Pro Wrestling Legend Hulk Hogan Dies at 71 After Cardiac Arrest

• Jul 25, 2025

Hulk Hogan, one of professional wrestling’s most iconic and beloved figures, has died at the age of 71.

According to TMZ Sports, Hogan suffered a possible cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. Emergency personnel responded to a medical call on Thursday morning and rushed him to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His real name was Terry Bollea.

The Clearwater Police Department confirmed the incident, stating that they received a medical call at 9:51 a.m. regarding a 71-year-old man, later identified as Hulk Hogan. The WWE later released a statement mourning his death, calling him "one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures" who helped take the company to global fame in the 1980s.

Hogan’s official Instagram account also posted a tribute, saying, “It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we confirm we have lost a legend… He will be missed, but never forgotten.”

Hogan rose to fame in the late 1970s through Championship Wrestling from Florida before joining the WWF (now WWE) in 1979. His career skyrocketed in the 1980s when he became the face of the WWF under Vince McMahon’s leadership. His message to fans—“train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins”—became a cultural phenomenon, known as “Hulkamania.”

One of his most memorable moments came at WrestleMania III when he lifted and slammed Andre the Giant in what became known as “the bodyslam heard around the world.” Hogan’s career included rivalries with Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Earthquake, and many others.

In 1996, he shocked fans by joining WCW’s New World Order (NWO), turning heel for the first time and helping the promotion dominate wrestling ratings for 83 straight weeks. Hogan later returned to WWE, faced The Rock in a historic match, and also spent several years with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

He was a six-time WWE Champion, Royal Rumble winner, and WWE Hall of Fame inductee both individually (2005) and as part of the NWO (2020). He also won championships in WCW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Hogan is survived by his wife, Sky Daily, and two children, Nick and Brooke, from his first marriage to Linda Claridge.

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