Terry Gene Bollea, known worldwide by his ring name Hulk Hogan, died on July 24, 2025, at the age of 71. Initial reports stated the cause of death was cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. His death followed a series of health procedures, including neck surgery in May 2025. Hogan was a central figure in professional wrestling’s rise as a mainstream entertainment phenomenon in the 1980s and was involved in numerous public controversies throughout his life and career.
Part I: The Making of a Hulkster
From Terry Bollea to Terry Boulder
Born on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, Terry Bollea was raised in Tampa, Florida. The son of a construction foreman and a dance teacher, his first interest was music, not athletics. He played fretless bass guitar for a decade, dropping out of the University of South Florida to pursue music with his band, Ruckus, which became a popular act in the Tampa Bay area in 1976.
His large physique, standing 6’7″ and over 300 pounds, drew the attention of local professional wrestlers Jack and Jerry Brisco, who frequented Ruckus’s shows. Jack Brisco saw Bollea’s stage presence and suggested he consider a career in wrestling. This led Bollea to begin his journey into the industry.
The Forge and the First Villainous Run
Bollea began training under Hiro Matsuda, a respected but notoriously tough trainer known for testing the resolve of new prospects. On the first day, Matsuda broke Bollea’s leg to see if he would quit; Bollea returned after healing and earned his place. His early career involved wrestling in regional promotions for low pay. He used several ring names, including Terry “The Hulk” Boulder, a name given to him after a TV host remarked he was larger than Lou Ferrigno of The Incredible Hulk.
In 1979, he joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where promoter Vince McMahon Sr. gave him the Irish surname “Hogan” and cast him as a villain. As a heel managed by “Classy” Freddie Blassie, he feuded with then-champion Bob Backlund and had early encounters with André the Giant.
Thunderlips and the Hollywood Detour
In 1982, Hogan was cast as the character “Thunderlips” in the film Rocky III alongside Sylvester Stallone. The role brought him mainstream recognition outside of wrestling. However, Vince McMahon Sr., who disapproved of wrestlers taking outside film roles, fired Hogan for his participation in the movie.
After being fired, Hogan’s newfound celebrity status made him a top draw in the American Wrestling Association (AWA). When Vince McMahon Jr. took over the WWF with plans for national expansion, he sought a charismatic star with crossover appeal. Hogan, now a recognizable actor and popular wrestler, was identified as the ideal candidate to be the face of the company’s new direction.
Part II: The Rise of Hulkamania (1984-1993)
The Birth of a Hero
Hogan returned to the WWF in December 1983 and was immediately positioned as the company’s lead heroic figure. On January 23, 1984, at Madison Square Garden, he defeated The Iron Sheik to win his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship, a moment that marked the beginning of the “Hulkamania” era.
His character, “The Real American,” was known for his red and yellow attire and for advising his young fans, the “Hulkamaniacs,” to “train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins”. His ring entrance to the song “Real American” and his signature T-shirt tear became iconic parts of his persona.
WrestleMania: The House That Hogan Built
The WWF’s “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Connection” leveraged a partnership with MTV to bring wrestling into mainstream pop culture. This strategy involved cross-promotions with music stars like Cyndi Lauper, making wrestling popular with a younger, broader audience. This momentum led to the creation of WrestleMania on March 31, 1985, a national pay-per-view event designed to be the “Super Bowl of wrestling”.
The main event featured Hogan teaming with television star Mr. T to face “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. The inclusion of celebrities like Mr. T, Muhammad Ali, and Liberace helped ensure mainstream media attention and the event’s success. Hogan would go on to headline eight of the first nine WrestleMania events, solidifying his role as the company’s top star.
An Era of Titans: Hogan’s Greatest Feuds
Hogan’s matches during this era typically followed a set formula where he would absorb punishment from a villainous opponent before making a dramatic comeback, fueled by the crowd’s energy, a sequence known as “Hulking up”. He would then execute a series of signature moves, culminating in the Atomic Leg Drop for the victory.
