Olayiwola Matthew
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer and former world champion Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, died Thursday at the age of 71, according to Clearwater, Florida, police and World Wrestling Entertainment.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away.
“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,” the company said.
The Clearwater Police Department and Fire Department responded to a call for cardiac arrest just before 10 a.m. and took Hogan to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977 and featured prominently in World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE), World Championship Wrestling and Impact Wrestling but it his was run with the WWE in the 1980s that propelled him and the company to the cultural zeitgeist.
Hogan is widely credited for helping to turn professional wrestling from a regional attraction to a mainstream phenomenon in the 1980s. In the squared circle, he was the larger-than-life Hulk Hogan, the classic good guy, known as a face in wrestling terminology, who encouraged children to eat their vegetables and say their prayers as he grappled the villains known as heels. He became champion on six different occasions with the WWE.
“Whatcha Gonna Do When Hulkamania Runs Wild On You!” was one of his more popular catchphrases and he, as “The Hulkster” would put a hand behind his ear to hear the roar of the crowds.
Hogan, including his signature leg drop and 24-inch pythons, were synonymous with WrestleMania, the annual extravaganza put on by WWE. “The Immortal One” as the character of Hogan was known as, headlined the first on March 31, 1985, alongside his tag team partner Mr. T and defeated “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
The first WrestleMania led to an infamous confrontation in March 1985 between Bollea and actor Richard Belzer who was hosting “Hot Properties.” Bollea and Mr. T were promoting their upcoming bout and Bollea placed Belzer in a headlock to prove that wrestling wasn’t fake. Belzer momentarily passed out and was injured.
Belzer sued Hogan for injuries over the incident. The suit was settled in 1990.
Hogan would appear in 10 WrestleMania matches and featured in the main event eight times.
Hogan parlayed his wrestling appeal by becoming a cultural icon himself, appearing on TV shows such as “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and the short-lived series “Thunder In Paradise,” which co-starred his longtime friend and manager “Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart. He also starred in movies like “Rocky III” and “Mr. Nanny.”
Hogan left the WWE in the mid-90s and joined rival promotion WCW. However, the once adoring fans dubbed Hulkamaniacs began to boo his heroic persona.
Hogan changed the industry once again with his transformation to the evil “Hollywood Hogan” character. In 1996, for the first time in his illustrious career, the character of Hogan was now a villain, the leader of the faction New World Order in WCW.
Hogan returned to WWE in 2002 and faced off against Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania X8, with the fans cheering him on once again.