Actor Sylvester Stallone and WWE champion Charlotte Flair were one of the figures to pay tribute to Hulk Hogan after the death of the wrestling icon at the age of 71.
The American – The real name Terry Bollea – died at the hospital after the doctors were called to cardiac arrest at his home at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, local authorities announced.
Nate Burnside, the officer of the Clearwater police department, said that there was no suspicious activity concerning the death of the strong man.
“Unfortunately, we must confirm that Terry Bollea, alias Hulk Hogan, died this morning,” said Bollea representative Linda Boseto, addressing CBS News.
“We have a broken heart. He was such a great human being and a human friend. ”
Hulk Hogan Death: ‘Brilliant Showman’
The imposing athlete Bollea won the first of his six titles with WWF – which would later become the phenomenal promotion successful now known as WWE – in 1984.
Two years earlier, Bollea, known for her yellow and red costume, played in the successful film Rocky III as a wrestling champion, Thunderlips, who fights the character of Stallone, Rocky.
“I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26,” said Stallone on Instagram after Bollea’s death.
“He was absolutely wonderful and his incredible competence made Rocky III incredibly special. My heart breaks. “
Hulk Hogan career
In addition to appearing in a series of actor roles, Hogan continued to enjoy an extraordinary wrestling career which included a WWF change to the Rival Society of WCW in the mid -90s, although it made the passage when WWF bought WCW in 2001 and was inducted in their Hall of Fame by Stallone in 2005.
In 2012, a Bollea sex tape was disclosed online, and he then received a payment of $ 31 million from the Gossip Gawker website in 2016, which continued $ 100 million.
In 2015, audio disclosed Bollea using extremely racist language. He apologized and called “the biggest error” comments in his life, while WWE cut bonds with him and expelled him from the renowned temple.
Bollea was reinstated in 2018 and restored a working relationship with the organization.
He continued to take an interest in vocal for politics, speaking during the National Republican Convention in 2024 to support Donald Trump’s re -election campaign.
Hulk Hogan: WWE Champ Flair pays tribute
WWE superstar and champion 14 times Flair said that her “heart breakdowns” for children in Bollea, Brooke and Nick.
“When I almost lost my father eight years ago, one of the few people who was there for everything was Hulk Hogan,” wrote Flair on social networks. “Rest in peace, brother.”
Hogan married his wife, Sky Daily, in 2023. He was previously married to Jennifer McDaniel between 2010 and 2021 and Linda Claridge between 1983 and 2009.
Images: WWE courtesy
