Hulk Hogan Dead at 71: Wrestling’s Greatest Icon Leaves the Ring Forever

The world just lost a legend. Hulk Hogan, the face of professional wrestling for over four decades, has died at the age of 71 from cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida.

Emergency services were dispatched early Thursday morning. Hogan was reportedly carried out on a stretcher and taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Man, The Myth, The Muscle

Born Terry Bollea, Hogan wasn’t just a wrestler—he was a cultural phenomenon. From the moment he tore his shirt and dropped the leg, he became the embodiment of charisma, strength, and pure entertainment.

• 6-time WWE Champion

• Leader of the nWo

• Star of Rock 'n' Wrestling, Thunder in Paradise, and countless cameos

• Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005

He made you believe. Even when you knew it was scripted, Hogan made it feel real.

A Legacy That Flexes Beyond the Ring

Hogan’s impact wasn’t limited to wrestling. He helped launch wrestling into mainstream pop culture, inspired generations of performers, and gave fans a hero to cheer for—even when the odds were scripted against him.

His catchphrases became gospel:

“Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?”

Today, the answer is simple: we remember. We honor. We let it run wild in our hearts.

Hogan’s endorsement of Trump wasn’t subtle either. At the 2024 Republican National Convention, he ripped off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance tee and declared, “Let Trumpamania run wild on America!” He even said the assassination attempt on Trump pushed him to speak out:

“I got tired of remaining silent… When they took a shot at my hero, Donald Trump, I realized I couldn’t be silent anymore.”

He called Trump his “hero” and said it was time to be a “real American”—a phrase that’s been part of his brand since the 1980s. It wasn't political, It was personal.

For this author, Hulk Hogan wasn’t just a wrestler. He was the roar behind a generation’s childhood—the flex that made hope feel possible.