WWE held a second 10-bell salute to Hulk Hogan on Monday, with the legendary wrestler's only son, Nick, taking part in the poignant tribute to his father. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, died on 24 July after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 71. He is survived by Nick, 35, and his estranged daughter Brooke, 37.
An emotional Nick was joined by his wife, Tana Lea, and a number of WWE superstars at the start of the flagship show Raw, broadcast from Detroit and streamed on Netflix. Nick could be seen wiping tears from his face during the heartfelt moment. Notable figures present included top WWE stars CM Punk, Gunther, Jey Uso, Iyo Sky and Dominik Mysterio, as well as Eric Bischoff, a close friend and former business associate of Hogan's.
Addressing the crowd, WWE's chief content officer, Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, said: 'He captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe. We would not be standing here right now – all of us together – if it was not for him.' This was the second time WWE had honoured Hogan's legacy on television; Friday's episode of SmackDown also featured a 10-bell salute and a video package narrated by Levesque.
Nick Hogan previously wrote a heartfelt tribute to his father on Instagram on 26 July. 'This has been overwhelming and extremely difficult,' he wrote alongside a carousel of images of the pair throughout the years. 'Hearing so many kind words and stories about my dad's life, interactions and experiences with everyone has been incredible and comforting.'
Remembering Hogan as the 'most incredible person I've ever known' and his 'forever hero', Nick called him the 'most kind, loving and amazing father anybody could ask for'. 'I feel so blessed to have had the greatest dad in the world,' he wrote. 'He was not only the best dad but also my mentor and my best friend.'
