Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan dies at 71
Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea died on Thursday, WWE announced. He was 71 years old.
Hogan is survived by his third wife, Sky Daily, and two children, Brooke and Nick. Hogan was married twice before, to Linda Claridge and Jennifer McDaniel.
News of Hogan’s passing was initially reported by TMZ. According to the Clearwater Fire and Police Departments, there was a call for a cardiac arrest at Hogan’s Clearwater Beach address, and Hogan was treated by fire and rescue crews before being transported to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Although Hogan’s professional wrestling career began in the late 1970s, his true explosion on the scene didn’t come until the mid-1980s, when he helped Vince McMahon turn the then-WWF from primarily a northeast-based wrestling territory into a national brand, and eventually a multi-billion-dollar company.
During his initial run with McMahon’s promotion, Hogan’s popularity surged, making him easily the most famous and recognized wrestler during the period. Hogan’s entrance music (“Real American”), signature red-and-yellow gear, his catchphrase “Whatcha gonna do, when Hulkamania runs wild on you?” and his dubbing of fans as “Hulkamaniacs” helped make him arguably the most popular babyface of all time. Although Hogan’s matches followed a simple formula — offense, near defeat, “hulking up” before ultimately winning — he remained the biggest draw WWF had at the time.