Hulk Hogan death: Donald Trump, WWE superstars pay tribute as pro-wrestling industry in shock

Hulk Hogan, the godfather of pro-wrestling and someone who did more than a bit to make it a mainstream industry, shockingly passed away of cardiac arrest on Thursday (Jul 24). Hogan, 71, died at a Florida hospital, the local authorities and police confirmed in a social media statement. WWE, the billion-dollar entertainment business he helped build, also mourned the sudden demise of one of pop culture’s most recognisable figures and a wrestling icon on its X handle, with the US President Donald Trump, former WWE chairman Vince McMahon, current Chief Operating Officer Triple H, among countless others also paying tribute to the 'Hulkster'.

Hogan, whose off-screen name was Terry Bollea, was a wrestling phenomenon. He headlined the first-ever WrestleMania 40 years ago in 1985, teaming up with then-TV star Mr. T to take on Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. The famous Madison Square Garden (MSG) – the venue of the inaugural edition of the Showcase of the Immortals- drew an audience of around 1 million on closed-circuit television.

Hogan’s impact on pro wrestling and its rapid rise was so massive that his match against late legend Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III drew around 80,000 people at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan; however, its rematch, several months later, on free-to-air NBC, attracted a whopping 33 million viewers.

Besides main-eventing seven of the first eight WrestleMania cards, Hogan was the face and hero of the pro wrestling world, helping it dominate mainstream media with countless appearances on television talk shows and starring in Hollywood movies, including the third edition of the ‘Rocky’ franchise.

The Hulkamania, as the fans used to call Hogan, also won the WWF World Heavyweight championship six different times, including a reign of 1,474 days, with only Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund holding the belt for longer.

Hogan, however, was dealing with several health issues in recent years, including a problematic, lingering back injury from his wrestling days. Although he had not wrestled since 2012, Hogan has made several in-ring appearances, with his final TV one coming in January on WWE’s debut episode (of RAW) on Netflix. That, however, didn’t end well as the fans booed him out of the arena.

Meanwhile, his death shocked the pro wrestling world, as countless WWE superstars paid tribute on social media. Before looking at who wrote what for Hogan, here’s what Donald Trump’s message for Hogan was.

"We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way -- Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week," Trump posted on Truth Social. “He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!”

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