Hulk Hogan gone at 71

Spoilt his reputation by supporting that nonce in the White House

 

I suspect a quick Google will probably give an insight.

To be honest, I thought he'd have died a long time ago given the steroid regime of the WWF and how many wrestlers died far younger than they would have otherwise done.

 

He's comfortably the most recognisable name in the industry. Ring work aside, I doubt there's anyone sold more tickets than Hulk. Certainly in the 80s and 90s, few people put as many eyes on wrestling than Hogan.

 

The purpose of professional wrestling is to tell a story, engage the audience, and—most importantly—draw money.

Hulk Hogan did all three at a level and for a timespan that few, if any, have ever matched.

Even those who had issues with him acknowledge his impact. The Undertaker once referred to him as the “golden goose.”

If you watch early footage, Hogan was a perfectly capable wrestler—not spectacular, but competent. His run in the WWF up to around WrestleMania VII remains unparalleled in terms of drawing power and cultural influence.

Then came his shocking heel turn in WCW—one of the most significant moments in wrestling history—and a legendary run with the NWO that’s still talked about today.

Years later, returning to WWF, he was booked as a heel against The Rock. The crowd refused to boo him. What followed was a match filled with crowd interaction and energy you just don’t see anymore.

Was he the greatest technical wrestler of all time? No, and that’s fine.

Because in professional wrestling, technical ability isn’t the only measure of in-ring greatness. Hogan was the biggest name in the history of the sport—for doing what? Wrestling in a ring.

 

You know it's rigged and effectively acrobatic acting on steroids (literally), right?

 

One of the best moments in wrestling history.

 

Films aren’t real either. Or TV shows. Yet I love lots of them as well.

 

Next you'll be telling me Jurassic Park isn't real.

 

Oh my God really? I never knew!

Next you be telling me movies arent real!

I think my first paragraph acknowledges that.
That doesn't mean being successful in wrestling doesn't take skill.

 

I’ve never had any interest in it but you could argue it’s no different from watching a soap which millions do.

 

Correct attitude sir.
Moreover its a soap where the stars put there bodies and health on the line week after week in the name of entertainment.

 

A tricky one this.

On the one hand he was the biggest name in wrestling for decades and built a character that entertained millions. On the other hand the many stories of how he lied and abused his power to pull other upcoming wrestlers down which actually harmed the industry in the long run is something that many casual wrestling fans aren't aware of.

Outside of the ring he was a disgusting piece of ****. Recorded multiple times spouting disgraceful racism from the time he was recorded saying about his own daughter that "if she was going to f–k some n—-r, I’d rather have her marry an 8-foot-tall n—-r worth a hundred million dollars! Like a basketball player! I guess we’re all a little racist. F–king n—-r." to when his main concern after his son left someone brain dead in a drunk car accident was that regarding reincarnation and karma, "I hope we don't come back as black guys" right through to recently when he asked if Kamala Harris was a chameleon or Indian before saying "how" in a mocking tone and saying he wants to bodyslam her.
He's also been recorded making homophobic comments and abusing someone for being gay.

Oh and he campaigned for trump and referred to him as his hero.

So in my opinion the world is better without someone like him in it and wrestling is better without someone like him around tarnishing it's name but my childhood memories didn't care about that, they just cared about the entertainment. Rip hulk hogan, burn in hell Terry Bollea

 

So Hulk Hogan is dead
Obviously the Creedence Clearwater Revival didn't work
Pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital
Cardiac arrest

 

Suppose for people like us its a case of separating our child hero from the man who outgrew him.

I choose to remember the Hulkster and all the joy that brought me as a child.
I'll forgive the man he became or showed us, not because he deserves it but for myself.

 

Can't argue with that to be fair. I still have the VHS "Hulk Hogan's greatest matches" under my bed I think which I bought when I was 8 years old.

The strange thing about him as a wrestler is he was actually awful. Well ok I saw what you said about him actually being quite good before he joined WWF and was a totally different style of wrestler, but the hulk hogan we remember was awful. Extremely limited moves, unrealistic, badly acted and well, awful. But at the time it seemed brilliant.
One thing I'm really glad about is that him and the ultimate warrior got to meet and make up before their deaths. In fact just 1 day before warrior died if memory serves me correctly.

 

Imperial Leather for me, or Palmolive.

 

It's a bit gay isn't it? Stripping down to your pants, applying the bronzer, getting the sprayer out so you look all hot and sweaty, then rolling about on the floor with another man in a choreographed dance, bodies entwined, rubbing up against your opponent. I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with being gay, but it's just for men who like hot man on man action isn't it?

 

Yes.

 

Give me Leon Arris any day of the week.

 

Hogan, through a mix of instinct, luck, and hard-earned skill, learned how to work a crowd like few ever have. In a pre-Internet world, where fans couldn’t fact-check or rewatch clips endlessly, he was able to repeat the same formulaic routine for years—and make it feel fresh every time. That approach wouldn’t work today, but back then, he was a pioneer. He didn’t just succeed in wrestling—he helped bring it into the mainstream.

I don’t disagree when people criticise his actual in-ring ability. In many ways, it’s baffling that he pulled it off at all. But he did—and in doing so, became larger than life.

Of course, some of the things that came to light about him later are indefensible. I wouldn’t try to excuse them. And yes, supporting Trump wasn’t even the worst of it.

But I also won’t pretend I wasn’t a Hulkamaniac once. Wrestling in the living room with my brother, my mum shouting at us to stop before we broke something—those are memories I’ll always hold dear. Moments like that don’t come again.

It’s complicated. It’s conflicted. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little heartbroken. A part of my childhood is gone.