Hulk Hogan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hulk Hogan
Bollea in 2015
Born	Terry Gene Bollea (1953-08-11) August 11, 1953 (age 71) Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Professional wrestler (retired) television personality actor
Years active	1976 (musician) 1977–2012 (wrestler) 1982–present (actor)
Spouse(s)	Linda Claridge ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 2009)​ Jennifer McDaniel ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2021)​ Sky Daily ​ ​ (m. 2023)​
Children	Brooke Hogan Nick Hogan
Relatives	Horace Hogan (nephew)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Hollywood Hogan Hollywood Hulk Hogan Hulk Boulder Hulk Hogan Hulk Machine Mr. America Sterling Golden Terry Boulder The Super Destroyer
Billed height	6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Billed weight	302 lb (137 kg)
Billed from	Hollywood, California (as Hollywood Hogan) Venice Beach, California (as Hulk Hogan) Washington, D.C. (as Mr. America)
Trained by	Hiro Matsuda
Debut	August 9, 1977
Retired	January 27, 2012

Terry Gene Bollea (born August 11, 1953), known as Hulk Hogan, is a famous American retired professional wrestler. He is known for his exciting style, strong body, blond mustache, and bandanas. Many people see him as one of the most famous and greatest wrestlers ever, especially popular in the 1980s. He is currently signed to WWE as a special ambassador.

Hogan started his wrestling career in 1977. He became famous worldwide after joining the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1983. There, his image as an American hero helped make professional wrestling very popular in the 1980s. He was the main star at eight of the first nine WrestleMania events. He also won the WWF Championship five times, holding it for 1,474 days, which was the longest reign of that era. He was the first wrestler to win the Royal Rumble match two years in a row (1990 and 1991). His match against André the Giant in 1988 was watched by 33 million people, setting a record for wrestling on American TV.

In 1993, Hogan left WWF to act in movies and TV shows. He returned to wrestling in 1994, joining World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times, holding the record for the longest reign. In 1996, he changed his character to a "bad guy" called "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. He led a popular group called the New World Order (nWo). This made him a big part of the "Monday Night War" era, which was another exciting time for wrestling. He was the main event at WCW's biggest show, Starrcade, three times.

Hogan came back to WWE in 2002 after WWE bought WCW. He won the Undisputed WWF Championship for a sixth time before leaving in 2003. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was inducted a second time in 2020 as a member of the nWo. Hogan also wrestled for other companies like the American Wrestling Association (AWA), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

Besides wrestling, Hogan had a big acting career. He appeared in the movie Rocky III in 1982. He also starred in films like No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando, and Mr. Nanny. He had his own TV shows, Hogan Knows Best, Thunder in Paradise, and China, IL. He was also the lead singer for The Wrestling Boot Band, whose album Hulk Rules was popular with kids in 1995.

Early Life and Training

Hulk Hogan was born Terry Gene Bollea in Augusta, Georgia, on August 11, 1953. His father, Pietro, was a construction foreman, and his mother, Ruth, was a homemaker and dance teacher. When he was a baby, his family moved to Port Tampa, Florida.

As a boy, Hogan played Little League Baseball as a pitcher. He went to Robinson High School. He started watching professional wrestling when he was 16 years old. He admired wrestlers like Dusty Rhodes and Superstar Billy Graham.

Hogan was also a musician. For ten years, he played bass guitar in rock bands in Florida. He went to college but left to focus on music. In 1976, he formed a band called Ruckus, which became popular in the Tampa Bay area.

While playing music, Hogan also worked out at a gym. Wrestlers who visited the area noticed his strong build. Two wrestling brothers, Jack and Gerald Brisco, asked Hiro Matsuda to train Hogan. Matsuda was a famous wrestling trainer. Hogan agreed to try wrestling in 1976. During his first training session, Matsuda broke Hogan's leg. After recovering, Hogan returned to train and became a wrestler.

Professional Wrestling Career

Early Years (1977–1979)

Hogan had his first professional wrestling match on August 10, 1977, in Fort Myers, Florida. He wrestled against Brian Blair. For a short time, Hogan wore a mask and wrestled as "The Super Destroyer."

