Retired WWE legend and ‘80s icon Terry Gene Bollea a.k.a. Hulk Hogan has died at 71.

The wrestling icon’s family confirmed with US Weekly that the entertainment star and athlete passed away earlier today. TMZ Sports, which was first to report the news, said that medics were called to his Clearwater, Florida home this morning. Audio from operators at the time signals the call was related to “cardiac arrest,” but a formal cause of death has not been revealed.

TMZ says it understands that police vehicles and EMTs were parked outside of Hogan’s residence and that the former wrestler was carried onto a stretcher and into an ambulance. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Hogan’s death follows rumours he was on his “deathbed” last month following work done on his neck and back. Authorities are said to provide additional details at a press conference later today.

The Hulkmania figurehead broke onto the wrestling scene in 1983 with what was then reffered to as the WWF. He spent the next decade securing his status as a household name, thanks both to his performance in the ring and his iconic bandana and mustache style. With matchups against legends like Andre The Giant, Ric Flair, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and many more under his belt, Hogan was intitally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He then retired in 2012.

“One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s,” a message from the official WWE X/Twitter account says.

“WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”

WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away.

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.

— WWE (@WWE) July 24, 2025

As Hogan’s theatrics brought him to screens across the U.S., his career as a wrestler quickly saw him explode onto other mediums. TV fans no doubt remember his appearance on the action-focused The A-Team and Baywatch, with his entertainment resume also including cameos in Gremlins 2: The New Batch and Rocky 3.

Public perception of Hogan and his wrestling career was then marred in the 2010s. It began when Gawker published a notorious sex tape, which showed the star with Heather Clem, the wife of his friend Bubba the Love Sponge, in 2012. The infamous event led Hogan to sue Gawker, an action which eventually awarded him a total of $140 million and resulted in the company filling for bankruptcy shortly after. A movie, Killing Gawker, covering the scandal from Air and Good Will Hunting collaborators Ben Affleck and Matt Damon was reported on last year, with Affleck rumoured to play the WWE star.

A 2007 video of Hogan using a racial slur and saying other racist comments was also published on the internet in 2015, resulting in backlash from fans and non-fans alike. The incident resulted in the WWE removing Hogan from its Hall of Fame, though he rejoined the wrestling company in 2018 and was reinstated to the Hall of Fame. He was inducted a second time in 2020 via his New World Order (nWo) group but remained a controversial figure through to today.

A movie starring Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and directed by Todd Phillips (Joker) was announced and planned to cover Bollea’s life in the form of a Hulk Hogan biopic but never materialized. Other WWE stars have already taken to social media to share their condolensces following Hogan’s passing.

Hulk Hogan was a true legend. I was fortunate to work with him a couple of times, including this memorable one. It was easy to do a Hulkster impersonation when, like millions of guys my age, I’d practiced it in the mirror a thousand times growing up. #RIPHULKHOGAN pic.twitter.com/h7Un65D7KD

— Kane (@KaneWWE) July 24, 2025

WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring … and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea.

He was the archetype of what it meant to be a “Superstar” – a global sensation that inspired millions to work… pic.twitter.com/wXpgFvAhHA

— Triple H (@TripleH) July 24, 2025

I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend @HulkHogan! Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When… pic.twitter.com/rOWLakMjr4

— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) July 24, 2025

The legendary Hulk Hogan ❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/3daG7IDznf

— WWE (@WWE) July 24, 2025

Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).