logo
Hulk Hogan's ex-manager details heartbreaking final phone call to WWE legend just hours before his death

Hulk Hogan's ex-manager details heartbreaking final phone call to WWE legend just hours before his death

Daily Mail​4 days ago
WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart has revealed that he called Hulk Hogan just hours before the wrestling legend died aged 71.
Hart was Hogan's manager and a close friend. Until recently, they would watch wrestling together several nights a week and they last met up around a month ago.
On Wednesday, Hart rang Hogan and spoke to his assistant. 'Tell him I love him,' he told them.
'And then Thursday morning is when everything took place,' Hart told PEOPLE. 'So just overnight it all happened, but it was so positive the day before.'
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, passed away following a cardiac arrest. The 71-year-old was the most iconic figure in professional wrestling.
Hogan and Hart also used to do karaoke with Hogan's son, Nick, on Monday nights at the family's bar, Hogan's Hangout, in Clearwater, Florida.
MORE TO FOLLOW
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hulk Hogan obituary
Hulk Hogan obituary

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Hulk Hogan obituary

Hulk Hogan, who has died of a cardiac arrest aged 71, was the most famous personality in the world of wrestling, a flamboyant figure whose deep tan, blond horseshoe moustache, bright bandanas and heavily muscled body were known across the globe, even to those who had little interest in the sport. As the most recognisable face of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the US, Hogan helped to build what had initially been a fairly parochial brand into a hugely lucrative phenomenon, watched on television by millions. Though the wrestling was all fakery, Hogan held the WWF's title belt a number of times across those boom years, including over a four-year stretch in the mid-1980s. Thereafter he largely maintained his dominance, while switching between the WWF and various other competitions over the next two decades. During a typical bout he would soak up blow after blow from his opponent until defeat seemed inevitable, only to suddenly snap into a fury that would turn the encounter around, often finishing things off with a trademark leg drop by bouncing off the rope, leaping into the air and then landing, leg first, on to his foe. Perhaps his most acclaimed performance came during 1987 in the third iteration of wrestling's annual WrestleMania event, in front of 93,000 fans at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, where he won the world heavyweight championship against the 2.24m (7ft 4in), 220kg (35st) André the Giant, who was said to have been unbeaten in the ring for almost 15 years. The bout set pay-per-view television records at the time, and confirmed Hogan's position at the centre of WWF's money-making machine. Hogan was born Terry Bollea, in Augusta, Georgia, the son of Ruth (nee Moody), a dance teacher, and Peter Bollea, a building site foreman. Growing up in Tampa, Florida, where he went to Robinson high school, he first worked as a dockworker while developing his showmanship as a bass guitar player in local rock bands. After a short period at the University of South Florida, he dropped his studies in 1977 to pursue wrestling. Eventually taking the Hulk moniker, after the muscle-bound comic book character The Incredible Hulk, at 2m (6ft 7in) and 137kg (21st) he was certainly built for the name, to which he added the alliterative Hogan in 1979 when he joined the WWF. He came to wider attention in 1982 after a memorable appearance in the film Rocky III as the combative wrestler Thunderlips, who matches Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) in a charity fight. Having initially been branded as a bad guy in the ring, by the mid-80s Hogan had been recast by the WWF as the opposite, and he was striding into the ring to the song Real American by Rick Derringer, fighting for national pride against sinister 'foreign' rivals such as the Iron Sheik, nominally representing Iran, and Nikolai Volkoff, supposedly appearing on behalf of the Soviet Union. Soon the US was subject to a long period of 'Hulkamania' as Hogan reached even wider fame, selling out stadium events, commanding massive TV audiences and appearing in further wrestling-related film roles, including in No Holds Barred (1989) and Mr Nanny (1993), while also starring as a mercenary in the television series Thunder in Paradise (1994). He lent his name to video games, a chain of restaurants and a merchandising empire that was turning over $1.7bn by 1991. In 1994, around the time he confessed that he had used steroids, Hogan moved to a new franchise, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), with whom he adopted a more villainous but equally popular persona. He was WCW's star performer for several years until returning to the WWF (by then renamed WWE) in 2002, after which he left and returned several times, wrestling for other entities in between. He was still taking part in occasional bouts into his 60s, but by then was more frequently in the public eye for other reasons, including from 2005 to 2007 in the reality TV series Hogan Knows Best, which looked in on his family life. In 2012 Hogan sued the Gawker website for posting a video of him having sex with a friend's wife, claiming invasion of privacy. Four years later a court awarded him $140m in damages, although he eventually settled for $31m as the website's owners filed for bankruptcy. In 2015 the release of another section of the same video showed him using racist language, for which he apologised unreservedly. In recent years he had been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, and last year he appeared at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, tearing off his top in typical Hulk style to reveal a Trump/Vance shirt underneath. Hogan was married three times and divorced twice. He is survived by his third wife, Sky Daily, two children, Brooke and Nick, from his first marriage, to Linda Claridge, and two grandchildren. Hulk Hogan (Terry Gene Bollea), wrestler, born 11 August 1953; died 24 July 2025

