JUST IN : Wrestling icon, Hulk Hogan, is dead

Terry Gene Bollea, better known to fans worldwide as Hulk Hogan, has died at the age of 71.

According to TMZ and multiple sources, emergency responders were called to the wrestling legend’s home in Clearwater, Florida, early Thursday following a report of cardiac arrest.

Hogan was placed on a stretcher and transported to a waiting ambulance.

Though there had been public concern over his health in recent months, including a neck surgery earlier this year, his wife Sky had maintained at the time that his heart was “strong”.

Hogan’s influence on professional wrestling was far-reaching. He played a pivotal role in elevating the sport to mainstream popularity and family-oriented entertainment.

He launched his wrestling career in 1977 and achieved major fame in the 1980s during his time with the WWF (now WWE), where he headlined major events and captured the championship title six times.

In 1996, Hogan famously reinvented his persona by turning heel and adopting the “Hollywood Hogan” character in WCW’s New World Order (nWo) storyline. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice—first in 2005 and again in 2020 alongside fellow nWo members.

Outside the ring, Hogan made a mark in film, with roles in Rocky III (where he played Thunderlips), No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny.