The cause of death for wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has now been confirmed, one week after his unexpected passing at the age of 71.
Hulk Hogan, the wrestling legend who body-slammed his way into pop culture history, passed away on July 24 at the age of 71. And now, just one week after the world was rocked by the news, his cause of death has been confirmed: acute myocardial infarction. A heart attack.
The man whose real name was Terry Bollea didn’t just define an era of wrestling. He was the era. From the bleach-blonde hair to the ripped tank tops and booming catchphrases, Hogan was more than a WWE icon. He was a household name, the guy your dad watched on Saturday mornings and the guy your older brother imitated in backyard matches gone wrong.
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But behind the red and yellow, the Hulkamania headbands and the larger-than-life persona, Hogan was fighting battles no one really saw. According to medical records, the Hall of Famer had been quietly living with leukemia and atrial fibrillation, the latter a condition that causes irregular heartbeats and can dramatically increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke. The leukemia? That was news to just about everyone, too.
First responders were called to Hogan’s Clearwater Beach, Florida home just before 10 a.m. on July 24. He had gone into cardiac arrest. Medics reportedly tried to revive him for 30 minutes before transporting him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
WWE issued a statement mourning one of its biggest stars, calling him “one of pop culture’s most recognizable figures.” And that’s not even hyperbole. Hulk Hogan didn’t just put butts in seats. He helped turn wrestling into a global entertainment juggernaut.
The tributes came pouring in. Ric Flair, his longtime friend and in-ring rival, said he was “absolutely shocked.” Jimmy Hart, Hogan’s longtime manager and friend, told PEOPLE that he’d just spoken to Hogan the night before his passing, upbeat, hopeful, and still very much the Hulk.
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“It just hits so fast,” Hart said. “We thought he was doing so well.”
Eric Bischoff, another longtime friend, echoed that heartbreak on his podcast. He said Hogan was “kind of embarrassed” to be seen in those final days, not wanting anyone to witness him in a weakened state. Bischoff recalled their final conversation, noting how much effort it took Hogan just to talk. But even then, the man was still himself. Still the Hulk.
It’s impossible to overstate what Hogan meant to wrestling. He was the face of WWE during its biggest boom, the guy who helped bring wrestling from smoky gyms to sold-out stadiums. But his legacy, like many larger-than-life figures, was complicated.
In the final decade of his life, Hogan was no stranger to controversy. A leaked sex tape, racist remarks, lawsuits, and, most recently, his vocal support of Donald Trump at the 2024 RNC. But whether people loved him or turned their back on him, his name always stayed in the conversation. That’s how big it was.
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At the time of his passing, Hogan was married to Sky Daily, who called his death sudden and heartbreaking. He is survived by her, his two ex-wives, Linda Hogan and Jennifer McDaniel, and his children, Brooke and Nick Hogan.
A man who once boasted of having 24-inch pythons is now gone, but the shadow he cast on wrestling will never fade. Hulk Hogan was complicated, iconic, beloved, and sometimes reviled, but he was never boring.
And in the squared circle or in the middle of a cultural firestorm, one thing’s for sure, there will never be another Hulk Hogan.