WWE: Unreal Review – A heavily-skewed, controlled look at WWE 'under the hood'
WWE: Unreal Review – A heavily-skewed, controlled look at WWE 'under the hood'

The Review Geek

timean hour ago

  • The Review Geek

WWE: Unreal Review – A heavily-skewed, controlled look at WWE 'under the hood'

Season 1 Episode Guide New Era Push Worth the Wait Heel Turn Wrestlemania WWE: Unreal is one of those docu-series that could have been great had it been produced by an outside entity away from WWE. The ideas here are certainly interesting, with the promise of pulling the curtain back and showing the inner-workings of pro-wrestling like never before. Unfortunately, what we get is an overly produced, glossy and sanitized look at the business, like peeking through a keyhole rather than flinging the doors open and giving an all-access look at the business. After watching all five episodes, it's hard not to feel like this is one long, extended work rather than an authentic slice of life on the wrestling road. In fact, I'd argue that WWE Tough Enough or even Dark Side of the Ring do a far better job of looking at the business than anything in this Netflix series. That's before even mentioning the elephant in the room that's never mentioned in the docu-series outside of a few scripted reactions from fans online – YouTube. YouTube have a ton of podcasts and interesting wrestling channels that properly pull the curtain back and dive into the business. While yes, it's less glossy and produced (partly thanks to strict copyright over there), it's also way more authentic. Whether it be former superstar Maven chirping up with weekly videos, accompanied by his (now infamous) 'Hey guys, Maven here!' intro, or Kurt Angle doing extended segments on Joe Rogan, there's some fascinating content that really helps to explore . That's before mentioning play-by-play commentaries from old superstars, like The Undertaker and Mick Foley reacting to their Hell in a Cell match back in 1998. The point I'm trying to make then is that Unreal is a bit of an enigma because it doesn't seem to have a clear, intended audience. It feels like it's trying to grab the casual fans and rewrite its own narrative to hook you in, akin to the later seasons of Drive to Survive. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the chops to pull it off in quite the same way, as casual fans who don't want the magic spoiled may steer clear of this on principle. Conversely, die-hard fans that already follow the inner-workings of the business or hang around message boards discussing backstage shenanigans each week won't get much from this either, seeing the gloss from a mile off. And of course those not really into wrestling won't find much here to change their mind. To be fair, learning about key parts of the business, including storylines that never make the final cut, how the 'gorilla position' works, and all the bumps and bruises along the way does make for a pretty interesting watch. In essence, WWE: Unreal plays out as a Road to Wrestlemania puff piece. It's a docu-series designed to promote the new talent coming through the ranks, get casuals up to scratch with the latest storylines and big superstars (despite basically being 4 months out of date at the time of release) and reveal a few carefully skewed and controlled narrative titbits from a thin slice of the company's history. The five episodes each focus on two or three wrestlers before we then follow their journey through the PPVs, culminating in an hour-long finale that's basically a 'best of' for Wrestlemania's two-day showdown. Along the way we see Rhea Ripley's journey to the main event, CM Punk's desire to headline Wrestlemania, along with John Cena's retirement tour too, wanting to go out with a bang. One of the more interesting segments comes in episode 4 as a tight-knit group discuss a crazy Heel turn (good guy turning to a bad guy) for John Cena. Seeing all the machinations around this, including 'What If' scenarios playing out makes for a really fascinating watch. Likewise, a few golden moments of backstage authenticity, like when Kevin Owens asks Cody Rhodes if he's okay after a brutal ladder match, or Charlotte Flair reflecting on how daunting living up to the Flair name is, help give the docu-series some character. Unfortunately, these moments are few and far between as the show doesn't do enough to distinguish what's kayfabe (staying in character) and what's genuine – and I don't mean that in a good way. While some superstars come across as authentic on camera – like Rhea Ripley or John Cena – others make it difficult to know whether they're putting on an act or not. Bianca Belair mentions at one point, proudly, that the whip sound she makes with her hair is completely authentic with no sound effects necessary. While there are visible scars to prove her point, just to play devil's advocate here, is the ring not mounted with microphones under the ring to amplify the sound? Likewise, CM Punk mentions early on about Seth Rollins being super cocky and arrogant, although this is also his character on-screen so is he just playing himself? We never know because WWE also has a habit of only seeing one side of every rivalry and confrontation. How does Liv Morgan feel about ending her feud with Rhea Ripley? Despite winning a match (spoilers, by the way) Iyo Sky is never interviewed and only briefly showcased here. Moments like this are a great reminder that this is very much a heavily-skewed, controlled narrative rather than an eye-opening expose into the wrestling business from all angles. While some may enjoy what's here, it's hard to know exactly what WWE intended with releasing Unreal. It's certainly not a bad documentary, but it's not a particularly good one either. If you want some good wrestling exposes, do yourself a favour and load up YouTube instead. You'll get much better bang for your buck over there.

