Hulk Hogan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hulk Hogan
Hogan in 2014
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 an American retired professional wrestler. He is a brand ambassador for WWE. Hogan is famous for his exciting style, huge muscles, and his special blond mustache and bandanas. Many people see him as the most famous wrestling star in the world and one of the greatest wrestlers ever.

Hogan started wrestling in 1977. He became super famous after joining the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1983. There, he played a heroic American character. This helped start the big wrestling boom of the 1980s. He was the main star at eight of the first nine WrestleMania events. He also won the WWF Championship five times. One of his reigns lasted 1,474 days, which was the longest of that era. He was also the first wrestler to win the Royal Rumble twice in a row, in 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. He returned to wrestling in 1994, joining World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times. In 1996, he changed his character to a villain called "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. He led the popular New World Order (nWo) group. This made him a huge part of the "Monday Night War" era, which was another big time for wrestling. He was the main event at WCW's biggest show, Starrcade, three times.

Hogan came back to WWF (now WWE) in 2002. He won the Undisputed WWF Championship for a sixth time. He was put into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was inducted a second time in 2020 as part of the nWo group. 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 was in the movie Rocky III in 1982. He also starred in films like No Holds Barred and Mr. Nanny. He had his own TV shows, Hogan Knows Best and Thunder in Paradise. He even had a band called The Wrestling Boot Band. Their album Hulk Rules was popular with kids in 1995.

Early Life

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

As a boy, Terry was a pitcher in Little League Baseball. He was so good that scouts from the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds noticed him. But an injury stopped his baseball career. He started watching professional wrestling when he was 16. 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 Hillsborough Community College and the University of South Florida. He later left college because his music gigs took up too much time. In 1976, he formed a band called Ruckus, which became popular in the Tampa Bay area.

In his free time, Hogan worked out at a gym. Many wrestlers who competed in Florida visited the bars where Ruckus played. Among them were brothers Jack and Gerald Brisco, who were tag team wrestlers. They were impressed by Hogan's strong build.

The Brisco brothers asked Hiro Matsuda, a wrestling trainer, to train Hogan. In 1976, Hogan agreed to try wrestling. At first, Mike Graham, a wrestling promoter's son, didn't want Hogan in the ring. But after Hogan quit his band to become a wrestler, Graham finally agreed.

Professional Wrestling Career

Early Years (1977–1979)

In mid-1977, after training with Matsuda, Hogan was ready for his first match. He wrestled Brian Blair in Fort Myers, Florida, on August 10, 1977. Later, Hogan wore a mask and became "The Super Destroyer."

Hogan eventually left his trainer, Matsuda, because he felt he was too strict. Hogan took a break from wrestling and managed a club and a gym in Florida. His friend Ed Leslie (who later became Brutus Beefcake) joined him. They worked out together, and Leslie also became very muscular. Hogan thought they should wrestle as a team.

Hogan called Superstar Billy Graham in 1978 to find wrestling jobs outside Florida. Graham helped him join a wrestling company in Alabama. Hogan also convinced Leslie to come along and learn to wrestle. In Alabama, they wrestled as Terry and Ed Boulder, known as The Boulder Brothers. This made some fans think they were real brothers.

Later, a promoter named Jerry Jarrett offered them a better job in Memphis, Tennessee. Hogan and Leslie accepted. While 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 championship. He defeated Bob Roop in Tennessee to become the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Champion.

First Time in WWF (1979–1981)

In late 1979, wrestler Terry Funk introduced Bollea to Vincent J. McMahon, the owner of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). McMahon liked Hogan's energy and size. He gave him the last name Hogan and wanted him to dye his hair red. Hogan refused to dye his hair, saying he would be a "blond Irish."

Hogan's first match as "Hulk Hogan" in WWF was on November 17, 1979. He won against Harry Valdez. He wrestled at Madison Square Garden on December 17, 1979, beating Ted DiBiase. McMahon gave Hogan a guide, Tony Altomare. Hogan also wrestled Bob Backlund for the WWF Championship. He started a big rivalry with André the Giant, leading to a match at Shea Stadium in 1980. At first, Hogan was a villain in WWF, managed by "Classy" Freddie Blassie.

