Hulk Hogan, the pro wrestling champion often credited with popularizing the sport, passed away Thursday at the age of 71. He was pronounced dead at a hospital in Clearwater, Florida, after a reported cardiac arrest. Hogan’s legacy, though controversial, was integral in creating the modern world of professional wrestling.
Southern Roots, Global Stardom
Hogan was born Terry Bollea in Augusta, Georgia, in 1953. He was a heavyweight, standing at 6’7″ and 300 pounds— a true performer in the art of pro wrestling, becoming a real superhero in the ring. Hogan began training in 1976 to undertake French wrestler Andre the Giant. He quickly became a Heavyweight Champion in both Southeastern Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling by the early 80s.
Hogan became a household name when he starred in Rocky III in 1982. This led him to be fired from the World Wide Wrestling Federation and recruited to the American Wrestling Association, where he developed his iconic hero persona.
David Shoemaker referred to this era of Hogan as a “Reagan-era Superman,” an image that has stuck with fans that grew up watching this era of wrestling—he was an All-American, wholesome defeater of bad guys for children to look up to. His wrestler persona extended past the ring, appearing on Saturday morning cartoons and lunchboxes everywhere.
In 1985, Hogan made history headlining the first WrestleMania. The event was a spectacle, broadcast to one million viewers. This event is known to have pushed professional wrestling into the limelight, and Hogan went on to star in seven out of the first eight events.
By the early 90s, Hogan had rejoined the World Wrestling Federation (to later be bought by World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE). Although his face was all over countless kinds of merchandise and media, his time as a pro wrestling hero was coming to the end. Audiences were getting bored with the All-American look; it was time for a rebrand.
Hogan Goes Hollywood
He joined World Championship Wrestling in 1994 with a new, edgier persona. It was time to do a full turn into the villain that was “Hollywood Hogan,” a leather-wearing, gruff heel. It worked: crowds booed, ratings skyrocketed, and he was the WCW Heavyweight six times between 94-99.
One last defining moment of his career was when The Rock defeated him in WrestleMania 18. It brought his arc to an end, from a superhero, to a heel, to a baby face. He wrestled until 2012, during which he failed to build TNA Wrestling into a WWE rival. As his wrestling career fizzled out, he walked away with an increasingly complicated legacy
From Hero, To Headlines
In 2015, Hogan won a $115 million lawsuit against Gawker, the outlet that leaked his sex tape. This, along with a video resurfaced of Hogan saying racial slurs, undermined his redemption arc and led WWE to end his contract in 2018.
Even back with WWE, Hogan’s lackluster response to the controversy couldn’t redeem him, and he further leant into other business adventures. He launched his own The Real American Beer, named for the anthem that glorified him in days past.
Near the end of his life, Hogan fully polarized audiences by aligning with a divisive political brand. He endorsed Donald Trump on the 2025 campaign trail, performing on stage like the old days. His political streak, combined with nostalgia harnessed in the “war against woke,” turned Hogan into a sort of MAGA icon as he fell further from wrestling fame.
An Unshakeable Cultural Impact
Social or political controversies do not negate the impact that Hogan had on professional wrestling. His persona was the first of a cultural phenomenon, one that could turn real men into superheroes and show audiences as they turned into villains.
Generations of children revered Hogan and grew up with a love of the sport because of it. To this day, you see the Hulkster’s signature ‘stache in group chat memes and inspiring Halloween costumes across the world.
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