Hulk Hogan's estranged daughter Brooke Hogan breaks silence on wrestling father's death
Hulk Hogan's estranged daughter Brooke Hogan breaks silence on wrestling father's death

Daily Mirror

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Hulk Hogan's estranged daughter Brooke Hogan breaks silence on wrestling father's death

Following the death of wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan, his estranged daughter, Brooke Hogan, shared a heartfelt post on social media as she opened up on their pair's bond Brooke Hogan has broken her silence following the sad death of her dad, Hulk Hogan. The WWE legend died on July 24 aged 71. ‌ Now, days later, Brooke has shared a message in a touching note, despite having publicly estranged from the wrestler and her mum, Linda. In the lengthy Instagram post, Brooke wrote: "My Dearest Daddy, You were my everything, and I will always be your girl. ‌ "I am PROUD to be your daughter—for all the love, light, and goodness you brought into this world. Thank you for choosing me in this lifetime, and for loving me so deeply." ‌ She continued: "Our bond is eternal. That truth brings me comfort and hope, even in your absence. I love you more than all the stars in the sky, 4LifeAfterLife." The upload showed a sweet reel of images of the pair with Stevie Nicks' Crystal playing over the top. She further shared touching words in another post. ‌ Brooke wrote how her dad's blood "runs through my veins". She added: "His eyes shine through my children. And our bond has never broken, not even in his final moments. We had a connection deeper than words, one that spanned lifetimes. 'I am so grateful that I knew the real version of him. Not just the one the world viewed through a carefully curated lens. We shared a quiet, sacred bond, one that could be seen and felt by anyone who witnessed us together. ‌ "When he left this earth, it felt like part of my spirit left with him. I felt it before the news even reached us.' She went on to recall her favourite memories with her dad throughout her childhood. Brooke mentioned taking to jet skis while also saying they had laughed until they cried. Moving to clarify their relationship, Brooke said they had never had a "big fight". 'It was a series of private phone calls no one will ever hear, know, or understand,' she wrote. 'My father was confiding in me about issues weighing on his heart, both personal and business. ‌ "I offered to be a life raft in whatever capacity he needed. I told him he had my support. I begged him to rest, to take care of himself.' And she also confessed that she took a step back from her father, to 'protect [her] heart" in recent years. 'My husband stayed open," she said. "Quietly reaching out to my dad without me knowing, trying to find a safe way back in for me,. After my father passed, I read those messages, some answered, some all of them broke my heart.' ‌ However, she said that throughout it all she did 'everything [she] could' and would have always done anything for her father. The heartfelt message continued "He knew I would run through a burning building for him. "And in many ways, along the path of life, I did. He knows how deeply, how hard and how purely I loved him. I am at peace knowing this.' ‌ She concluded: "My world is forever changed. But I'm deeply blessed with a loving husband and two beautiful children who remind me every day of life's greatest gift. I'm deeply grateful for the love, tributes, and memorials from his fans and friends. His life was one worth celebrating—and always will be.' The post comes just months after Brooke revealed that she was estranged from her father, as well as her mother Linda. On March 26, Brooke's mum Linda shared a heartfelt Instagram story that revealed her daughter cutting ties with her eight years before. She claimed that ex-husband Hulk caused the family feud, however Brooke hit back and revealed more about the family drama. On social media at the time, Brooke explained: "I try very hard to ignore issues surrounding my family, in hopes I might have peace in my life. Sadly, I've intentionally made myself smaller in my professional career in music and TV; simply to dodge the public negativity surrounding my family that has continuously and relentlessly overshadowed anything I do. ‌ "There was a recent video posted by my Mother that was concerning enough for people to send to me, that has made me feel the need to address the tip of a very large iceberg that is my immediate family. What little I am addressing does not even scratch the surface of what I've dealt with my entire life. "I have completely separate reasons for going no contact with each of my parents. No contact with my Mom has nothing to do with my Dad, and no contact with my Father has nothing to do with my Mother.' However, she also added: "As much as I not only understand and have empathy for their own struggles, I absolutely LOVE them with every fiber of my being—which deep down I think they know. My heart hurts every day, and not a day passes it does not affect me. Inside of me, there is a little girl who desperately wants and needs her Mom and Dad."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store