🕊️ Hulk Hogan Dies at 71: WWE Legend, Trump Ally, and Sports Entertainment Icon

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🙏 Dear Readers, 

We bring you this somber update with great respect for one of entertainment’s most iconic figures. Please join us in remembering Hulk Hogan’s larger-than-life journey — from wrestling ring dominance to Hollywood lights, to his unexpected connection with American politics.

At a glance

• Age: 71

• Cause of death: Cardiac arrest at his Clearwater, Florida residence

• Confirmed by: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)

• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2005; re-inducted in 2020 as part of the New World Order (nWo)

• Cultural impact: Catalyst behind wrestling’s 1980s mainstream boom and later resurgence in the 1990s

WWE confirms the loss of its most recognizable icon

World Wrestling Entertainment announced it is "saddened to learn" that Hulk Hogan—born Terry Bollea—has passed away at 71. Emergency services reportedly responded to his Clearwater, Florida home early in the morning following a cardiac arrest. WWE hailed Hogan as one of the most recognizable personalities in popular culture and a central figure in propelling the company onto the world stage in the 1980s.

Just weeks earlier, Hogan’s wife Sky Daily publicly rejected rumors that he was in a coma, emphasizing that his heart was “strong” and that he was recovering from recent surgeries.

The man who made wrestling mainstream

Hogan’s charisma, technicolor presentation, and big-as-life hero persona transformed professional wrestling from a regional spectacle into prime-time, family-friendly entertainment. With a trademark bandana, handlebar mustache, and catchphrase—“Whatcha gonna do, brother?”—he became the face of the then-WWF, bridging sports and spectacle for a generation of children and parents alike.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Hogan wasn’t just a top draw—he was professional wrestling’s defining ambassador, helping turn pay-per-views and national television into appointment viewing.

Reinvention: From hero to Hollywood heel

In 1996, Hogan executed one of the most consequential character pivots in wrestling history, turning heel and becoming “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan as a co-founder of the New World Order (nWo) in WCW. The move supercharged the industry’s “Monday Night Wars,” drawing massive ratings and cementing his status as a once-in-a-generation draw who could dominate both as a hero and a villain.

Triumphs, scandals, and a complicated legacy

• Hall of Fame: Hogan entered the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

• 2015 removal: He was removed from the Hall of Fame in 2015 after a leaked, secretly recorded tape captured him making racist remarks.

• Legal victory: Hogan successfully sued Gawker for publishing the clip, ultimately winning the lawsuit.

• 2020 return: He was re-inducted in 2020 as part of the nWo.

His public image—once squeaky clean—became more complex over the years as lawsuits, controversies, and reality television exposed a more human, and sometimes polarizing, figure. Yet his influence on the business itself remained undeniable.

Beyond the squared circle

Hogan crossed over repeatedly into film and television, beginning with a memorable turn as “Thunderlips” in Rocky III (1982). He later starred in No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny, and became a reality TV figure on VH1’s Hogan Knows Best, alongside then-wife Linda and their children, Nick and Brooke.

In 2024, he re-entered the political spotlight with a high-profile appearance at the Republican National Convention, standing as a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, whom he praised for strong leadership and “American values.” Their longstanding camaraderie dates back to the WrestleMania IV and Trump Plaza days of the 1980s.

Lasting impact

Hulk Hogan’s legacy is woven into the DNA of modern sports entertainment. He didn’t just headline events; he redefined what wrestling could be—a cross-generational, multimedia phenomenon that blurred the lines between athleticism, theater, and pop culture.

From red-and-yellow superhero to Hollywood heel, from pay-per-view trailblazer to reality TV lightning rod, Hogan’s life was as oversized as his persona. His passing closes a chapter on the industry’s most transformative era—and on the man who carried it on his back.

🙏 Thank you for reading. We honor the memory of a generational icon who entertained, inspired, and influenced millions. May he rest in peace.

MINDSCOPE

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