Latest news with #JimmyHart
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ric Flair reflects on Hulk Hogan's death and career: 'It gives me anxiety that I could be next'
The passing of Hulk Hogan this past week shook the pro-wrestling world to its core — and Hogan's longtime friend Ric Flair, in particular. The Hall of Fame duo were arguably wrestling's two biggest superstars throughout the 1980s. Rumors swirled in recent weeks regarding Hogan's declining health, yet from what Flair knew, Hogan was doing fine, which made the icon's death all the more shocking to him. Having had more time to process the news, Flair reacted to Hogan's passing Monday on Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show." "I had just talked to [Hogan's longtime friend] Jimmy Hart the day before [Hogan passed], and I didn't actually speak with Hulk, but everything was fine," Flair said. "I knew that he had health issues, but I thought they were being embellished by that radio disc jockey Bubba [the Love Sponge]. "[Hogan] seemed to be fine, but I think he just got tired. Eleven back operations, hip replacements, now a neck surgery. How much can your body take? "We've all put ourselves in ridiculous positions in the business. But, I mean, here I am, I'm five years older than Hulk and I don't hurt at all. I've had some serious health issues, but I don't have an ache or pain in my body. It bothers me, and, of course, it gives me anxiety that I could be next." Flair, 76, as alluded to, has had his own health scares in recent years. Just this year he overcame a battle with skin cancer, but now the two-time WWE Hall of Famer appears to be in good condition. At the height of Flair and Hogan's powers, there was no one as prolific in the business, making their every collision into a veritable dream match. Despite the arrogance oozed by Flair's kayfabe character, the living legend said he never had a problem being a notch behind Hogan at the boom of their popularity. "I have no problem giving that up," said Flair, who dubbed Hogan "the biggest star in the business." "There's a discussion that I would have with anybody. The two biggest stars [in pro-wrestling history], Hulk came first, and [Stone Cold] Steve [Austin] came second," he said. It's been well-documented over the years how aware Hogan was of his position within the industry and how he sometimes used it to his advantage, especially in WCW, where Hogan held creative control with his career within the company. However, Flair said he was never directly affected by Hogan's stardom and was never bothered by how Hogan handled his business in and around the locker room. "Back then, it's really hard to explain to fans — it was really tough to stay on top because everybody would stab you in the back, go to the promoter. Everybody," Flair said. "I'm proud of him. He fought for what he wanted. It's like, Roddy Piper was my best friend, but Piper would not put Hulk over. They hated each other, but they didn't hate each other personally. Everybody wanted that [top] spot. "My problem was promoters not paying me, but if I'm working with Hulk Hogan, I'm in the main event. That's all you can ask for as a wrestler. He's not controlling my paycheck. He's just a great guy that didn't trust anybody, and I took pride in [him trusting me]. He didn't trust Vader, he didn't trust Rick Rude. He just wanted to work with me when he first came [to WCW]. I'm the one that went and got him. I took [WCW Executive Producer] Eric [Bischoff] down to Disney to see him. [Hogan] was filming 'Thunder In Paradise.' They left me in the car, went in the trailer, and Hulk came out with a $25 million deal. I was stuck with my $500,000 deal, but I didn't care. I was in the main event." In 1992, Flair vs. Hogan was primed to be showcased on the biggest stage imaginable: WrestleMania 8. To set up the fantasy pairing, Flair won that year's Royal Rumble. Instead of facing Hogan, though, Flair unsuccessfully defended his WWF Championship against Macho Man Randy Savage, while Hogan defeated Sid Justice in the night's main event. Flair still can't say why he didn't wrestle Hogan at "The Showcase of the Immortals," but ultimately he boils it down to Hogan doing what was best for his own career. "I don't think Hulk wanted to leave [WWF] on a losing note," Flair said, "which I totally understand, because who am I after what he's done for the company?" After parting ways with WWF in 1993, Hogan famously joined WCW, where he turned heel and formed the NWO with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. As a master heel for the majority of his career, even technically when he was working as a babyface, Flair still finds the art of Hogan's iconic turn at Bash at the Beach 1996 to be flawless. When compared to modern-day moments, such as John Cena's shocking heel turn this year, Flair explained why Hogan's arguably most captivating on-screen moment can never be replicated. "Some guys just can't be a heel," Flair said. "John, as great as he is, he's just not a bad guy because he's such a good guy. Hulk could be a prick, but it's from all those years of battling for his spot. Everybody wanted Hulk's spot. But hey, man, it's a testament to who he is that he was able to go through it."
