainment.
Over the course of his storied career, Hogan captured the WWF/WWE Championship six times. His contributions to the industry were honored with two inductions into the WWE Hall of Fame.
The Physical Price Hogan Paid For His Career
While Hogan’s time in the ring brought fame and fortune, it also came with significant physical consequences. Over the past decade alone, he reportedly underwent 26 surgeries, including ten on his back. The wear and tear stemmed from wrestling during the sport’s physically punishing “golden age” in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Beyond his spine, Hogan had operations on his eyes, stomach, knees, hips, and shoulders. In 2013, he filed a $50 million lawsuit against the Laser Spine Institute, alleging that the facility convinced him to undergo “unnecessary and ineffective” spinal surgeries.
In recent months, rumors about Hogan’s declining health had circulated online. However, his representatives consistently pushed back against exaggerated claims.
They confirmed that Hogan had undergone spinal fusion and heart procedures, but stressed that none were life-threatening. Despite his medical history, Hogan remained active and resilient.
Just last month, he was hospitalized for neck and back issues and underwent a cervical fusion procedure, described by his team as a “minor” surgery.
Following the operation, speculation that he was on his “deathbed” spread rapidly. These claims were quickly refuted by Hogan’s camp, which reassured fans that he was recovering well.
But alas, it seems as if the wrestling world has now lost a legend.
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
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