Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan dies at 71, leaving legacy beyond the ring
ALBAWABA- Wrestling legend and global pop culture icon Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71, marking the end of one of the most influential careers in professional wrestling history. Also Read Thai airstrikes kill 12 Cambodians in escalating border clash
Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan passed away early Thursday morning at his home in Clearwater, Florida, following a cardiac arrest.
Hogan rose to superstardom in the 1980s, transforming the landscape of professional wrestling with his charismatic presence, unmatched showmanship, and signature catchphrase. — I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) July 24, 2025
Donning his iconic yellow and red attire, Hogan became the face of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) after joining in 1983. Under the direction of Vince McMahon, Hogan's all-American persona and raw strength helped launch wrestling from a niche regional sport into a global entertainment phenomenon.
His 1984 championship victory over The Iron Sheik ignited the 'Hulkamania' craze, with Hogan holding the title for a then-record 1,474 days.
Perhaps his most legendary moment came at WrestleMania III in 1987, where he body-slammed the 520-pound André the Giant before over 93,000 fans in what remains one of the most iconic events in wrestling history.
In a bold career pivot, Hogan shocked fans in 1996 by turning heel and forming the New World Order (nWo) with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
This move not only revitalized his career but helped usher in a new, edgier era of pro wrestling. Hogan would later be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, once individually in 2005 and again in 2020 as a member of nWo.
Hogan's appeal extended well beyond the ring. He starred in Hollywood films like Rocky III (1982), No Holds Barred (1989), and Suburban Commando (1991). In the 2000s, he became a reality TV star with VH1's "Hogan Knows Best", which offered fans a glimpse into his family life and further cemented his status as a pop culture fixture. Also Read Turkey unveils hypersonic ballistic missile TAYFUN Block-4
His personal life, however, was often marred by public controversy. Hogan was married three times, most recently to Sky Daily in 2023.
In 2015, he was removed from the WWE Hall of Fame after a leaked transcript revealed racist remarks. He later won a major lawsuit against Gawker Media for publishing a sex tape and was eventually reinstated into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
Even in recent years, Hogan stayed active in public life. He appeared at the 2024 Republican National Convention, launched a new amateur wrestling league called Real American Freestyle, and continued to engage with fans and media.
© 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Bawaba
3 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Trump responds to Sydney Sweeney's 'Great Jeans' Ad and her Republican stance
ALBAWABA - In a new short interview, US President Donald Trump responded to the controversial Sydney Sweeney "Great Jeans" American Eagle ad campaign after the reporter asked him about the popular actress's political party. Also Read Sydney Sweeney 'Great Jeans' Ad slammed as tone-deaf and racist The reporter said, as shared by Rapid Response 47 on X (formerly known as Twitter), "Actress Sydney Sweeney, it came out this weekend that she's a registered Republican." Trump responded, "You'd be surprised at how many people are Republicans ... I'm glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic!" Sydney Sweeney joins the TRUMP Train 🚂💨 — TrumpMeme (@GetTrumpMemes) August 4, 2025 The American Eagle ad campaign, featuring the slogan "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," stirred controversy on social media, with many users pointing out the reported misintended racist meaning behind it and its link to eugenics. A social media user wrote, "I don't like the Sydney Sweeney jeans ad; it makes me wonder why we're promoting eugenics when the country is in such bad shape. NO, I don't want your genes." Another added, "Maybe I'm too f*cking woke, but getting a blonde, blue-eyed white woman and basing your campaign on the idea that she has perfect genes seems strange, especially given how things are in America right now." The ad campaign was also used to raise money and awareness for a domestic violence organization by incorporating a Crisis Text Line into it. However, many social media users deemed the ad tone-deaf due to Sweeney's revealing outfit. An X user wrote, "Can't believe she even has to oversexualize domestic violence..."
Al Bawaba
4 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Pope Leo enjoys a bite of America: Famous Chicago Pizza reaches the Vatican
Published August 3rd, 2025 - 07:33 GMT ALBAWABA - Pope Leo XIV has received a special gift that reminded him of his hometown, Chicago, while he was in the Vatican on Wednesday. A video circulated on social media showing Pope Leo riding in a vehicle, making his way through a crowd, but he stopped to get a pizza box. In the footage, the Pope was inside his Vatican car when he stopped after spotting a familiar pizza box with the restaurant's logo reading "Aurelio's Pizza". — Chito & Bob (@danthelions_) August 1, 2025 Madeline Daley, 22, from Cincinnati, Ohio, made all the way from the United States to deliver the pizza, and shared the clip with NBC News. "When Pope Leo came around, he kept grabbing babies to bless them, but as soon as he saw the pizza, he had babies in his hand, but he's still saying, like, 'Get me that pizza, I want that pizza,'" she said in a video interview. It is worth noting that Pope Leo XIV got a pie from Aurelio's, a Chicagoland pie which is the former Cardinal Robert Prevost's favorite treat. Pope Leo is the first American leader of the world's Catholics. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Al Bawaba
4 days ago
- Al Bawaba
How much did Matt Rife buy 'The Conjuring' house and Annabelle for?
ALBAWABA - Popular American comedian Matt Rife has gone viral on social media after revealing that he and YouTuber Elton Castee purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren's home and its museum, best known for its appearance in the award-winning horror franchise, The Conjuring. The horror franchise also introduced the audience to a specific possessed doll called Annabelle, which Rife also acquired with the purchase. This sparked concern on social media among fans who watched the horrifying franchise, and while exaggerated in the movies, the Warren family and Annabelle did exist in real life. Paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren passed away in 2019 at 92, while her husband, Ed Warren, passed away in 2006 at 76. Concerns erupted due to recent news that a paranormal researcher named Dan Rivera died on tour while in possession of the demonic Annabelle doll in July. Rivera passed away inside a hotel room in Pennsylvania, as local police ruled out his death as "natural," calling no foul play after investigating. How much did Matt Rife buy 'The Conjuring' house and Annabelle for? Matt Rife buys 'The Conjuring' house and the Annabelle doll INSANE ANNOUNCEMENT 😍🤯😈👹 I have officially purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren's home and Occult Museum, including being the legal guardian for at least the next 5 years, of the entire haunted collection including THE ANNABELLE DOLL, with my good friend @EltonCastee!! If you… — Matt Rife (@mattrife) August 1, 2025 To celebrate his purchase, Matt Rife took to social media and wrote, "I have officially purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren's home and Occult Museum, including being the legal guardian for at least the next 5 years, of the entire haunted collection, including THE ANNABELLE DOLL, with my good friend @eltoncastee!! If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with the paranormal and all things haunted." He added, "We plan to open the house for overnight stays and museum tours so you yourself can experience and learn all the haunted history surrounding this amazing place." How much did it cost the US comedian? Rife didn't reveal the amount he paid for the purchase, but according to several reports circulating on social media, the Connecticut house's price ranges between $550,000 and $680,000, excluding the artefacts left behind by the Warren family.
