Wrestling Legend Hulk Hogan Dead at 71—Cause of Death Revealed

Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71, following a cardiac arrest at his Clearwater, Florida home.

Emergency medical personnel were dispatched to his residence Thursday morning, where they treated the WWE legend before he was transported to a hospital. He later passed away, police confirmed.

Hogan—born Terry Bollea—had long battled a declining state of health, previously revealing he’d undergone “25 surgeries in the past decade.”

His health woes, particularly around his heart and joints, had become public talking points in recent years, heightening concern about his wellbeing.

The heart attack that ultimately claimed his life wasn’t entirely unexpected by close observers, but the shock still reverberated through the wrestling world.

While fans and fellow wrestlers mourn the man who helped transform wrestling into mainstream entertainment, some are reflecting not just on the spectacle he created, but also the toll it took on his body.

“An incredible athlete, talent, friend, and father,” said Ric Flair on X, visibly shaken by the news of his longtime friend’s passing. “I am absolutely shocked.”

Hogan’s death marks the end of a life that played out as larger-than-life inside and outside the ring.

Bursting into superstardom in the 1980s, he clinched his first WWE world title by defeating the Iron Sheik in 1984, then went on to headline the first WrestleMania in 1985.

His matches against the likes of Andre the Giant, Randy Savage, The Rock, and even Vince McMahon helped propel WWE into a global entertainment empire.

He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 by none other than Sylvester Stallone.

But the man behind the yellow headbands and ripped shirts also became a lightning rod for controversy.

In 2012, the gossip site Gawker leaked a sex tape involving Hogan and his then-best friend’s wife. The ensuing legal battle resulted in a $140 million settlement that effectively shut down Gawker.

A year before the court ruling, WWE had suspended Hogan following the emergence of a separate secret recording in which he used racial slurs. Though he was reinstated in 2018, the incident left a lasting blemish on his legacy.

Hogan also remained active in the political arena. In 2024, he made headlines again at the Republican National Convention, dramatically endorsing Donald Trump by tearing off his shirt to reveal a Trump tank top, shouting to the crowd: “Let Trumpamania run wild, brother… Let Trumpamania rule again!”

The moment went viral, but drew mixed reactions from fans who saw it as another divisive turn in an already complex public image.

Born in Georgia in August 1953, Hogan first pursued music, playing bass guitar in local bands before shifting to wrestling in Florida during the 1970s.

The “Hulk” nickname was inspired by comparisons to the comic book hero of the same name, and he would go on to pay royalties to Marvel Comics for using the moniker.

Vince McMahon later added “Hogan” to inject Irish flair into the then-WWF’s character lineup.

He was married three times and had two children. Outside the ring, he became a television personality, starring in the reality show Hogan Knows Best, further cementing his cultural footprint.

WWE, in an official statement, described him as “one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures,” adding that “Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s.”

The company extended condolences to his family, friends, and the millions of fans who followed his career through triumph and scandal.

Source: Liberalprint.com