Legendary American wrestler Hulk Hogan, (real name Terry Gene Bollea), passed away on Thursday, July 24, following a cardiac arrest at his Florida home. He was 71. Hogan's death was confirmed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on their official X (formerly known as Twitter) handle.
In a statement, WWE remembered Hogan as "one of pop culture's most recognizable figures" and said he "helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s."
They also offered condolences to Hogan's "family, friends, and fans."
Tributes also poured in from celebrities and wrestling world personalities on social media.
Celebs remember Hulk Hogan
Actor-filmmaker Sylvester Stallone, who starred with Hogan in 1982 film Rocky III, shared an old pic of the duo and penned a heartfelt note on Instagram, that read: "I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26 years old. He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky three incredibly special. My heart breaks. I think that he’s gone…"
Actor Varun Dhawan took to his Instagram stories to re-share a post of WWE and wrote, "You inspired an entire generation Hulkster. RIP."
Arjun Kapoor also paid a tribute, resharing a post on WWE Hall of Famer's legacy. "A part of my childhood just went with you Hulkster… Thank you for the memories," he wrote.
Actress Brooke Shields shared a picture with the WWE legend, both wrestling as Kathy Griffin stood behind them. Remembering Hogan, she wrote on Instagram, "Rest easy, Hulk. This moment and his entire guest episode on ‘Suddenly Susan’ was a true highlight. Sending love to all of his loved ones today" and added a black heart emoji.
Apart from being a professional wrestler, Hogan was also an actor. He appeared in several television shows, including the sitcom Suddenly Susan alongside Brooke Shields and VH1 reality series Hogan Knows Best. He made his film debut with Rocky III, where he played Thunderlips opposite Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa. His larger-than-life persona made him a global phenomenon.
Though brief, but Hogan left a significant mark in movies and television with his roles in No Holds Barred (1989), Mr. Nanny (1993), Thunder in Paradise (1994), and Santa With Muscles (1996), among others.
