Hulk Hogan Dead at 71

Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan has died. The iconic WWE star reportedly went into cardiac arrest at his home in Florida on Thursday (July 24), but medics could not bring him back to life.

He was 71 years old.

• Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Gene Bollea) had been rumored to be in poor health for several months, but family disputed reports from June that he was on his death bed.
• In recent months he'd been working to develop an amateur wrestling league called Real American Freestyle.
• TMZ was first to report on Hogan's death.

Hogan's family has not yet confirmed the news, and there is nothing posted to the wrestler's social media pages.

How Did Hulk Hogan Die?

Hulk Hogan has undergone dozens of surgeries related to injuries suffered during his wrestling career.

Last fall, he said he'd undergone 10 back surgeries in 10 years. In denying he was on his death bed last month, Hogan's team told E! News that he had undergone neck surgery recently, but there was no reason to panic.

It will take days or weeks for Hogan's official cause of death to be revealed, but it appears to have been sudden. In sharing the news, TMZ forwarded part of a 911 call that resulted in several EMTs and police cars showing up to his Clearwater, Fla., home.

On social media, it had been business as usual for Hogan. That included heavy promotion of his new wrestling league, beer and other ventures.

Police say Hogan was pronounced dead at a local hospital, and there will be a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Hulk Hogan Controversies

It's difficult to overstate Hulk Hogan's impact on professional wrestling in the 1980s and 90s. Before Hulkamania, the sport was for niche audiences, but his theatrics in the ring reached wide-scale international audiences. Few would argue that a Mount Rushmore of professional wrestling should include his bust carved in stone.

Hogan's last match came in early 2012, but his final match of any importance was a 2006 win over Randy Orton at SummerSlam. He left the WWE shortly afterward.

After that, he became known more for making tabloid headlines and court battles. A reality series called Hogan Knows Best aired on VH1 from 2005 to 2007.

In 2012, scandal broke in the form of a video from 2007 that showed him making a racial slur as he talked about his daughter's boyfriend.

Three years later, Gawker would release a sex tape that showed him with the wife of radio DJ Bubba the Love Sponge. Hogan would later sue Gawker and win, leading to the outlet's demise.

Additionally, Hogan and wife Linda went through a very public divorce in the late 00s. He'd later marry and divorce Jennifer McDaniel. He married Sky Daily in 2023.

Among the family and friends Hogan leaves behind are daughter Brooke and son Nick.

This story is developing.