Wrestling in Japan (1980–1985)

In 1980, Hogan also started wrestling in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan. Japanese fans called him "Ichiban," meaning "Number One." He visited Japan often over the next few years. In Japan, Hogan used more technical wrestling moves, different from his power style in America. His finishing move there was the Axe Bomber, a crooked arm lariat.

On June 2, 1983, Hogan became the first winner of the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) tournament. He defeated Antonio Inoki to win an early version of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. 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) after filming his part in Rocky III. He started as a villain with manager Johnny Valiant. But AWA fans loved Hogan, and he quickly became the top fan favorite. He often battled the Heenan Family and Nick Bockwinkel.

Hogan became a fan favorite in July 1981. During a TV show, Jerry Blackwell was attacking another wrestler. Hogan ran in and chased Blackwell away. Hogan won his rivalry with Blackwell. By the end of 1981, he was challenging Bockwinkel for the AWA championship.

Return to WWF (1983–1993)

The Rise of Hulkamania (1983–1984)

After buying the WWF from his father, Vincent K. McMahon wanted to make it a national company. He chose Hogan to be the main star because of his energy and fame. Hogan returned to WWF on December 27, 1983.

On January 7, 1984, Hogan showed he was a fan favorite by saving Bob Backlund from an attack. Less than three weeks later, on January 23, Hogan won his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship. He defeated The Iron Sheik in Madison Square Garden. The story was that Hogan was a last-minute replacement for Backlund. He won by being the first to escape the Iron Sheik's finishing move, the camel clutch.

Right after Hogan won, commentator Gorilla Monsoon shouted, "Hulkamania is here!" Hogan often called his fans "Hulkamaniacs." He taught his fans his "three demandments": training, saying prayers, and eating vitamins. Later, he added a fourth: believing in oneself.

Hogan's wrestling gear became famous for its yellow and red colors. Before matches, he would rip his shirt off, flex his muscles, and listen for the crowd's cheers. In most of his matches, he would fight strong villains. He would start strong, then seem to be losing. But after being hit with his opponent's best move, he would get a sudden burst of energy, called "Hulking up." He would then point at his opponent, shake his finger, throw three punches, do an Irish whip, a big boot, and his famous running leg drop to win.

In 1984, Hogan's character was similar to The Incredible Hulk. So, WWF made a deal with Marvel Comics. Marvel got the rights to "Hulk Hogan" and "Hulkamania" for 20 years. WWF agreed not to call him "incredible" or just "Hulk."

International Fame (1985–1988)

Over the next year, Hogan became the face of wrestling. McMahon made WWF a big part of pop culture with "The Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection" on MTV. This brought in huge crowds and TV ratings. Hogan was the main event at the first WrestleMania on March 31, 1985. He teamed with his friend, actor Mr. T, to defeat "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Mr Wonderful" Paul Orndorff.

Hogan was named the most requested celebrity for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the 1980s. He appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated, TV Guide, and People magazines. He also had his own CBS Saturday morning cartoon, Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling. Hogan was the main star at seven of the first eight WrestleMania events.

In 1986, Hogan successfully defended his title against many challengers. These included 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 had been undefeated for 15 years. Hogan lifted and slammed the 520-pound André, which was called "the bodyslam heard around the world." Hogan then won the match with a leg drop.

The Mega Powers (1988–1989)

Hulk Hogan was WWF World Heavyweight Champion for four years. He finally lost the title to André the Giant on The Main Event I in front of 33 million viewers. This happened because of a trick involving Ted DiBiase and a referee. André then gave the title to DiBiase. Because of this, the title was made vacant.

At WrestleMania IV, Hogan tried to win back the title in a tournament. He and André were both disqualified in their match. Later that night, Hogan helped "Macho Man" Randy Savage defeat Ted DiBiase to win the title. Hogan, Savage, and their manager Miss Elizabeth formed a team called The Mega Powers. They defeated André the Giant and Ted DiBiase at the first SummerSlam.

In 1988, Hogan sometimes wrestled with a red and yellow "War Bonnet" helmet. The Mega Powers started to have problems because Savage became jealous of Hogan and Elizabeth. At the Royal Rumble in 1989, Hogan accidentally eliminated Savage, causing tension.

The team broke up during a match on The Main Event II. Savage accidentally hit Miss Elizabeth, and Hogan took her backstage. Savage got angry and attacked Hogan. This started a big rivalry between them. Hogan defeated Savage for his second WWF World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania V.