Hogan later left his first wrestling company. He took a break from wrestling to manage a club and a gym with his friend Whitey Bridges. His friend Ed Leslie (who later became Brutus Beefcake) joined them. Hogan was impressed by Leslie's muscles and thought they should wrestle as a team.

In 1978, Hogan and Leslie joined a wrestling company in Alabama. They wrestled as Terry and Ed Boulder, known as The Boulder Brothers. Fans thought they were real brothers. Later, in Memphis, Hogan appeared on a TV show with Lou Ferrigno, who played The Incredible Hulk. The host said Hogan was even bigger than Ferrigno. Because of this, Hogan started wrestling as Terry "The Hulk" Boulder. He also sometimes used the name Sterling Golden.

On December 1, 1979, Hogan won his first wrestling title, the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship.

Joining the WWF (1979–1981)

In late 1979, Terry Funk introduced Hogan to Vincent J. McMahon, the owner of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). McMahon was impressed by Hogan's strong look and exciting personality. McMahon gave him the last name Hogan.

Hogan wrestled his first match as "Hulk Hogan" on November 17, 1979. He made his first appearance at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 17, 1979. During this time, Hogan was a "bad guy" wrestler and had a manager named Freddie Blassie. He also started a big rivalry with André the Giant.

Wrestling in Japan (1980–1985)

Starting in 1980, Hogan also wrestled in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Japanese fans called him "Ichiban," which means "Number One." When wrestling in Japan, Hogan used more technical moves instead of just power moves. His finishing move in Japan was called the Axe Bomber.

On June 2, 1983, Hogan won the first IWGP Heavyweight Championship tournament. He defeated Antonio Inoki in the finals. Hogan and Inoki also teamed up in Japan, winning the MSG Tag League tournament in 1982 and 1983.

American Wrestling Association (1981–1983)

Hogan joined the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in August 1981. He started as a "bad guy" but quickly became a "good guy" because fans loved him. He often challenged Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. In April 1982, Hogan defeated Bockwinkel for the title, but the decision was changed because of a rule violation. Hogan left the AWA in November 1983.

Return to WWF and Hulkamania (1983–1993)

Vincent K. McMahon, who now owned the WWF, wanted Hogan to be the company's biggest star. Hogan returned to the WWF in December 1983. On January 23, 1984, Hogan won his first WWF Championship by defeating The Iron Sheik.

After winning the title, the announcer called out, "Hulkamania is here!" Hogan called his fans "Hulkamaniacs." He taught his fans his "demandments": training, saying prayers, eating vitamins, and believing in yourself. Hogan's wrestling gear became famous for its yellow and red colors. Before matches, he would rip his shirt off and flex for the crowd.

His matches often followed a pattern: he would fight hard, seem to be losing, but then get a burst of energy from the crowd, becoming super strong. This was called "Hulking up." He would then use his famous moves: pointing at his opponent, shaking his finger, three punches, an Irish whip, a big boot, and his finishing move, the running leg drop.

In 1984, the WWF and Marvel Comics made a deal about the "Hulk" name. Marvel got the rights to "Hulk Hogan" and "Hulkamania" for 20 years.

Becoming a Global Star (1985–1988)

Hogan became the face of professional wrestling. He helped make wrestling a big part of pop culture with the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection" on MTV. He was the main attraction for the first WrestleMania event on March 31, 1985. Hogan teamed with actor Mr. T to defeat "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.

Hogan was the most requested celebrity for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the 1980s. He appeared on the covers of major magazines like Sports Illustrated and People. He also had his own cartoon show called Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling.

Hogan defended his WWF Championship against many challengers, including King Kong Bundy in a steel cage match at WrestleMania 2.

At WrestleMania III in 1987, Hogan defended his title against André the Giant. André was known for being undefeated for 15 years. Hogan successfully defended the title by performing a body slam on the huge André and then hitting his leg drop. This moment was called "the bodyslam heard around the world."

The Mega Powers (1988–1989)

Hogan held the WWF Championship for four years. He finally lost the title to André the Giant in February 1988. André then tried to sell the title to Ted DiBiase. Because of this, the championship was declared vacant.

