Six-Time WWE Champion Dies At the Age of 71
Six-time WWE Champion, Hulk Hogan, has died at the age of 71 on Thursday morning. Wrestling’s biggest icon of the '80s reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical personnel were called to Hogan’s home this morning, where reports surfaced that said he was carried out in an ambulance. Hogan’s health had come into question over the past few days with rumors surfacing that he was in a coma, which his wife denied, saying that he was just recovering from surgery. Hogan is survived by his wife and his two children.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, began wrestling in the 1970s, but did not truly explode until the 1980s, when he helped Vince McMahon turn the WWE into a national brand with his “Hulkamania” brand. The six-foot-seven wrestler became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture with his signature red-and-yellow gear and his catchphrases. He became one of wrestling’s biggest babyfaces and fought some of the top heels in the industry, including The Undertaker, Andre the Giant, and Roddy Piper. Hogan and Piper’s rivalry was the launching point of the first WrestleMania, which included the famous tag team match that pitted Hogan and Mr. T against Piper and Mr. Wonderful. Hogan’s run at the top of the WWE ended in the early '90s. He then joined rival promotion, WCW. There, Hogan turned heel and formed the N.W.O., along with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Hogan won numerous championships in WCW, including the WCW Championship six times.
The six-time WCW Champion returned to WCW when McMahon bought the company in 2001. His “Hollywood” character captivated audiences, and his rivalry with The Rock was one of the biggest draws of WrestleMania 18. He would leave WWE in 2003 and remain a part of the wrestling scene by working for numerous promotions over the years, including TNA. The 2005 WWE Hall of Famer appeared sporadically on WWE television over the years, only for anniversary shows or big-time events. His last appearance was the first episode of Raw on Netflix, where he was met with a loud ovation of boos.
Those boos were a direct response to his controversial scandals that involved Hogan using racial slurs and claiming he was “a little racist” in a sex tape that was first leaked in 2012, and then footage of that incident was leaked again in 2015. Despite criticisms about his transgressions, Hogan’s legacy as one of sports entertainment's influential figures cannot be forgotten. During his six-decade career, he influenced many children and future superstars alike and remains one of the biggest stars to ever step foot in the squared circle.
