Pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, known for his blond locks and mustache and his penchant for tearing away his “Hulkamania” sleeveless T-shirts before his matches, died Thursday at age 71.
TMZ first reported his death, saying paramedics responded to Hogan’s home in Clearwater, Florida, on reports of a patient suffering from cardiac arrest.
Hogan’s manager told NBC4 that he died at his home, surrounded by family.
TMZ reported last month that Hogan was seriously ill following neck surgery he underwent in May.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, was born in Georgia and skyrocketed to fame with the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1980s with his flamboyant personality that helped power a resurgence of wrestling’s popularity. He won multiple WWF championships.
A decade later, Hogan reinvented his wrestling persona, returning to the ring under the moniker Hollywood Hulk Hogan, and leading the bad-group of grapplers known as the “New World Order.”
Hogan also appeared in numerous films, including a small part in “Rocky III,” in which he tossed around Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa character in an exhibition match. His other film credits include “Mr. Nanny” and “No Holds Barred.” In 2005, he also starred in a VH1 reality program titled “Hogan Knows Best,” following him and his wife Linda and children Brooke and Nick.
Hogan was mired in controversy in later life with the leak of a 2007 sex tape in which Hogan was heard making racist comments, including the use of the N-word. The scandal tarnished Hogan’s reputation and prompted World Wrestling Entertainment to sever ties with him for several years. Hogan later sued Gawker Media over the release of the tape and was awarded $140 million by a jury in Florida.
Hogan is survived by his wife Sky and his two children.