At WrestleMania IV, Hogan and André were in a tournament for the vacant title, but their match ended in a draw. Later that night, Hogan helped "Macho Man" Randy Savage win the title. Hogan, Savage, and their manager Miss Elizabeth formed a team called The Mega Powers. They were a very popular team.

However, Savage became jealous of Hogan and thought Hogan and Elizabeth were too close. This led to problems between them. At the Royal Rumble in 1989, Hogan accidentally eliminated Savage from the match, causing more tension. The Mega Powers broke up during a match in early 1989. Savage attacked Hogan backstage, starting a big rivalry. Their feud ended with Hogan defeating Savage for his second WWF Championship at WrestleMania V.

Final WWF Championship Reigns (1989–1993)

Hogan's second time as champion lasted a year. He defended the title against Savage and The Big Boss Man. He also starred in the movie No Holds Barred, which led to a wrestling rivalry with his co-star Tom Lister, Jr., who played Zeus. Hogan defeated Zeus in several matches.

Hogan won the 1990 Royal Rumble match. He then lost his WWF Championship to The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI in 1990. Hogan then had a big rivalry with Earthquake, who injured Hogan's ribs. Hogan returned and defeated Earthquake, showing his "Immortal" spirit.

Hogan won the 1991 Royal Rumble match, becoming the first to win two in a row. At WrestleMania VII, Hogan defeated Sgt. Slaughter to win his third WWF Championship. He lost the title to The Undertaker in 1991, but won it back six days later. The title was then declared vacant due to controversy.

Hogan returned to the WWF in 1993, teaming with Brutus Beefcake as The Mega-Maniacs. They were managed by Jimmy Hart. At WrestleMania IX, Hogan won his fifth WWF Championship by defeating Yokozuna in a surprise match. This was Hogan's last WWF pay-per-view appearance until 2002.

Return to NJPW (1993–1994)

Hogan returned to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in May 1993, while still the WWF Champion. He defeated The Great Muta. His last match in Japan was on January 4, 1994, where he defeated Tatsumi Fujinami.

World Championship Wrestling (1994–2000)

WCW World Heavyweight Champion (1994–1996)

In June 1994, Hogan officially signed with Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The next month, with Jimmy Hart as his manager, Hogan won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in his first match, defeating Ric Flair. Hogan continued his rivalry with Flair.

Hogan defended his title against many wrestlers, including The Butcher and Vader. His reign as WCW World Heavyweight Champion lasted 469 days, which is the longest in the title's history. He lost the title to The Giant in October 1995.

In early 1996, Hogan teamed up with Randy Savage again to fight a group called The Alliance to End Hulkamania. Hogan and Savage won this match.

New World Order (1996–1999)

At Bash at the Beach on July 7, 1996, Hogan shocked fans by attacking Randy Savage and joining The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall). This was the first time Hogan became a "bad guy" in almost 15 years. He announced the creation of the New World Order (nWo).

Hogan changed his look, growing a black beard and wearing black and white clothes. He renamed himself "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. He won his second WCW World Heavyweight Championship in August 1996. He spray-painted "nWo" on the title belt.

Hogan lost the title to Lex Luger in August 1997, but won it back five days later. He then lost the title to Sting in December 1997. Hogan also had a rivalry with his former friend and nWo member, Randy Savage.

In April 1998, Hogan won his fourth WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The nWo then split into two groups: nWo Hollywood (Hogan's group) and nWo Wolfpac (Nash's group). Hogan lost his title to Goldberg in July 1998.

Hogan spent the rest of 1998 wrestling celebrity matches with people like Dennis Rodman and Jay Leno. He also had a rematch with The Warrior.

On January 4, 1999, Hogan returned to WCW and won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship for the fifth time from Kevin Nash. This title change was very controversial. The nWo groups then reunited. Hogan lost the title to Ric Flair in March 1999.

Final Years in WCW (1999–2000)

Hogan was injured in a match in April 1999. He returned in July 1999 and won his sixth and final WCW World Heavyweight Championship from Randy Savage. He then had a rivalry with Kevin Nash. Hogan defeated Nash in a retirement match in August 1999.

