Hulk Hogan
Terry Gene Bollea (/bəˈleɪə/; August 11, 1953 – July 24, 2025), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his work with WWE and World Championship Wrestling. Known for his flamboyance and massive physique, and his trademark blond horseshoe moustache and bandanas, Hogan was widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide, the most popular wrestler of the 1980s and one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
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Hulk Hogan
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| Born |
Terry Gene Bollea
August 11, 1953 Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
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| Died | July 24, 2025 (aged 71)
Clearwater, Florida, U.S.
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| Years active | 1972–2025 |
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| Relatives | Horace Hogan (nephew) |
Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977, but gained worldwide recognition after signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in December 1983.
There, his persona as a heroic all-American helped usher in the 1980s professional wrestling boom, where he headlined eight of the first nine editions (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) of the WWF’s flagship annual event WrestleMania. Hogan also was a regular headliner of Saturday Night’s Main Event and its spin-off The Main Event.
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During his initial run, he was a five-time WWF Champion, with his 1,474-day reign being the longest of the WrestleMania era ever. He was the first wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches, winning in 1990 and 1991. His match with André the Giant on WWF The Main Event on February 5, 1988, still holds American television viewership records for wrestling with a 15.2 Nielsen TV rating and 33 million viewers.
In 1993, Hogan departed the WWF to pursue a career in film and television. He was lured back to the ring when he signed with rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994. He won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times, and holds the record for the longest reign.
In 1996, he underwent a career renaissance upon adopting the villainous persona of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, leading the popular New World Order (nWo) stable. As a result, he became a major figure during the “Monday Night War”, another boom of mainstream professional wrestling.
He headlined WCW’s annual flagship event Starrcade three times (in 1994, 1996, and 1997), in which the 1997 edition was the most profitable WCW pay-per-view in the company’s history.
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Hogan returned to the WWF in 2002 following its acquisition of WCW the prior year, winning the Undisputed WWF Championship for his record equaling (for the time) sixth reign before departing in 2003. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, and inducted a second time in 2020 as a member of the nWo.
Hogan also performed for the American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he headlined the inaugural AWA closed circuit supercard, Super Sunday in 1983, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) – where he was the inaugural winner of the original IWGP Heavyweight Championship – and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
During and after wrestling, Hogan had an extensive acting career, beginning with his role in the sports drama film Rocky III (1982). He starred in several other films (including No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny) and three television shows (Hogan Knows Best, Thunder in Paradise, and China, IL), as well as in Right Guard commercials and the video game Hulk Hogan’s Main Event (2011).
He was the frontman for the Wrestling Boot Band, whose sole record, Hulk Rules, reached No. 12 on the Billboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995.
Early life
Hulk Hogan was born Terry Gene Bollea, and while a young child, he and his family—which included an older brother—moved to Tampa, Florida. Bollea played baseball growing up and was a star pitcher in high school, attracting the attention of Major League Baseball scouts. However, an injury at age 16 ended his hopes of a professional career. Bollea also was interested in music and played the bass guitar.
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Hogan attended Hillsborough Community College and then the University of South Florida but dropped out to pursue a career in music. He was a member of the rock band Ruckus, which played in Florida bars. During one of these performances in 1976, Bollea was “discovered” by the pro wrestling tag team the Brisco Brothers. Soon after they arranged for Japanese wrestler Hiro Matsuda to train Bollea.
In addition to Hulk Hogan, Bollea competed under the names the Super Destroyer, Sterling Golden, Terry Boulder, and Hollywood Hogan.
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“Hulkamania”
Bollea made his independent circuit debut in 1977, when he faced off against Brian Blair in Fort Myers, Florida, under the name the Super Destroyer. His career took off in 1979, when he joined the WWF. He made his WWF debut later that year and adopted the name “Hulk Hogan.” In 1980 he defeated Andre the Giant.
In 1982 Hogan made the transition to movies, appearing in Rocky III as the wrestler Thunderlips. At the time wrestlers were discouraged from performing outside the ring, and Hogan was fired from the WWF. However, he returned in 1983, as the WWF took a new direction under Vince McMahon, Jr., who introduced outrageous storylines and molded wrestlers into child-friendly stars.
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The following year Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik to win the WWF heavyweight title. Considered the match that “changed wrestling forever,” it brought new viewers to the sport and helped launch “Hulkamania.” Hogan’s reign as champion lasted until 1988, when he lost the title to Andre the Giant. By this time, Hogan had become a household name, and wrestling enjoyed widespread popularity.
In 1993 Hogan left the WWF to distance himself from a steroid scandal involving McMahon. He testified at McMahon’s trial in 1994 and said that he had used steroids for years but that McMahon had not asked him to take the drug. McMahon was found not guilty of conspiring to distribute steroids.
During this time Hogan pursued an acting career. After a cameo in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), he starred in the poorly received comedies Suburban Commando (1991), Mr. Nanny (1993), and Santa with Muscles (1996).
In 1994 Hogan joined Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He sent shock waves through the wrestling world in 1996 when he became the villainous “heel” Hollywood Hogan at the Bash at the Beach, where he formed the New World Order alliance with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.
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In 2002 Hogan, along with Hall and Nash, returned to the WWF, which had acquired the WCW. (That year the WWF also changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment [WWE].) Hogan was embraced by fans, and he dropped the “heel” persona when he aligned with Dwayne (“The Rock”) Johnson and other wrestlers against his former New World Order partners.
Gawker lawsuit
In 2012 Hogan became involved in a legal battle with media outlet Gawker, after it posted a 2007 sex tape featuring Hogan and Heather Clem, the wife of Todd (“Bubba the Love Sponge”) Clem, a friend of Hogan’s who was a talk radio DJ. Hogan sought to have the video taken down, but a federal judge ruled in favor of Gawker.
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Hogan then filed a civil lawsuit against Gawker and the site’s founder, Nick Denton, and editor A.J. Daulerio, alleging invasion of privacy; Hogan said he was unaware that his encounter with Heather Clem was being filmed. The trial began in 2016, and the jury found in Hogan’s favor, awarding him $140 million. Shortly thereafter Gawker had filed for bankruptcy and sold itself to Univision.
Later in 2016 Gawker reached a $31 million settlement with Hogan. That year it was revealed that Hogan’s lawsuit had been financed by Peter Thiel, the cofounder of PayPal. In 2007 Gawker had revealed that Thiel was gay.
Later wrestling career, Trump, and Death
During the legal battle with Gawker, the National Enquirer leaked audio of another sex tape (again with Heather Clem) in which Hogan used racial slurs while speaking about his daughter’s Black boyfriend. The WWE terminated Hogan’s contract in 2015. Three years later, however, Hogan returned to the WWE and began making appearances for the company. In 2021 he cohosted WrestleMania 37, though he was booed by fans.
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During the 2024 presidential election Hogan supported Donald Trump and spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, at one point saying, “Let Trumpmania make America great again!” Trump won the race.
In May 2025 Hogan underwent surgery to address lingering neck pain issues, and rumors began circulating in the wrestling press about his declining health. Hogan’s representatives refuted the stories, stating that his recovery was proceeding smoothly. Hogan died at his home in Clearwater, Florida, on July 24, 2025.
Personal life
In 1983 Hulk Hogan married Linda Claridge, and the couple had two children. The family starred in the reality show Hogan Knows Best (2005–07). In 2009 Linda Hogan and Hulk Hogan divorced. From 2010 to 2021 he was married to Jennifer McDaniel. Hogan wed Sky Daily in 2023.
