Wrestling Legend Hulk Hogan Dies at 71—A Look Back at His Life, Legacy and Final Years
The iconic wrestler-turned-actor helped shape the WWE. Here’s how he’ll be remembered
Legendary wrestler turned reality TV star Hulk Hogan has died at age 71, according to a statement issued by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), an organization that Hogan himself helped transform into one of the respected sports organizations in the world.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” WWE said in a statement. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends and fans.”
To honor Hogan and the impact he left on professional wrestling, we have decided to take a look back at his career and personal life below. Read on for more.
Hulk Hogan’s impact on the WWE and pop culture
Born on August 11, 1953, under the name Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan was more than just some muscle. He was also an actor, bodyguard, enemy of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Andre the Giant and sports pioneer.
“I was a huge wrestling fan,” Hogan told Vice in 2014.” As a kid, I was scared to death of them because back in the day, wrestlers were very protective, and if you called wrestling fake, they would punch you in the face.”
Hogan would go on to make his professional wrestling debut in November 1979 and claimed several times over that he was “the man that made wrestling famous.” Over the course of his career, he won six different WWE—formerly known as WWF—championships, and was even inducted into the Hall of Fame; however, that title was removed from 2015 until 2018 after he was caught using a racial slur.
“Eight years ago, I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language,” Hogan told People magazine in 2015. “This is not who I am. I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise.”
Aside from wrestling, Hogan also served as Cyndi Lauper’s bodyguard at the 1985 Grammys and was in 15 minutes of Rocky III back in 1982.
“He threw the most amazing punches,” his costar Sylvester Stallone said, per People. “Because he was bare-fisted, I could actually feel his punch touching my skin, yet he knew just when to pull back.”
Throughout his life, Hogan appeared in 202 movies and TV shows in total, including Mr. Nanny (1993), Thunder in Paradise (1994), and Gnomeo & Juliet (2011). He also had a reality TV show entitled Hogan Knows Best, which ran for four seasons from 2005 until 2007.
Inside Hulk Hogan’s personal life and marriages
Over the course of his life, Hogan was married three times. First, to Linda Hogan from 1983 to 2009. They have two children together—Brooke Hogan, Nick Hogan—both of whom, along with Linda, appeared on the show Hogan Knows Best.
Then, in 2010, he married Jennifer McDaniel and remained with her until 2021. Finally, in 2023, he married Sky Daily, a woman 25 years his junior, and remained with her until he died in 2025. She had three kids of her own, all of whom were at her wedding to Hogan.
As of publication, there is no public news on how Daily is responding to the death of her husband.
May Hulk Hogan rest in peace.
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