Hogan was absent from WCW TV from October 1999 to February 2000 due to injuries and disagreements. At Bash at the Beach in July 2000, Hogan was involved in a controversial event with Vince Russo. Hogan won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from Jeff Jarrett, but the situation was confusing and led to a new championship being created. This was Hogan's last appearance in WCW.

Post-WCW Activities (2001)

After WCW closed in 2001, Hogan had knee surgery to prepare for wrestling again. He wrestled a test match in November 2001 for a promotion run by his former manager Jimmy Hart. Hogan felt healthy enough to return to the WWF in February 2002.

Second Return to WWF/WWE (2002–2003)

Hogan returned to the WWF in February 2002 as a "bad guy," leading the original nWo with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. They had confrontations with The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. At WrestleMania X8 in March 2002, Hogan wrestled The Rock. Even though Hogan was supposed to be the "bad guy," the crowd cheered loudly for him. The Rock won the match, and afterward, Hogan and The Rock became friends, fighting off Hall and Nash. Hogan then started wearing his famous red and yellow gear again.

In May 2002, the company changed its name from WWF to WWE. Hogan defeated Triple H for the Undisputed WWF Championship in April 2002, becoming the last WWF Champion. He lost the WWE Undisputed Championship to The Undertaker in May 2002.

On July 4, Hogan teamed with Edge to win the WWE Tag Team Championship. They celebrated by waving the American flag. They lost the titles later that month. In August, Hogan had a match with Brock Lesnar, which Lesnar won.

Hogan took a break after Lesnar's attack. He returned in early 2003, without his "Hollywood" name. He wrestled The Rock again in February 2003 and lost. He then defeated Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania XIX in March 2003.

After WrestleMania, Hogan wrestled as a masked character called Mr. America. He sounded and acted like Hogan but always denied he was him. Mr. America used Hogan's theme song and moves. The storyline was that Hogan was forced to leave WWE, but then Mr. America appeared. Mr. America's last WWE appearance was in June 2003. Hogan then left WWE due to disagreements.

Second Return to NJPW (2003)

Hogan returned to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in October 2003, defeating Masahiro Chono.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2003)

After leaving WWE, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) tried to get Hogan to join. There was a storyline where Jeff Jarrett attacked Hogan in Japan. Hogan was supposed to wrestle Jarrett, but he couldn't due to knee and hip problems.

Third Return to WWE (2005–2007)

On April 2, 2005, Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. At WrestleMania 21, Hogan saved Eugene from an attack. The next night, Hogan teamed with Shawn Michaels to defeat Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari.

Later in 2005, Shawn Michaels attacked Hogan, leading to a match between them at SummerSlam on August 21. Hogan won the match. After the match, Michaels and Hogan shook hands.

Hogan returned in 2006 with his daughter Brooke. Randy Orton attacked Hogan, leading to a match at SummerSlam on August 20, which Hogan won. This was Hogan's last match wrestling for WWE at that time.

Memphis Wrestling (2007–2008)

Hogan wrestled for Memphis Wrestling in 2007. He defeated Paul Wight on April 27, 2007, after performing a body slam and his leg drop.

Hulkamania: Let the Battle Begin (2009)

In November 2009, Hogan went on a wrestling tour in Australia called "Hulkamania: Let the Battle Begin." He wrestled against Ric Flair in the main event of each show and defeated him in all four matches.

Return to TNA (2009–2013)

Business Partner and Immortal (2009–2011)

On October 27, 2009, Hogan signed a contract to join Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) full-time. He made his official TNA debut on January 4, 2010. He reunited briefly with former nWo partners Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. Hogan said he and Eric Bischoff would "flip the company upside down."

Hogan made his return to the ring on March 8, 2010, teaming with Abyss to defeat A.J. Styles and Ric Flair. At Lockdown in April, Hogan's team defeated Flair's team.

In October 2010, Hogan helped Jeff Hardy win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, turning into a "bad guy" again. Hogan, Hardy, Bischoff, Abyss, and Jarrett formed a new group called Immortal. Hogan was later suspended from TNA due to a storyline. He also had back surgery.

