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Winnipeg Free Press
a minute ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Actor Lou Diamond Phillips added to Winnipeg Comiccon roster
Actors Lou Diamond Phillips, Ron Perlman and wrestler Sting have been added to the lineup of Winnipeg Comiccon 2025. Phillips and Perlman are both veteran actors with numerous movie and television appearances to their names. Phillips starred in La Bamba, Young Guns and Longmire, among others, while Perlman made his name in series such as Beauty and the Beast and Sons of Anarchy, along with playing the title role in the Hellboy movies. Sting started wrestling in 1985 and officially retired last year. He is best known for his time in the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) leagues and held more than two dozen championship titles during his career. Winnipeg Comiccon's Artist Alley will feature Jim Starlin (Dreadstar, Batman: A Death in the Family), Brianna June (Archie) and John Gallagher (Baldur's Gate series, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic) and more still to be announced. This year's convention is Oct. 24-26 at the RBC Convention Centre. Tickets range from $70 for a three-day pass to $215 for VIP access at Winnipeg Comiccon was launched in 2019 and includes a market, artist appearances, celebrity interviews and autograph sessions. — staff
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Ric Flair Makes Heartbreaking Confession Following Hulk Hogan's Death
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The recent passing of Hulk Hogan has forced his greatest rival, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, to confront his own mortality. In a candid and emotional new interview, the WWE Hall of Famer admitted to having growing fears that his own time could be running out. The world of professional wrestling was stunned last week when it was revealed that Hogan had passed away at the age of 71. In the days since, Flair, one of Hogan's closest contemporaries, shared his thoughts on the loss and his own life. "I think he just got tired. 11 back operations, hip replacements, now a neck surgery... How much can your body take? We've all put ourselves in ridiculous positions in the business, but I mean, I'm 5 years older than Hulk, and I don't hurt at all. I've had some serious health… — Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 28, 2025 "Anxiety That I Could Be Next" Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ric Flair reflected on the immense physical toll that a long career took on his friend. He believes the cumulative effect of dozens of surgeries is what ultimately wore down the legendary star. "I think he just got tired. Eleven back operations, hip replacements, and now a neck surgery. I mean, how much can your body take?" he said. Flair then turned to his own health. He noted the irony that despite his own serious health battles, he feels physically great, which now gives him a strange sense of unease. "Here I am, and I'm five years older than Hulk, and I don't have an ache or pain in my body," Flair said. "It bothers me, and of course, it gives me anxiety that I could be next." Ric Flair speaks onstage at The Roast of Ric Flair at Nashville Fairgrounds on July 29, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. Ric Flair speaks onstage at The Roast of Ric Flair at Nashville Fairgrounds on July 29, 2022 in Nashville, Two Pillars Of An Era For decades, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan were the two biggest and most defining stars in professional wrestling. Flair was the multi-time NWA and WCW World Champion, the "Nature Boy" who represented swagger and technical excellence. Hogan was the larger-than-life WWE Champion, the face of the global "Hulkamania" phenomenon. Their rivalry defined an entire generation of wrestling, and their real-life friendship was a complex bond between the only two men who understood the pressure of being at the top of the industry for so long. A Lifetime Of Defying The Odds Flair's anxiety is particularly poignant given his own incredible history of surviving near-death experiences. In 1975, a plane crash broke his back, and doctors told him he would never wrestle again. In 2017, he was placed in a medically induced coma and given a slim chance of survival after suffering from kidney failure. He has also successfully battled skin cancer twice. Having defied the odds so many times himself, Flair's comments are a raw and honest look at a legend grappling with the loss of a peer. It is a reminder that behind the larger-than-life characters are real people dealing with grief and the realities of aging, and that even "The Nature Boy" is humbled by the fragility of life.