His most notable feuds were against a series of memorable antagonists. His rivalry with André the Giant culminated at WrestleMania III in 1987, where Hogan famously body-slammed the 500-pound wrestler in front of a reported 93,173 fans. He also had a multi-year storyline with “Macho Man” Randy Savage, first as tag team partners in “The Mega Powers” and later as rivals, headlining WrestleMania V. Other significant opponents included “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, and The Iron Sheik.
Part III: The Hollywood Heel Turn (1993-2001)
Fading Colors and a New Frontier
By the early 1990s, the WWF was shifting toward a new generation of performers, and Hogan’s character was losing popularity. A federal steroid investigation also brought public scrutiny to the industry and its top stars. Hogan left the WWF in 1993 to focus on an acting career, starring in films like Suburban Commando (1991) and Mr. Nanny (1993), and the television series Thunder in Paradise (1994).
In June 1994, Hogan signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the WWF’s primary competitor. He debuted at Bash at the Beach that July, defeating Ric Flair for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. However, his initial run as the same heroic character he portrayed in the WWF did not generate the expected fan excitement and was seen by many as dated.
Bash at the Beach 1996: The Heel Turn
On July 7, 1996, at the Bash at the Beach pay-per-view, Hogan executed a surprise heel turn. During a match pitting WCW wrestlers against “The Outsiders” (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash), Hogan came to the ring and attacked his long-time ally, Randy Savage. He then revealed himself as the third member of the invading group, which he named the “New World Order” (nWo). The moment is widely considered one of the most pivotal in modern wrestling history, as it marked Hogan’s first time as a villain in nearly fifteen years.
“Hollywood” Hogan and the Monday Night War
Following his heel turn, Hogan adopted the persona of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, trading his red and yellow attire for black and white and sporting a black beard. The nWo storyline proved to be immensely popular, and the group’s black-and-white T-shirt became one of the best-selling merchandise items in wrestling history.
Fueled by the nWo’s popularity, WCW’s flagship show, Monday Nitro, defeated the WWF’s Monday Night Raw in the head-to-head television ratings for 83 consecutive weeks, a period known as the “Monday Night War”. However, the nWo storyline eventually became convoluted as numerous wrestlers joined the faction, diluting its impact. Hogan, who had significant creative control in his contract, was criticized for booking decisions that kept him in the main event and for incidents like the “Fingerpoke of Doom,” where he won the WCW title from Kevin Nash after a simple finger poke, an event that damaged the company’s credibility with fans.
Part IV: Controversies, Legal Battles, and Personal Life
Hogan’s career was marked by a number of public controversies and personal issues that drew significant media attention.
The 1994 Steroid Trial
In 1994, WWF owner Vince McMahon was put on trial for conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids to his wrestlers. The investigation stemmed from the conviction of Dr. George Zahorian, a physician who had supplied steroids to WWF performers. Hogan, who had previously denied using steroids on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1991, was called as a key witness for the prosecution and granted immunity.
Under oath, Hogan testified that he had used steroids since 1976 for physique enhancement and injury recovery. However, he stated that Vince McMahon had never sold him steroids or ordered him to take them. Hogan’s testimony was a significant factor in McMahon’s eventual acquittal. The trial damaged Hogan’s public image as a role model for children.
The Gawker Lawsuit
In October 2012, the website Gawker published a one-minute, 41-second excerpt of a sex tape that was recorded in 2006 without Hogan’s knowledge, showing him with Heather Clem, the then-wife of his friend, radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge. Bollea sued Gawker Media for $100 million for invasion of privacy. The case pitted First Amendment press freedoms against an individual’s right to privacy.
In March 2016, a Florida jury awarded Bollea $140 million in damages. The verdict led to Gawker Media filing for bankruptcy and ultimately settling with Bollea for $31 million. It was later revealed that the lawsuit had been secretly funded by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel as retaliation against Gawker for a 2007 article that had outed him as gay.