Hogan returned to TNA in March 2011, claiming to be the new owner. He began a rivalry with Sting. Hogan interfered in Sting's matches, costing him the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. At Bound for Glory in October 2011, Hogan wrestled Sting. Hogan agreed to give TNA back to Dixie Carter if Sting won. Sting defeated Hogan, and after the match, Hogan turned on Immortal and helped Sting, becoming a "good guy" again.

Rivalry with Aces & Eights (2012–2013)

In January 2012, Hogan wrestled his final match in Nottingham, England. He returned to Impact Wrestling in February 2012. In March 2012, Hogan became the new General Manager of TNA.

In July 2012, Hogan and Sting began a rivalry with a mysterious group of masked men called the "Aces & Eights". Hogan was attacked by the group, which was used to explain his absence for another back surgery.

In November 2012, Hogan had a storyline with Bully Ray after Ray started a secret relationship with Hogan's daughter Brooke. Hogan suspended Ray, but later reinstated him after Ray saved Brooke from a kidnapping. Brooke and Ray got married, but during the wedding, Taz revealed himself as a member of the Aces & Eights, and the group attacked.

On March 10, 2013, at Lockdown, Bully Ray betrayed Hogan and revealed himself as the leader of the Aces & Eights. Hogan blamed Sting for trusting Ray, but they later made up. On October 3, 2013, Hogan refused an offer from Dixie Carter and left TNA.

Fourth Return to WWE (2014–2015)

On February 24, 2014, Hogan made his first WWE appearance since 2007 to promote the WWE Network. At WrestleMania XXX in April 2014, Hogan was the host. He was joined by Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, and they celebrated together in the ring.

On February 27, 2015, Hogan was honored at Madison Square Garden with a special banner. On March 28, 2015, Hogan inducted his longtime friend and rival "Macho Man" Randy Savage into the WWE Hall of Fame. The next night at WrestleMania 31, Hogan reunited with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash as the nWo to support Sting in his match.

Racism Controversy and Departure

In July 2015, recordings from 2007 were made public where Hogan used offensive language. Hogan apologized for his comments, saying they were wrong and did not reflect his true beliefs. WWE ended their contract with Hogan on July 24, 2015, stating their commitment to diversity. Hogan's lawyer said Hogan chose to resign. WWE removed most references to Hogan from their website and merchandise.

Several black wrestlers who worked with Hogan, like Virgil and Dennis Rodman, supported him, saying he was not racist. Other black wrestlers in WWE, like Mark Henry and Booker T, expressed their hurt and shock. Hogan later gave an interview apologizing again, saying he learned the offensive term from his neighborhood growing up. Many people associated with wrestling, including The Rock and Mr. T, expressed forgiveness for Hogan.

Fifth Return to WWE (2018–Present)

On July 15, 2018, Hogan was brought back into the WWE Hall of Fame. He made his on-screen return on November 2, 2018, as the host of Crown Jewel. Hogan also appeared on January 7, 2019, to honor his friend Mean Gene Okerlund, who had passed away.

Hogan inducted his tag team partner Brutus Beefcake into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2019. At WrestleMania 35, he made a surprise appearance. Hogan also appeared on Raw Reunion in July 2019. In September 2019, he and Ric Flair announced a 10-man tag team match for Crown Jewel, where Hogan managed his team to victory.

Hogan has said he hopes to have one more match in WWE. In December 2019, it was announced that Hogan would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a second time as a member of the New World Order, along with Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. The ceremony took place in April 2021.

Hogan appeared on Raw in January 2021 for a special Legends Night. He co-hosted WrestleMania 37 with Titus O'Neil in March 2021. On January 23, 2023, Hogan appeared live to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Raw. On January 22, 2024, WWE celebrated the 40th anniversary of 'Hulkamania' with Hogan appearing in pre-taped footage. On January 6, 2025, Hogan made a live appearance during the Raw debut on Netflix, advertising his Real American Beer.

Legacy

Hogan is seen as one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling history. Many believe he was a major reason for the WWF's success and expansion. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer said Hogan "sold more tickets to wrestling shows than any man who ever lived." His match with André the Giant in 1988 still holds American TV viewership records for wrestling.