Pink Villa
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
When Jay Leno Fought Hulk Hogan: The Bizarre 1998 Wrestling Match That Shook Late-Night TV
Wrestling fans and late-night viewers are looking back at a strange crossover moment from 1998, when Hulk Hogan and Jay Leno actually faced off in a professional wrestling match. Following the death of Hulk Hogan at age 71 on Thursday, one of the wildest moments from his career is being talked about again: the time he wrestled Jay Leno at WCW's Road Wild. From the Tonight Show to the wrestling ring Jay Leno, then host of The Tonight Show, took a break from his monologue duties to enter the wrestling ring. He teamed up with WCW star Diamond Dallas Page to face off against Hulk Hogan and WCW president Eric Bischoff. The tag-team match took place in August 1998 during the WCW Road Wild event in Sturgis, South Dakota. The idea began when Tonight Show executive producer Gary Considine reached out to Bischoff, saying, 'Jay wanted in.' Bischoff flew to L.A. to meet with Leno. 'Jay was so down to earth, the nicest guy you ever, ever wanna meet,' Bischoff said in a 2020 episode of his 83 Weeks podcast. Here's how the match was set up With only six weeks until the event, Bischoff pitched a fast-moving storyline. On WCW's Monday Nitro, Bischoff insulted Leno. On The Tonight Show, Leno mocked Hogan with a lookalike. The storyline escalated when Hogan crashed The Tonight Show set and threw Leno and bandleader Kevin Eubanks off stage. Leno responded the next night, bringing out Diamond Dallas Page and security, and the match was officially set. 'We told Jay, don't smile, don't wink at the camera,' Bischoff said. 'Play it completely straight or the whole thing falls apart.' Jay Leno trained in a tucked-in T-shirt and sweatpants for his in-ring appearance. During the match, he managed to land a low blow and hit some turnbuckle moves. In a surprising twist, Leno pinned Bischoff for the win. WCW star Goldberg joined them in the post-match celebration. While the moment is now a fun piece of nostalgia, the pay-per-view didn't perform well. WCW's Road Wild 1998 drew just 360,000 buys, far below its top event, Starrcade 1997, which got 700,000.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
WWE honors Hulk Hogan with another tribute on Monday Night Raw
WWE continues to pay tribute to one of its icons, Hulk Hogan. The wrestling company honored Hogan at the start of Monday Night Raw on July 28 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, four days after his death. The Raw roster came out in the arena to kick off the show, with WWE chief content officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque speaking about Hogan's impact of wrestling. "We lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world. A man I grew up watching was fortunate enough to share the ring with and like so many of us were honored to call a friend," Levesque said. "He captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe. We would not be standing here right now, all of us together, if it was not for him." The honorary 10-bell salute then rang as people in the crowd held up signs and chanted Hogan. Also with the roster was Hogan's son, Nick, and longtime friend and WCW collaborator Eric Bischoff. WWE Raw begins with a 10-bell salute for the legendary WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan. A tribute video also played highlighting the biggest moments of his Hogan's career, along with other moments outside of the ring. WWE remembers the legendary WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan with a special video tribute.🎧 'Ordinary' by @alexwaaren It was the second tribute for Hogan after one was done at Friday Night SmackDown on July 25, the day after his death. Hogan died at the age of 71 after he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. Considered one of the biggest wrestling stars in history, he was a six-time WWE Champion and inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, in 2005 for himself and in 2020 as part of the New World Order.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cowboys Legend Mourns Passing of 'Friend' Hulk Hogan
Cowboys Legend Mourns Passing of 'Friend' Hulk Hogan originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO — Many were saddened by the sudden death of wrestling and pop culture icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea on Thursday. Popular musicians, movie stars, athletes and influencers took to social media almost immediately following the news to discuss memories and sadness of Bollea's passing. Dallas Cowboys legendary quarterback, broadcaster and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman was no exception. "From a fan to a friend—working with Hulk Hogan for a few years was a thrill and a privilege. He was every bit the showman and entertainer we all grew up watching. Rest in peace, Hulk," Aikman posted on his X account. Hogan helped make wrestling one of the most popular sports of the 1980s and was a significant piece of turning it into a national pastime. Before Hogan's popularity, wrestling in the United States was largely regionalized. But WWF and Hogan changed all that. Hogan headlined eight of the first nine WrestleManias and helped turn WCW into a global brand in the 1990s. "Wrestling as we know it was built on Hulk Hogan. Sure, there were other superstars before him, but Hogan was the first, by my estimation, to be over, worldwide," said wrestling insider Colby Sapp of The Colby Sapp & IndyCarTim Show. "He might have had his troubles, but it doesn't change how many of us ate our vitamins and said our prayers because of him. "They call John Cena the G.O.A.T. right now. I think the greatest of all time is the one who just passed away. Was he a great human? There are stories out there. ... Was he possibly the greatest to ever slap on the gear? Yup!" During the height of his popularity in the 90s, Hogan collaborated with several top athletes — including Aikman — in commercials and other entertainment ventures. Aikman and Hogan headlined several Rent-A-Center commercials, and the two quickly became friends. Aikman was the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 and formed one-third of the 1990s "triplets" in Dallas alongside wideout Michael Irvin and running back Emmitt Smith. Those Cowboys were the first team to win three Super Bowls in four seasons and were one of the top franchises of the decade. Aikman retired after the 2000 season, ending his career early due to concussions and injuries. Hogan went on to wrestle in the WWE after returning in 2002 and made appearances for the company over the past 20 years. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
