Hulk Hogan—the iconic WWE superstar, known off-stage as Terry Bollea—has died at 71.
According to TMZ, paramedics responded to his Clearwater, Florida, home early Thursday morning, July 24, after a call came in about a suspected cardiac arrest. Details are still emerging.
How did Hulk Hogan die?
Emergency crews arrived at Hogan’s house on July 24 after dispatchers received a report of possible heart trouble—described as a “cardiac arrest” on the call. Police and EMTs were seen outside the property as Hogan was taken out on a stretcher and transported to the hospital.
Before this, Hogan’s wife, Sky, had tried to clear up rumours, denying claims that he was in a coma and insisting his heart was strong as he recovered from recent surgery.
Speculation about Hogan’s health had been swirling for weeks. Just last month, sources dismissed talk of him being near death, saying he was simply dealing with complications after neck surgery in May.
Hulk Hogan’s ‘Rocky III’ Role Got Him Fired From WWF
Hulk Hogan’s leap from wrestling fame to the silver screen started with his role as Thunderlips in 1982’s Rocky III—and, honestly, it almost cost him everything.
The wrestling world back then? It was strict. Vince McMahon Sr., who ran the World Wrestling Federation, had a clear rule: his wrestlers didn’t take acting jobs. No movies, no TV. You stuck to wrestling, period.
RIP Hulk Hogan. Loved the Thunderlips cameo in Rocky 3. https://t.co/eWdfSHfg9Z pic.twitter.com/xLlVDSzUAJ
— Graham (@grazie1978) July 24, 2025
So, imagine Hogan’s surprise when Sylvester Stallone reached out to invite him into Rocky III. Hogan thought it was a prank at first—just some wild joke.
But when he realised Stallone was serious, he couldn’t say no. Hogan told Vince Sr. about the offer, hoping for the best. Instead, he got fired. That was just the reality of wrestling in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s: you were either all-in or you were out.
Hogan called that attitude “pretty barbaric,” but he made his choice. He joined the cast of Rocky III and, just like that, was out of the WWF.
His first movie role wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, either. Hogan went all-in during filming—so much so that three people wound up in the hospital after their scenes with him.
Even Stallone himself took a beating. Years later, Stallone admitted Hogan hit him so hard he was genuinely shaken up, saying, “The hardest I was ever hit was actually by you, Hulk Hogan.” That moment didn’t even make the final cut because Stallone was so rattled by it.
Thunderlips turned Hogan into more than just a wrestling name; he became a pop culture icon. By 1983, the WWF welcomed him back, and the whole “Hulkamania” craze was about to explode.
Funny enough, Thunderlips never showed up in another Rocky film. Stallone later joked that the character switched careers entirely, saying, “Thunderlips became a producer of adult films. He became Thunderhips.”