Fox News
3 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Hulk Hogan's former manager stunned by wrestling legend's death after positive phone call just one day before
Jimmy Hart, Hulk Hogan's longtime friend and former manager, was shocked by the news of the wrestling icon's death this week, revealing that he had heard good news about Hogan's health just a day before his passing. The WWE Hall of Famer recalled his final moments with Hogan in an interview with People on Friday. He said he had called Hogan on Wednesday, and spoke to his assistant, who had assured Hart that the former wrestler had been "doing great." "I called [Hogan] on Wednesday night, and then Thursday morning is when everything took place," Hart told the outlet. "So just…just overnight it all happened, but it was so positive the day before." Hogan reportedly underwent neck surgery earlier this year – the latest in a long list of surgeries that include at least 25. Hart said that he hadn't seen his friend out of concern for his recovery. "It just hits so fast," he said of Hogan's death. "It was like, 'Oh my God.' We thought he was doing so well, you know? We didn't go to see him at the house and didn't go to see him at the hospital, because we wanted to make sure that he didn't get any infections or anything else, like if anybody had a cold or brought anything in. So, that's what we all did." Hart told People that he had last seen Hogan about a month before his passing, and that he had been in good spirits talking to fans. "Well, tell him I love him," Hart recalled of the final message he shared to Hogan's assistant. Initial reports on Wednesday indicated that Hogan suffered a medical emergency at his home in Florida on Thursday morning. The Clearwater Police Department later confirmed that emergency personnel responded to a medical call just before 10 a.m. at Hogan's residence. He was treated on site for a cardiac arrest before being transported to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The news of Hogan's death came weeks after he was alleged to be having a health crisis. However, his wife, Sky Daily, denied those reports at the time, saying he was "strong" and was recovering from surgeries. Like Hart, she posted a statement on Friday morning revealing her shock at his "sudden" passing. "I wasn't ready for this… and my heart is in pieces," her message read. "He had been dealing with some health issues, but I truly believed we would overcome them. I had so much faith in his strength. I thought we still had more time."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Hulk Hogan's Friend Jimmy Hart Reveals WWE Star's Final Moments, Says His Health Took Sudden Turn ‘Overnight' (Exclusive)
In a new interview with PEOPLE, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart reflects on his friendship with the late Hulk Hogan and provides insight into his final days One day after his close friend Hulk Hogan's unexpected death on Thursday, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart said he's still in shock that the 'Hulkster' is gone. 'I called [Hogan] on Wednesday night, and then Thursday morning is when everything took place,' an emotional Hart told PEOPLE on Friday morning. 'So just…just overnight it all happened, but it was so positive the day before.' Hart, 81, last saw Hogan about a month ago, before the WWE star had neck surgery. Before then, Hart said he watched wrestling with Hogan three times a week most weeks on Monday, Tuesdays and Fridays, and the friends also did karaoke together with Hogan's son Nick Hogan on Monday nights at the family's Hogan's Hangout bar in Clearwater, Fla. 'He was great,' Hart remembered from their last night together. 'He had great food to eat that night. He was talking with the fans. He was just phenomenal.' Hart said when he called Hogan this week, he instead spoke with Hogan's assistant who passed along the message that the retired pro wrestler was 'doing great.''Well, tell him I love him,' Hart said he told Hogan's assistant, while thinking, 'this is great' news. The next morning, Hart received the news that Hogan had died at 71. Officers from the Clearwater Police Department responded to a 'cardiac arrest' incident at Hogan's home, and the WWE Hall of Famer was later pronounced dead at the Morton Plant Hospital about 90 minutes later, PEOPLE reported on Thursday. 'It just hits so fast,' Hart said. 'It was like, 'Oh my God.' We thought he was doing so well, you know? We didn't go to see him at the house and didn't go to see him at the hospital, because we wanted to make sure that he didn't get any infections or anything else, like if anybody had a cold or brought anything in. So, that's what we all did.' Hart spoke with PEOPLE from The Rocket Arena in Cleveland where WWE is set to host Friday Night SmackDown and pay tribute to the 12-time world champion, who is widely seen as the most famous professional wrestler of all-time. 'Anytime you lose anybody in this business, it's such a tight, tight-knit group, it's like a fraternity, you know? And it affects all of us,' Hart said. 'And the show must go on and all that, but that's just the way it is.' Hart shared several stories about his life on the road with Hogan, first meeting while working together in Memphis, Tenn., when Hart was the manager for Jerry 'The King' Lawler and Hogan was brought in to face Lawler in a match. 'We've been friends ever since,' Hart wasn't long after when Hart became Hogan's manager instead, traveling alongside the megastar and acting as his mouthpiece every time Hogan and WWF (the former name of WWE) brought 'Hulkamania' to sports arenas around the world. The duo's career together took off in the WWF before they left together for the rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) promotion. They later enjoyed a short run in Total Nonstop Action wrestling before returning to WWE, where the pair last appeared on screen together in early January during the company's debut on Netflix. Everywhere, even on Friday morning after the WWE star's death, Hart said fans would stop him to talk about Hogan.'It was like traveling with Elvis Presley,' Hart recalled. 