Hulk Hogan Dies at 71, Cause of Death Revealed

Hulk Hogan, one of the most famous wrestlers of all time, has died at the age of 71. According to reports, Hogan had a heart attack at his house in Clearwater, Florida, on Thursday. He was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after.

His real name was Terry Bollea, but to millions of fans around the world, he was simply Hulk Hogan. With his bandana, mustache, and big muscles, Hogan became the face of wrestling in the 1980s. He helped turn WWE (then called WWF) into a huge success and made wrestling a part of everyday American culture.

Hogan started wrestling in 1977 and kept going until 2012. He became a fan favorite early on and won the heavyweight title six times in WWE. One of his most famous moments came at WrestleMania III when he picked up and slammed Andre the Giant in front of a roaring crowd. Another one of his matches with Andre, aired on February 5, 1988, pulled in 33 million viewers — still the biggest U.S. TV audience in wrestling history.

In 1994, Hogan made a major move to WCW and shocked fans by turning into a villain for the first time. He became “Hollywood Hogan” and led the New World Order, one of wrestling’s most talked-about groups. He won six more championships in WCW and helped that show beat WWE in TV ratings for 83 weeks in a row.

Hogan was added to the WWE Hall of Fame twice, once in 2005 and again in 2020 with the nWo group. Outside the ring, he tried his hand at acting with movies like Rocky III and No Holds Barred. He even had his own reality show called Hogan Knows Best.

In recent years, Hogan’s name came up in several controversies. A private tape leaked where he used racial slurs, and it caused a lot of backlash. He ended up suing the website Gawker over it and won the case in 2016. His political opinions also sparked debates among fans.

Even after all that, he stayed connected to WWE as a brand ambassador. But during the debut of Monday Night Raw on Netflix this past January, fans in Los Angeles loudly booed him, and he didn’t appear at future shows as planned.

Earlier this year, Hogan also launched a beer company called Real American Beer. He was involved with a new amateur wrestling group called Real American Freestyle, where he served as commissioner. The group’s first event was supposed to happen later this year.

Hogan’s larger-than-life personality, unforgettable moments, and years in the spotlight made him more than just a wrestler. He became an icon. His death marks the end of an era for millions of fans who grew up watching Hulkamania take over the world.

Cause of death was first reported by TMZ Sports.

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