Stars from the sporting and entertainment industries are remembering Hulk Hogan as a “treasure” and “trailblazer”.
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer and former world champion, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, died on Thursday aged 71.
In a statement, American professional wrestling promotion company WWE called Hogan “one of pop culture’s most recognisable figures” and said he “helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s”.
Former WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon paid tribute on X calling Hogan the “greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME”.
“The world lost a treasure today,” he wrote.
“He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a global phenomenon,” he continued. “His grit and unbridled thirst for success were unparalleled - and made him the consummate performer. He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved.”
US President Donald Trump remembered Hogan writing, “We lost a great friend today, the ‘Hulkster.’” Hogan appeared at the Republican National Convention in July 2024 to endorse Trump.
Trump remembered Hogan’s speech as “absolutely electric” and said the wrestler would be greatly missed.
“He entertained fans from all over the world, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love,” Trump wrote on social media.
Rocky star Sylvester Stallone paid tribute to Hogan on Instagram.
“I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26 years old,” Stallone captioned a picture of him and Hogan in the film Rocky III.
“He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky III incredibly special. My heart breaks. I think that he’s gone…"
John Cena also paid tribute to the wrestler on Instagram, sharing an uncaptioned photo of Hogan in the ring with André the Giant.
On X, 14-time WWE world champion Paul Michael Levesque, also known by the ring name Triple H, said Hogan was “simply put, iconic”.
“He was the archetype of what it meant to be a ‘superstar’ - a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognisable to fans around the world.”
Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood said in an interview with the Associated Press that Hogan’s fame transcended the sporting world.
“He and so many of those people, Macho Man and the kind of characters from WWF, were ubiquitous in my childhood. You know, in the 1980s and early 90s, those guys were everywhere. Even if you weren’t a wrestling fan, they were a fixture of pop culture. So yeah, it’s wild.”
British broadcaster Piers Morgan pointed out Hogan had a very different temperament outside the ring, writing on X: “RIP Hulk Hogan - the most iconic wrestler in history, a wonderful character, and in person, a far gentler, charming, intelligent man far removed from his snarling beast ring (and Rocky movie!) persona. Sad news.”
Hogan’s in-ring adversary Ric Flair said their friendship “meant the world to me”.
“People always wanted to paint us as enemies, but we were actually very, very close friends,” Flair told TMZ.
Flair also remembered a time when Hogan was one of Flair’s first visitors in the hospital after his near-death medical emergency. Flair’s daughter, Charlotte, also recalled Hogan’s support on X, writing
“When I nearly lost my dad 8 years ago, one of the few people who was there for all of it was Hulk Hogan.”