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WWE legend Hulk Hogan died of natural causes and no drugs or foul play were detected, police in Florida revealed in a report.
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, died in Clearwater after reportedly suffering a possible “cardiac arrest.” Word of Hogan’s death came weeks after he was said to be suffering a health crisis. But his wife, Sky, dismissed those rumours, saying he was “strong” and recovering from operations.
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Dennis Rodman poses with Hulk Hogan during the WCW Bash on the Beach at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., on July 13, 1997. (WWE via Getty Images)
“After an exhaustive review of the statements, medical records, surveillance footage from inside the residence and a visual inspection of Mr. Bollea’s body, there has been no evidence to suggest that Terry Bollea’s death was anything but natural,” Hogan’s death report read. “During the course of the investigation, there has been no evidence to suggest any criminal wrongdoing in connection with his death. This case will be closed and will be considered resolved, non-criminal.”
The report also cited a medical examiner’s determination from an autopsy in August that Hogan died “solely of compelling natural disease, with no reasonable traumatic or terminal toxicological contribution.”
Hogan died on July 24, 2025, aged 71.
He got his start in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) in the late 1970s before eventually joining the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979. However, it wasn’t until his return to the WWF, now WWE, that he truly became the superstar that fans came to know.
Vince McMahon had bought the WWF from his father and selected Hogan to be the company’s main attraction. He began wrestling as a babyface when he saved Bob Backlund from an attack by the Wild Samoans. “Hulkamania” became the rage from there.
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Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan flexes his muscles during the WWE Crown Jewel pay-per-view at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 2, 2018. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP)
Hogan required his followers to exercise, say their prayers and eat their vitamins. As his catchphrase and personality caught on, Hogan began one of his most famous feuds with Andre the Giant. The rivalry culminated in an epic match at WrestleMania III, when Hogan, the champion, faced off against the so-called “undefeated” champion.
Hogan was seen picking up the 520-pound behemoth and slamming him to the ground. The move was dubbed “the bodyslam heard around the world” and became the calling card for WWE promotional events in the future.
He would go on to have classic rivalries against Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Earthquake, Yokozuna and the Honky Tonk Man. Leaving the WWF, Hogan would later rebrand himself and kick off another wild six years where he was on top of the wrestling world.
World Championship Wrestling (WCW) brought over WWF stars Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in a shrewd move. The two branded themselves The Outsiders and teased that they were working with a third man.
Nash and Hall took on Savage, Sting and Lex Luger at Bash at the Beach in 1996. Hogan came out towards the end of the match to a huge pop. Commentator Bobby “The Brain” Heenan famously wondered on the broadcast which side Hogan was on. Sure enough, Hogan delivered a leg drop on Savage and changed the professional wrestling world forever.
Hogan’s new faction would be dubbed the New World Order, and the storyline would allow WCW to control the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks.
Hogan would later return to WWE after the company bought WCW for another run and had a dream match against The Rock. He had a four-year run with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and would make sporadic appearances in WWE after that.
Hollywood Hulk Hogan chokes Utah Jazz basketball star Karl Malone during a pay-per-view wrestling match in San Diego on July 12, 1998. (Lenny Ignelzi/AP Photo)
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He was a six-time WWE Champion, won the Royal Rumble twice, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as an individual in 2005 and as a member of the NWO in 2020. He was also a six-time World Heavyweight Champion in WCW as well as a one-time IWGP Champion in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
He left an indelible legacy on pro wrestling.
