Hulk Hogan

Terry Gene Bollea (/bəˈleɪə/; August 11, 1953 – July 24, 2025), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, was an American professional wrestler and media personality. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and globally most recognized wrestling stars of all time, Hogan won multiple championships worldwide, most notably being a six-time WWF/WWE Champion. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Hogan also competed in promotions such as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Known for his showmanship, large physique, and trademark blond American Fu Manchu moustache and bandanas, Hogan began training in 1977 with Championship Wrestling from Florida and achieved global stardom after joining the WWF in 1983. His heroic, all-American persona helped usher in the 1980s professional wrestling boom, during which he headlined eight of the first nine editions of WWF's flagship annual event WrestleMania and regularly headlined Saturday Night's Main Event. His first reign as WWF Champion lasted 1,474 days—the third-longest in the title's history—and he became the first wrestler to win back-to-back Royal Rumbles in 1990 and 1991.

In 1994, Hogan joined WCW and won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times. His reinvention as the villainous Hollywood Hogan and leadership of the New World Order (nWo) revitalized his career and significantly contributed to the success of the "Monday Night War" wrestling boom of the late 1990s, including three headline appearances at Starrcade. Hogan returned to WWF in 2002—after WWF acquired WCW—winning the Undisputed WWF Championship for a then-record-equalling sixth reign before departing in 2003. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and a second time in 2020 as part of the nWo.

Outside wrestling, Hogan appeared in films such as Rocky III (1982), No Holds Barred (1989), and Suburban Commando (1991), and starred in television shows including Thunder in Paradise and Hogan Knows Best. He also fronted the Wrestling Boot Band; their sole record, Hulk Rules, reached number 12 on the Billboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995.

Several controversies damaged Hogan's public image. In 1994, he acknowledged using anabolic steroids dating back to 1976 and admitted to discouraging efforts to unionize professional wrestlers. In 2012, the internet media company Gawker published portions of a sex tape, which later had portions leak in which Hogan was heard using racial slurs and openly admitting to being racist. Hogan sued Gawker, which was found liable and subsequently declared bankruptcy. Despite this legal victory, Hogan's reputation was tarnished, a view reflected in the mixed public reaction to his death in 2025.