Hulk Hogan made a stop at Beers of the World to promote his beer line, Real American Beer. Credit: Democrat and Chronicle
By Ben Axelrod on

The pro wrestling world is mourning the death of an industry and pop culture icon following the news that Hulk Hogan has passed away at the age of 71.

According to TMZ, medics were dispatched to Hogan’s Clearwater, Florida home early Thursday morning, with operators stating it was due to “cardiac arrest.” WWE later confirmed the news of Hogan’s death on social media, issuing the following statement:

“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.”

News of Hogan’s passing comes after weeks of speculation regarding his health, as he hadn’t made any recent public appearances — a rarity for the 12-time world champion. His former friend and longtime radio host “Bubba the Love Sponge” had fueled speculation that Hogan — whose real name is Terry Bollea — was in failing health, which prompted several friends and associates to deny the rumors, including longtime pro wrestling manager Jimmy Hart, who took to social media earlier this week to claim that Hogan was “doing great.”

It’s not hyperbole to say that Hulk Hogan is the biggest star in pro wrestling history, as his emergence in the early-1980s helped solidify WWF’s status as the dominant pro wrestling promotion as Vince McMahon brought an end to the industry’s territory system. After helping turn WWF (now WWE) into a mainstream product, he enjoyed a brief run in Hollywood before making the jump to rival promotion WCW, where his heel turn and formation of the New World Order helped catapult the industry to new heights.

Even after his full-time pro wrestling career came to an end in the early-1990s, he remained in the public eye via his Hogan Knows Best reality TV show and the Gawker scandal and ensuing lawsuit in which he was unknowingly captured on video saying a racist slur. Although he was temporarily disassociated from WWE in the aftermath of the incident, he later returned to the company and made multiple appearances, with his last one coming at WWE Raw‘s debut on Netflix earlier this year, where he was booed by the Los Angeles crowd.

In recent months, Hulk Hogan had been promoting his Real American Beer product, as well as the upcoming Real American Freestyle promotion, which is set to host its debut show next month and recently announced a media rights deal with Fox Nation. His last known public appearance came in late-May, as he promoted Real American Freestyle on Fox News.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

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