Hulk Hogan, legendary wrestler, has died at 71.
Real name Terry Bollea, Hogan rose to prominence as a wrestling superstar in the 1970s, eventually crossing over into superstardom as part of World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the 1980s.
The enduring image of Hogan was bodyslamming Andre the Giant in the main event of WrestleMania III.
‘Hulkamania’ ran wild all the way into the 1990s, when he found himself in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he was later reborn as the villainous ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan, leader of the infamous nWo faction. He later returned to WWE in the early 2000s, kicking off his final full-time run with the company, before signing with Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling in the mid-2000s. He made sporadic WWE appearances in the decades that followed.
Hogan was the subject of several controversies, including a racist rant caught on video and a highly publicized lawsuit vs. Gawker Media. He also gained notoriety for striking down attempts at unionization within the wrestling industry.
Still, Hogan’s superstardom exceeded the confines of the squared circle and permeated pop culture in a way few before and after have been able to accomplish.
The wrestling world paid homage to the ‘Hulkster’ following news of his death Thursday:
