Hulk Hogan Dead at 71: Wrestling's Complicated Icon

Pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71.

TMZ reported that the iconic superstar, whose real name is Terry Bollea, passed away this morning in his Clearwater, Florida home. Medics were reportedly called for a cardiac arrest.

For a generation of fans, Hulk Hogan was professional wrestling. His rise in the 1980s, under Vince McMahon in the WWE, created an unprecedented boom in the industry.

Hulk Hogan's Ascent to Fame

"Hulkamania" was a cultural phenomenon, with Hogan, clad in his signature yellow and red, urging his "Hulkamaniacs" to train, say their prayers, and eat their vitamins. He was the quintessential American hero, overcoming monstrous villains and holding the WWE Championship for years.

In the mid-90s, Hogan shocked the world by leaving WWE for its rival, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). While his initial run as a babyface was met with diminishing returns, he orchestrated one of the most pivotal moments in wrestling history at Bash at the Beach 1996.

He turned his back on the fans, revealing himself as the third man alongside The Outsiders, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, to form the New World Order (nWo). This villainous turn completely revitalized his career, created the industry's hottest angle, and launched the "Monday Night Wars," a ratings battle between WWE Raw and WCW Monday Nitro that is remembered as the second golden era of wrestling.

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Hulk Hogan Controversies

However, in his later years, Hogan's heroic image was shattered.

Leaked tapes captured him having sex with the wife of his then-best friend, radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge.

Even more damaging were recordings from that tape where he was heard on an expletive-laden, racist tirade about his daughter Brooke Hogan's then-boyfriend, who is Black. He was quoted as saying, "I mean, I don't have double standards. I mean, I am a racist, to a point, f—ing n—s," adding shortly after, "I guess we're all a little racist. F—ing n—er."

In the aftermath, Hogan never issued a direct apology for the words themselves. Instead, he chose to focus his public statements on warning others about the dangers of being filmed without one's consent, leading many to feel he never took full accountability for his bigoted language.

The publication of the footage by the website Gawker led to a monumental lawsuit that tested the boundaries of free speech and the right to privacy.

Hogan sued Gawker for invasion of privacy and ultimately won a staggering $140 million judgment that bankrupted the media company.

In a stunning twist, it was later revealed that Hogan's lawsuit had been secretly bankrolled by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel. Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal, had a personal vendetta against Gawker after one of its subsidiary sites outed him as gay years prior. Thiel's secret funding of the case was seen as a form of revenge, using Hogan's suit to finally bring down the company that had wronged him.

Hulk Hogan in Recent Years

Recently, Hogan had remained in the public eye. He was seen on the campaign trail for Donald Trump and was actively promoting his new "Real American Beer."

He had also just announced the formation of a new freestyle wrestling league.