Hulk Hogan, the iconic professional wrestler who transformed sports entertainment into a global phenomenon, has died at the age of 71. Born Terry Gene Bollea in Georgia in 1953, Hogan's larger-than-life persona and trademark red and yellow attire made him a household name.
Hogan's career began in 1976 after being scouted by the Brisco brothers, but his first training session nearly ended it when Hiro Matsuda broke his leg. He returned to the ring 10 weeks later and eventually joined the WWF (now WWE) full-time in 1983. He won his first WWF championship from The Iron Sheik in 1984, sparking the 'Hulkamania' craze.
He headlined multiple WrestleManias, including WrestleMania III, where he body-slammed Andre the Giant before 80,000 fans. Hogan also found success in Hollywood, appearing in films like 'Rocky III' and 'Suburban Commando', and starring in the reality show 'Hogan Knows Best'.
In the mid-1990s, Hogan left WWF for WCW, where he formed the villainous New World Order (nWo) with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. This helped WCW challenge WWF's dominance during the 'Monday Night Wars'. After WCW was bought by WWF in 2001, Hogan returned to the company and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
Despite controversies and poor business decisions in his later years, Hogan's impact on wrestling is undeniable. He is survived by his family, including his daughter Brooke Hogan.