'It was just unbelievable. The fans just came out of the woodwork for Hulk. I mean, no matter where we went, it was insane.' While Hogan kept up his public reputation as a tough, unbreakable figure in the ring throughout his career, Hart says the superstar was really 'a big softy' behind closed doors and was as big of a fan of pro wrestling as the fans who cheered him on throughout his career. 'He loved wrestling,' Hart said. 'He loved it. And he missed being able to do it because his body had been broken up so badly through the years. He had a shoulder replaced. His hip was replaced. He had two knee replacements, just so much stuff. And that's why, when he went in the hospital, he was feeling numbness in his fingers, and that's why he went to get that little neck surgery to help him out.' The WWE credited Hogan with helping grow its popularity worldwide throughout his career, saying in a statement Thursday that Hogan is 'one of pop culture's most recognizable figures.' But there was also notable trepidation from others around the pro wrestling and entertainment world Thursday, who struggled to balance his character's importance with the shortcomings of the man behind the wrestler. Hogan's upstanding 'good guy' reputation took several hits in his second act outside the ring, finding himself at the center of several scandals, including lying about his steroid use, using racist language and becoming embroiled in controversy over a notorious sex-tape scandal. His fierce support of President Donald Trump also proved divisive, leading to WWE fans loudly booing him and Hart in their last appearance together in January. But speaking with PEOPLE on Friday, Hart said undoubtedly that Hogan is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, 'right next to Ric Flair.' After reflecting on his longtime friendship with Hogan, Hart paused to paint a picture of Hogan in the afterlife, sitting among pro wrestling's greatest figures.'Hulk loved this business more than anything,' Hart said. 'And now he's happy because he's free of pain where he's going. And then once he's where he's going, up there in heaven, he's going to be with all his friends. He's going to be with Andre the Giant. He's going to be with The Wild Samoans, Sika and Afa. He's going to be with Dusty Rhodes, who was his mentor. He's going to be with Randy Savage, who he and Hulk, they were so tight back in the day down in Tampa, and so many more of our people. He's gonna be with Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon, and he's gonna have one more interview with Mean Gene where he can come out and say, 'You know, Mean Gene, whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania and all the little Hulkamaniacs run wild on you?' ' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Hulk Hogan honored by WWE stars in poignant tribute at Friday Night SmackDown
In the first live event since his death, the WWE remembered Hogan in a poignant memorial before kicking off SmackDown on Friday night. His former manager Jimmy Hart, was seen wiping away tears WWE stars have paid tribute to wrestling legend Hulk Hogan who died suddenly aged 71 this week. Hulk Hogan spent his final weeks battling severe health issues and making peace with estranged loved ones before dying of cardiac arrest. The wrestling icon,whose real name is Terry Bollea, died on Thursday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Clearwater mansion in Florida. During a press conference on Thursday, Major Nate Burnside of the Clearwater Police Department explained: "The Clearwater Police Department is conducting a medical investigation, which is standard in these types of cases. There are no signs of foul play or suspicious activity related to this call for service at this time." Hogan had been in and out of hospital in the months before his death. In June, he underwent a four-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion – a complex neck surgery. His wife, 45-year-old Sky Daily, told fans on Instagram at the time he was recovering from the 'intense surgery with a long and layered healing process'. In the first live event since his death, the WWE remembered Hogan in a poignant memorial before kicking off SmackDown on Friday night. Wrestling great Triple H, who now works as the company's chief content officer, paid homage to his former colleague before a traditional 10-bell salute was held in his memory. Triple H, whose real name is Paul Levesque, said: "Ladies and gentleman, yesterday we lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world." A number of WWE figures looked visibly emotional during the 10-bell salute, including his former manager Jimmy Hart, who was seen wiping away tears. The likes of Randy Orton, Logan Paul, Charlotte Flair and Cody Rhodes were also seen paying their respects to Hogan on the stage, reports MailOnline. SmackDown then ran a heartwarming montage of Hogan's greatest WWE moments, which featured some touching words from a number of his fellow wrestlers. Hogan, whose career transformed wrestling into a mainstream phenomenon in the 1980s, was estimated to be worth around £18 million at the time of his death. He is survived by his third wife Sky, Brooke and son Nick, 34, from his first marriage to Linda Claridge and two grandchildren. Hogan's turbulent personal life often made headlines alongside his wrestling stardom. He divorced Claridge in 2009 following a high-profile split and married Jennifer McDaniel in 2010. That marriage ended in 2021.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hulk Hogan's ex-manager details heartbreaking final phone call to WWE legend just hours before his death
WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart has revealed that he called Hulk Hogan just hours before the wrestling legend died aged 71. Hart was Hogan's manager and a close friend. Until recently, they would watch wrestling together several nights a week and they last met up around a month ago. On Wednesday, Hart rang Hogan and spoke to his assistant. 'Tell him I love him,' he told them. 'And then Thursday morning is when everything took place,' Hart told PEOPLE. 'So just overnight it all happened, but it was so positive the day before.' Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, passed away following a cardiac arrest. The 71-year-old was the most iconic figure in professional wrestling. Hogan and Hart also used to do karaoke with Hogan's son, Nick, on Monday nights at the family's bar, Hogan's Hangout, in Clearwater, Florida. MORE TO FOLLOW
