Hulk Hogan, the headscarf-wearing icon of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71, Florida police and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) confirmed on Thursday.
Authorities in Clearwater, Florida, responded to a call on Thursday morning regarding a cardiac arrest.
Hogan was pronounced dead at a local hospital, police said in a statement posted on Facebook.
Born Terry Bollea, Hogan was arguably the biggest star in WWE’s history.
He was the headline attraction for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and remained a fixture in the wrestling world for decades, squaring off with legends such as André the Giant, Randy Savage, The Rock, and even WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
Hogan 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 lawsuit against Gawker Media over the unauthorised publication of a sex tape featuring him and the wife of his former best friend. An additional $25 million (€21 million) in punitive damages was later added.
Throughout the three-week trial, Hogan appeared in court wearing black and remained composed.
“Everywhere I show up, people treat me like I’m still the champ,” he said, acknowledging his fans’ unwavering support.
In a statement on social media platform X, WWE expressed its sorrow over Hogan’s passing: “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.”
Credit: Africannews