Racism Scandal and WWE Departure
During the Gawker legal proceedings, sealed transcripts from the sex tape were leaked, revealing Hogan making racist remarks. In the audio, he used the n-word repeatedly while complaining about his daughter Brooke’s relationship with a Black man and stated, “I am a racist, to a point”. Further recordings from 2008 jailhouse phone calls with his son, Nick, captured Hogan using the slur again.
The revelations led WWE to terminate its contract with Hogan on July 24, 2015. The company removed him from its Hall of Fame and erased most references to him from its website and merchandise. Hogan issued a public apology, calling the language “unacceptable” and stating, “this is not who I am”. He later attributed his comments to the environment in which he was raised, a claim that was disputed by some former neighbors.
Public Family Issues
The image of a functional family presented on the VH1 reality show Hogan Knows Best (2005-2007) was contradicted by subsequent events.
- Divorce from Linda Hogan: Hogan and his first wife, Linda, divorced in 2009 after 24 years of marriage. The split was acrimonious, with Linda publicly accusing Hogan of infidelity with their daughter’s close friend and of physical and verbal abuse during their marriage. Hogan denied the allegations of infidelity in his memoir. The divorce settlement awarded Linda more than 70% of the couple’s liquid assets and a $3 million property settlement.
- Son Nick Hogan’s Legal Troubles: In August 2007, Hogan’s son, Nick Bollea, then 17, was involved in a street racing accident that left his passenger, John Graziano, with permanent brain damage. Nick pleaded no contest to reckless driving and was sentenced to eight months in jail. In November 2023, Nick was arrested again for driving under the influence in Clearwater, for which he later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year of probation.
- Daughter Brooke Hogan’s Allegations: In March 2025, Hogan’s daughter, Brooke, revealed she was estranged from both of her parents. In a social media post, she alleged she had been “EXTREMELY verbally and mentally abused since childhood,” and that the abuse would “frequently turn physical”. She stated that she had “completely separate reasons for going no contact with each of my parents”.
Relationship with Donald Trump
Hogan was a long-time friend and public supporter of Donald Trump. He stated he had been friends with Trump for over 25 years. In 2024, Hogan spoke at the Republican National Convention, where he referred to Trump as a “real American hero” and concluded his speech by tearing off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance campaign shirt. He also appeared at a Trump rally, encouraging the crowd to support the campaign.
Part V: Later Career and Final Years
The Prodigal Son Returns
After WWE acquired WCW, Hogan returned to the company in February 2002 as the villainous leader of the nWo. At WrestleMania X8, he faced The Rock in an “Icon vs. Icon” match. Despite being cast as the heel, the Toronto crowd gave Hogan a massive positive reaction, leading to an impromptu face turn after the match. Riding a wave of nostalgia, he defeated Triple H to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, his sixth and final WWE world title reign.
The TNA Experiment and Later WWE Appearances
From 2009 to 2013, Hogan worked for Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling alongside Eric Bischoff in an attempt to make the promotion a major competitor to WWE. His tenure included storylines such as the heel faction “Immortal” but did not lead to a sustained ratings increase for the company. He later returned to WWE in ambassadorial roles, including hosting WrestleMania XXX in 2014.
Reconciliation and Final Bow
On July 15, 2018, WWE reinstated Hogan into its Hall of Fame, citing his public apologies for his past racist remarks. He was inducted for a second time in 2020 as a member of the nWo. In his final years, Hogan launched a brand of beer called “Real American Beer” and served as the commissioner for a new promotion, Real American Freestyle. He continued to make sporadic appearances for WWE, with his last live appearance on the January 6, 2025, episode of Raw.
Conclusion
Hulk Hogan’s career is defined by his central role in two of professional wrestling’s most successful business periods and his status as a 12-time world champion. His influence extended into mainstream pop culture through film, television, and various business ventures. His career was also marked by significant public controversies, including a 1994 steroid trial, a high-profile lawsuit against Gawker Media that led to the revelation of racist remarks, and widely publicized family issues. These events led to his temporary removal from the WWE Hall of Fame before a later reinstatement. His public life presents a record of both significant professional achievement and considerable personal controversy.
