Hulk Hogan, professional wrestling icon, dies at age 71
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE's long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage, to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon. He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend's wife. Hogan contended the post violated his privacy. The lawsuit forced Gawker to shutter, and was closely watched by First Amendment experts and media lawyers alike.
Hogan's public persona has transcended the ring, making him a household name. He appeared in numerous movies – including the third Rocky film, where he took on the title character, played by Sylvester Stallone. Hogan also had a reality show about his life on VH1, called Hogan Knows Best in the early 2000s.
WWE posted a note on X saying it was saddened to learn the WWE Hall of Famer had 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," it said.
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LeMonde
3 days ago
- LeMonde
Hulk Hogan, professional wrestling icon, dies at age 71
Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71, Florida police and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) said Thursday, July 24. In Clearwater, Florida, authorities responded to a call Thursday morning about a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said in a statement on Facebook. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE's long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage, to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon. He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend's wife. Hogan contended the post violated his privacy. The lawsuit forced Gawker to shutter, and was closely watched by First Amendment experts and media lawyers alike. Hogan's public persona has transcended the ring, making him a household name. He appeared in numerous movies – including the third Rocky film, where he took on the title character, played by Sylvester Stallone. Hogan also had a reality show about his life on VH1, called Hogan Knows Best in the early 2000s. WWE posted a note on X saying it was saddened to learn the WWE Hall of Famer had 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," it said.
Euronews
3 days ago
- Euronews
Professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan dies at 71, WWE says
Hulk Hogan, the headscarf-wearing icon of the world of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71, Florida police and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) said on Thursday. In Clearwater, Florida, authorities responded to a call on Thursday morning about a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said in a statement on Facebook. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was arguably the biggest start in WWE's long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon. He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million (€97 million) in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media and then added $25 million (€21 million) in punitive damages. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend's wife. He contended the post violated his privacy. Hogan smiled and wore black throughout the three-week trial. "Everywhere I show up, people treat me like I'm still the champ," he said of the support from fans. In a post on social media platform X, WWE said it was saddened to learn about Hogan's death. "One of pop culture's most recognisable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan's family, friends, and fans," it said.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan dead at 71
Hogan -- a Hall of Fame talent known for his towering 6'7" (two-meter) physique, bandana and distinctive blond handlebar mustache -- died at his home in Florida, NBC News reported, citing his manager Chris Volo. TMZ also reported the news, citing unnamed sources and an emergency personnel dispatch call about a "cardiac arrest" at his home. Hogan's magnetic personality -- his ring character was a heroic all-American -- and wrestling skills transformed the sport into mainstream family entertainment, attracting millions of viewers and turning the league into a revenue juggernaut. Hogan -- real name Terry Bollea -- first competed in 1979 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now known as WWE) but became a mainstay and fan favorite in the mid-1980s alongside others like Andre the Giant and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. His brand of "Hulkamania" transferred to the small and big screen, with roles in films such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and TV's "Baywatch." He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. "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," World Wrestling Entertainment said on social media. "WWE extends its condolences to Hogan's family, friends, and fans." The wrestler was embroiled in controversy more than a decade ago after an intimate video of him leaked, and then again a few years later for his use of racist language, including a slur referring to Black Americans. The latter caused him to be fired from WWE in 2015. He later apologized for his actions and was reinstated to the WWE Hall of Fame. In recent years, Hogan became an avid supporter of US President Donald Trump. He memorably appeared at the 2024 Republican National Convention that would seal Trump's nomination -- tearing his shirt off to reveal a Trump-Vance tank top. "With our leader up there, my hero, that gladiator, we're gonna bring America back together," Hogan said on stage in July 2024. Hogan suffered numerous health problems in later years, stemming from the years of abuse his body took in the ring.
