Hulk Hogan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hulk Hogan
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Hogan in 1985
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| Born |
Terry Gene Bollea
August 11, 1953 Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
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| Died | July 24, 2025 (aged 71) Clearwater, Florida, U.S.
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| Cause of death | Cardiac arrest |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1977–2012 (wrestling) 1982–2011 (acting) |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children |
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| Relatives | Horace Hogan (nephew) |
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Professional wrestling career
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| Ring name(s) | Hulk Hogan Hollywood Hogan Mr. America Terry Boulder |
| 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) |
| Trained by | Hiro Matsuda |
| Debut | August 9, 1977 |
| Retired | January 27, 2012 |
Terry Gene Bollea (August 11, 1953 – July 24, 2025), better known as Hulk Hogan, was an American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality. He is seen as one of the greatest and most famous wrestlers of all time. Hogan became a worldwide star in the 1980s in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE).
With his large muscles, blond horseshoe mustache, and bandana, Hogan was the face of "Hulkamania," which helped make wrestling incredibly popular. He was a heroic character who headlined many of the early WrestleMania events. In the 1990s, he joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and shocked fans by becoming a villain named "Hollywood" Hogan, leading the popular New World Order (nWo) group. Hogan was a twelve-time world champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice.
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Early Life
Hogan was born in Augusta, Georgia, on August 11, 1953. When he was a young boy, his family moved to Port Tampa, Florida. He was a good pitcher in Little League Baseball. At 16, he started watching professional wrestling and became a big fan of Dusty Rhodes.
Hogan was also a musician and played bass guitar in several rock bands. While playing in a club, wrestlers Jack and Gerald Brisco noticed his impressive size. They suggested he should try professional wrestling. The Brisco brothers asked a famous trainer, Hiro Matsuda, to train Hogan. In 1977, after more than a year of training, Hogan had his first professional match.
Professional Wrestling Career
Getting Started (1977–1983)
Hogan began his career wrestling in Florida. He later wrestled in Alabama and Memphis, Tennessee. While in Memphis, he appeared on a talk show with Lou Ferrigno, the actor who played the TV character The Incredible Hulk. The host noted that Hogan was even bigger than "The Hulk," which helped him get his famous ring name.
In 1979, Hogan joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) for the first time. He played a villain and had a big feud with André the Giant. From 1980 to 1985, he also wrestled in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where fans called him "Ichiban," which means "Number One." He became very popular in Japan. He also wrestled for the American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he became a huge fan favorite.
The Hulkamania Era (1983–1993)
In 1983, Hogan returned to the WWF. The owner, Vince McMahon, wanted to make the WWF a national company, and he chose Hogan to be its biggest star. On January 23, 1984, Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik to win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. This moment marked the beginning of "Hulkamania."
As a hero, Hogan told his fans, called "Hulkamaniacs," to follow his "three demandments": train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins. He became the face of wrestling in the 1980s. He teamed with movie star Mr. T in the main event of the very first WrestleMania in 1985.
One of Hogan's most famous matches was at WrestleMania III in 1987. He faced André the Giant, who was said to be undefeated for 15 years. In a legendary moment, Hogan lifted the 520-pound André and slammed him to the mat, winning the match.
Hogan later formed a team with "Macho Man" Randy Savage called The Mega Powers. Their friendship eventually broke apart, leading to a major feud. Hogan defeated Savage at WrestleMania V to win the WWF Championship again. He remained a top star, winning the Royal Rumble match in 1990 and 1991. He left the WWF in 1993.
World Championship Wrestling (WCW)
A Hero in WCW (1994–1996)
In 1994, Hogan signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In his very first match at Bash at the Beach, he defeated Ric Flair to become the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. For two years, he continued to be the same red-and-yellow-wearing hero that fans loved.
The New World Order (1996–1999)
At Bash at the Beach in 1996, Hogan did something nobody expected. He turned into a "heel" (a villain) for the first time in over a decade. He joined with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall to form a group called the New World Order (nWo).
He changed his name to "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, grew a black beard, and started wearing black and white clothes. The nWo became one of the most popular groups in wrestling history. As the leader of the nWo, Hogan won the WCW Championship several more times and had a famous rivalry with the undefeated Goldberg.
Return to WWE and Later Career
The Icon Returns (2002–2003)
Hogan returned to WWE (the new name for the WWF) in 2002 with the nWo. This led to a dream match against The Rock at WrestleMania X8. Even though Hogan was the villain, the crowd in Toronto cheered loudly for him. After the match, Hogan became a hero again.
He defeated Triple H to win the WWE Championship for a sixth time. He later had a fun storyline where he wrestled under a mask as "Mr. America." He left WWE in 2003.
Hall of Fame and Final Appearances (2005–2025)
In 2005, Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He returned to the ring for a few big matches, including against Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam. From 2009 to 2013, he worked for the wrestling company Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
Hogan returned to WWE in 2014 as a host and ambassador. He hosted WrestleMania XXX and appeared at WrestleMania 31 with his nWo partners Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. In 2018, he was welcomed back into the WWE Hall of Fame. He made several special appearances for WWE over the next few years, with his last being in January 2025.
Legacy
Hulk Hogan is remembered as one of the biggest stars in wrestling history. He helped turn wrestling into a global entertainment phenomenon in the 1980s. Many people believe that without Hulkamania, wrestling would not be as popular as it is today.
Fellow wrestler Chris Jericho said he had amazing matches with Hogan. He said, "Hogan is a better worker than Flair. For me... He knew exactly who he was as a babyface, as a heel, whatever. He was so great."
Outside of Wrestling
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Hogan's fame led to a career in movies and television. He played the wrestler "Thunderlips" in the movie Rocky III (1982). He also starred in family movies like Suburban Commando (1991) and Mr. Nanny (1993).
From 2005 to 2007, he starred in the reality television show Hogan Knows Best with his family. He also released a music album in 1995 called Hulk Rules.
Personal Life
Hogan married his first wife, Linda Claridge, in 1983. They have two children, a daughter named Brooke and a son named Nick. The couple divorced in 2009. Hogan later married Jennifer McDaniel in 2010, and they divorced in 2021. In 2023, he married Sky Daily.
Hogan was a Christian and was baptized in December 2023. Over the years, his long and physical wrestling career led to many health problems, especially with his back.
Hogan died of cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida, on July 24, 2025. He was 71 years old.
Images for kids
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Hulk Hogan performing a leg drop on Jerry Blackwell in 1982.
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Hogan facing Ric Flair on the Hulkamania Tour in 2009.
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Hogan during a match against Ric Flair in 2009.
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The ring for the Hulkamania tour, which Hogan promoted.
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Hulk Hogan in 1988.
Championships and Accomplishments
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- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version) (1 time)
- IWGP League Tournament (1983)
- MSG Tag League Tournament (1982, 1983) – with Antonio Inoki
- 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
- Match of the Year (1988) vs. André the Giant
- Match of the Year (1990) vs. The Ultimate Warrior
- Match of the Year (2002) vs. The Rock
- 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
- Southeastern Championship Wrestling
- NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (1 time)
- NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Southern Division) (2 times)
- 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
- 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
- Most Charismatic (1985–1987, 1989–1991)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
See also
In Spanish: Hulk Hogan para niños