IMDb ranked Hogan as the biggest draw in wrestling history. Fellow wrestler Cody Rhodes has called Hogan's WrestleMania X8 match with The Rock the greatest match ever.

Some wrestlers, like Bret Hart, have criticized Hogan's wrestling skills, but Hart also complimented Hogan's impressive physical appearance. Former writer Vince Russo believes more wrestlers should wrestle like Hogan. Chris Jericho said Hogan was a better wrestler than Flair in his experience because Hogan understood his character and audience so well.

A movie about Hogan's life was planned with Chris Hemsworth playing him, but it was later cancelled.

Endorsements and Business Ventures

Food and Beverage

Hogan opened a restaurant called Pastamania in the Mall of America in 1995. It was promoted on WCW's Monday Nitro but closed in less than a year.

Hogan has endorsed a blender called the Hulk Hogan Thunder Mixer and a grill called "The Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill." In 2006, he launched Hogan Energy, an energy drink. His name was also used for "Hulkster Burgers" sold at Wal-Mart. In 2011, he launched Hogan Nutrition for health products.

In 2012, Hogan opened a beachfront restaurant called "Hogan's Beach" in Tampa. The restaurant later changed its name. Hogan also opened Hogan's Hangout in Clearwater Beach. In 2024, Hogan launched "Real American Beer."

Other Ventures

In 2007, Hogan transferred all his trademarks, like Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania, to his company. In 2008, he announced a mobile phone game called "Hulkamania Wrestling." He has appeared in commercials for Rent-A-Center.

In 2010, Hogan hosted his own radio show called Hogan Uncensored. In 2013, Hogan partnered to open a web hosting service called "Hostamania." Hogan supports the American Diabetes Association.

Hogan has also appeared in political events, endorsing Donald Trump for president.

Other Media

Acting

Hogan's popularity led to many acting roles. He played Thunderlips in Rocky III (1982). He starred in No Holds Barred (1989), and family films like Suburban Commando (1991), Mr. Nanny (1993), and 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain (1998). He also appeared in commercials for Right Guard deodorant.

He starred in his own TV series, Thunder in Paradise, in 1994. He also appeared in movies like Muppets from Space and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Hogan made guest appearances on TV shows like The A-Team and Walker, Texas Ranger. In later years, he became a voice actor for shows like Robot Chicken and China, IL.

Reality Television and Hosting

On July 10, 2005, VH1 premiered Hogan Knows Best, a reality show about Hogan, his then-wife Linda, and their children Brooke and Nick. In July 2008, a spin-off called Brooke Knows Best focused on his daughter Brooke.

Hogan hosted the comeback series of American Gladiators on NBC in 2008. He also hosted Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling. In 2015, Hogan was a judge on the sixth season of Tough Enough.

Music and Radio

Hogan released a music CD called Hulk Rules with The Wrestling Boot Band in 1995. It reached No. 12 on the Billboard Top Kid Audio chart. He also made cameos in music videos.

Hogan was a regular guest on Bubba the Love Sponge's radio show. In 2010, Hogan hosted his own radio show called Hogan Uncensored.

Merchandising

Hogan has had many action figures made of him, with 171 different figures recorded between the 1980s and 2010s.

Filmography

Film
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1982	Rocky III	Thunderlips
1989	No Holds Barred	Rip Thomas
1990	Gremlins 2: The New Batch	Himself	Cameo
1991	Suburban Commando	Shep Ramsey
1993	Mr. Nanny	Sean Armstrong
	Thunder in Paradise	Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer	Direct-to-video
1996	Spy Hard	Steele's other Tag-Team Member	Cameo
	The Secret Agent Club	Ray Chase
	Santa with Muscles	Blake Thorn
1998	McCinsey's Island	Joe McGrai
	3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain	Dave Dragon
	The Ultimate Weapon	Ben Cutter
1999	Muppets from Space	Himself	Cameo
2009	Little Hercules	Zeus
2011	Gnomeo & Juliet	Terrafirminator V.O.	Voice role

Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	Goldie and the Bears	Mac McKenna	TV film
1985-1986	The A-Team	Himself	2 episodes
1985–1986	Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling	Himself	Live-action parts only
1994	Thunder in Paradise	Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer	Main role; 22 episodes
1995	Space Ghost Coast to Coast	Himself	1 episode
1996	Baywatch	Himself	1 episode
1997	Assault on Devil's Island	Mike McBride	TV film
1999	Suddenly Susan	Himself	2 episodes
	Assault on Death Mountain	Mike McBride	TV film
2001	Walker, Texas Ranger	Boomer Knight	1 episode
2005–2007	Hogan Knows Best	Himself	Reality TV series
2006–2016	Robot Chicken	Himself, Abraham Lincoln, Various	4 episodes
2008	Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling	Himself	Reality TV series
2008–2009	Brooke Knows Best	Himself	Reality TV series
2011–2015	China, IL	The Dean	Main cast
2012	American Dad!	Himself	1 episode
2012	The Inbetweeners	Himself	1 episode
2014	The '80s Called	Himself	Commercial
2015	Smosh	Himself	1 episode
2019	The Goldbergs	Himself	1 episode
2022	Camp WWE	Himself	2 episodes

Video Games

Hogan provided his voice for the 2011 game Saints Row: The Third. In October 2011, he released a video game called Hulk Hogan's Main Event.

Hulk Hogan and Hollywood Hogan are featured in many wrestling video games:

WWE Video Games
Year	Title	Notes
1987	MicroLeague Wrestling	Video game debut Cover athlete
1989	WWF WrestleMania	Cover athlete
	WWF Superstars
1990	WWF WrestleMania Challenge	Cover athlete
1991	WWF WrestleMania	Cover athlete
	WWF WrestleFest
1992	WWF Super WrestleMania	Cover athlete
	WWF European Rampage Tour
	WWF Superstars 2	Cover athlete
	WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge
1993	WWF Royal Rumble	Featured in the Sega Genesis version (also on cover)
	WWF King of the Ring	Cover athlete
2002	WWF WrestleMania X8	Cover athlete
	WWE Road to WrestleMania X8
	WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth	On the cover of the PAL version
2003	WWE Crush Hour
	WWE WrestleMania XIX
	WWE Raw 2
2005	WWE Day of Reckoning 2
	WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006
2006	WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
2009	WWE Legends of WrestleMania	Cover athlete
2011	WWE All Stars	Cover athlete
2013	WWE 2K14
2014	WWE SuperCard
	WWE 2K15	Cover athlete on the Hulkamania edition; removed after controversy
2015	WWE Immortals
2017	WWE Champions	Added in 2019
2019	WWE 2K20
2020	WWE 2K Battlegrounds
2022	WWE 2K22	Cover athlete on the nWo 4-Life edition
2023	WWE 2K23
2024	WWE 2K24	Cover athlete on the 40 Years of WrestleMania edition
2025	WWE 2K25

WCW Video Games
Year	Title	Notes
1997	WCW vs. the World	Cover athlete
	WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
1998	WCW Nitro	Cover athlete
	WCW/nWo Revenge
1999	WCW/nWo Thunder	Cover athlete
	WCW Mayhem
2000	WCW Backstage Assault

TNA Video Games
Year	Title	Notes
2010	TNA Impact! Cross the Line	Featured in the Nintendo DS version (also on cover)
2011	TNA Wrestling Impact!

Legends of Wrestling Video Games
Year	Title	Notes
2001	Legends of Wrestling	Cover athlete
2002	Legends of Wrestling II	Cover athlete
2004	Showdown: Legends of Wrestling	Cover athlete

Personal Life

Family Life

On December 18, 1983, Hogan married Linda Claridge. They have a daughter, Brooke (born 1988), and a son, Nick (born 1990). Hogan's family life was featured on the reality TV show Hogan Knows Best.

Linda filed for divorce in November 2007. The divorce was finalized, and Hogan later said it cost him a lot of money.

Hulk Hogan started a relationship with Jennifer McDaniel in 2008. They got engaged in 2009 and married on December 14, 2010. Hogan announced their divorce in February 2022.

Hogan became engaged to yoga instructor Sky Daily in July 2023. They married on September 22, 2023.

Health

Hogan has had many health problems, especially with his back. This is due to years of heavy weight-training and the impact of wrestling. In 2013, Hogan filed a lawsuit against a medical firm, claiming they gave him unnecessary back surgeries that made his problems worse. He later had traditional spinal fusion surgery, which helped him return to his activities.

Religious Beliefs

Hogan has spoken about his Christian faith. In 2007, he said he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior when he was 14. On December 20, 2023, he was baptized at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida.

Awards and Honors

Hogan was honored as the 2008 King of the Krewe of Bacchus, a carnival organization in New Orleans. He visited the Children's Hospital of New Orleans and rode in the parade. Meeting Hogan is one of the most requested wishes for children with serious illnesses through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Hogan was inducted into the Boys and Girls Club Alumni Hall of Fame on May 3, 2018.

Year	Award	Group	Result	Notes
1988	Kids' Choice Awards	Favorite Male Athlete	Won
2006	Teen Choice Awards	TV – Choice Reality Star (Male)	Nominated	Hogan Knows Best

Championships and Accomplishments

• International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2021
• New Japan Pro-Wrestling
  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version) (1 time)
  • IWGP League Tournament (1983)
  • MSG Tag League Tournament (1982, 1983) – with Antonio Inoki
  • Greatest 18 Club inductee
• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Class of 2003
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Comeback of the Year (1994, 2002)
  • Feud of the Year (1986) vs. Paul Orndorff
  • Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1983, 1999)
  • Match of the Year (1985) with Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff at WrestleMania I
  • Match of the Year (1988) vs. André the Giant at The Main Event I
  • Match of the Year (1990) vs. The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI
  • Match of the Year (2002) vs. The Rock at WrestleMania X8
  • Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1998)
  • Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1985, 1989, 1990)
  • Wrestler of the Year (1987, 1991, 1994)
  • Ranked No. 1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991
  • Ranked No. 1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
  • Ranked No. 44 and No. 57 of the top 100 tag teams of the PWI Years with Antonio Inoki and Randy Savage in 2003
• Southeastern Championship Wrestling
  • NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (1 time)
  • NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Southern Division) (2 times)
• Sports Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 2 of the 20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time
• Tokyo Sports
  • Best Foreigner Award (1983)
  • Match of the Year (1991) vs. Genichiro Tenryu on December 12, 1991
• World Championship Wrestling
  • WCW World Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
• World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE
  • WWF/WWE Championship (6 times)
  • WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Edge
  • Royal Rumble (1990, 1991)
  • WWE Hall of Fame (2 times)
    • Class of 2005 – individually
    • Class of 2020 – as a member of the New World Order
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Strongest Wrestler (1983)
  • Best Babyface (1982–1991)
  • Best Box Office Draw (1997)
  • Best Gimmick (1996) as a member of New World Order
  • Feud of the Year (1986) vs. Paul Orndorff
  • Feud of the Year (1996) as a member of New World Order vs. World Championship Wrestling
  • Most Charismatic (1985–1987, 1989–1991)
  • Most Embarrassing Wrestler (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000)
  • Most Obnoxious (1994, 1995)
  • Most Overrated (1985, 1986, 1994–1998)
  • Most Unimproved (1994, 1995)
  • Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler (1985, 1986, 1991, 1994–1999)
  • Worst Feud of the Year (1991) vs. Sgt. Slaughter
  • Worst Feud of the Year (1995) vs. The Dungeon of Doom
  • Worst Feud of the Year (1998) vs. The Warrior
  • Worst Feud of the Year (2000) vs. Billy Kidman
  • Worst on Interviews (1995)
  • Worst Wrestler (1997)
  • Worst Worked Match of the Year (1987) vs. André the Giant at WrestleMania III
  • Worst Worked Match of the Year (1996) with Randy Savage vs. Arn Anderson, Meng, The Barbarian, Ric Flair, Kevin Sullivan, Z-Gangsta, and The Ultimate Solution in a Towers of Doom match at Uncensored
  • Worst Worked Match of the Year (1997) vs. Roddy Piper at SuperBrawl VII
  • Worst Worked Match of the Year (1998) vs. The Warrior at Halloween Havoc
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

See also

In Spanish: Hulk Hogan para niños