Last WWF Championship Reigns (1989–1993)

Hogan's second title reign lasted a year. He defended it against Savage and The Big Boss Man. During this time, the title was renamed the WWF Championship. Hogan also starred in the movie No Holds Barred. This led to a wrestling rivalry with his co-star Tom Lister, Jr., who played Zeus. Hogan defeated Zeus in several matches. Hogan also won the 1990 Royal Rumble. He lost the WWF Championship to The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI in 1990.

Hogan then had a big rivalry with the 468-pound Earthquake. Earthquake injured Hogan's ribs on a TV show. Hogan returned at SummerSlam and defeated Earthquake. This led Hogan to add a fourth "demandment": believing in yourself. He also became known as "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan. Hogan won the 1991 Royal Rumble, becoming the first to win two in a row.

At WrestleMania VII, Hogan defeated Sgt. Slaughter for his third WWF Championship. In late 1991, Hogan lost the title to The Undertaker at Survivor Series. He won it back six days later, but the title was made vacant due to interference from Ric Flair. The championship was decided at the 1992 Royal Rumble. Hogan was eliminated by his friend Sid Justice, and Flair won the title. Hogan and Sid then started a rivalry.

Hogan returned to WWF in February 1993. He helped his friend Brutus Beefcake against Money Inc. They formed a team called The Mega-Maniacs with manager "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart. At WrestleMania IX, Hogan and Beefcake wrestled for the WWF Tag Team Championship. Later that night, Hogan won his fifth WWF Championship by defeating Yokozuna.

At the first King of the Ring event on June 13, Hogan defended his title against Yokozuna. Hogan lost the match after a "Japanese photographer" (who was actually Harvey Wippleman) threw a fireball in his face. This was Hogan's last WWF pay-per-view for a long time. He continued to wrestle Yokozuna at international shows until August 1993.

Return to NJPW (1993–1994)

On May 3, 1993, Hogan returned to NJPW as WWF Champion. He defeated The Great Muta in a big match. Hogan wrestled Muta again in September 1993. His last match in Japan was on January 4, 1994, where he defeated Tatsumi Fujinami.

World Championship Wrestling (1994–2000)

World Heavyweight Champion (1994–1996)

In March 1994, Hogan started appearing on WCW TV. Interviewer Gene Okerlund visited him on the set of his show Thunder in Paradise. Fans wondered if Hogan would join WCW. On May 28, 1994, Hogan said he would leave his show and return to wrestling. On June 11, 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. He defeated Ric Flair at Bash at the Beach. Hogan continued his rivalry with Flair. He then defeated The Butcher at Starrcade in December 1994.

Hogan's next rivalry was against Vader. Hogan defeated Vader in several matches, including a steel cage match at Bash at the Beach. Hogan successfully defended his title against Big Bubba Rogers and Lex Luger. His title reign lasted 469 days, which is the longest in WCW history. He lost the WCW World Heavyweight Championship to The Giant at Halloween Havoc.

After this loss, the WCW World Heavyweight Championship became vacant. Hogan and The Giant had a steel cage match at SuperBrawl VI, which Hogan won. In early 1996, Hogan teamed up with Randy Savage again to form The Mega Powers. They defeated The Alliance to End Hulkamania in a big match. After these wins, Hogan started appearing less often on WCW shows.

New World Order (1996–1999)

At Bash at the Beach in 1996, Hogan shocked everyone. During a six-man tag team match, he attacked Randy Savage and joined The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall). This was the first time Hogan had been a villain in almost 15 years. After the match, Hogan gave a speech, criticizing the fans and WCW. He announced the creation of the New World Order (nWo).

The nWo group became very popular. Hogan grew a black beard, changed his red and yellow gear to black and white, and renamed himself "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. He won his second WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Hog Wild, defeating The Giant. He spray-painted "nWo" on the title belt and called it the "nWo title." Hogan then started a rivalry with Lex Luger.

On August 4, 1997, Hogan lost the title to Lex Luger. Five days later, Hogan defeated Luger to win back the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Hogan then lost the title to Sting at Starrcade. The title became vacant after a controversial rematch. Sting won the vacant title against Hogan at SuperBrawl VIII.

Hogan then had a rivalry with his former friend Randy Savage, who had joined the nWo. Savage had cost Hogan the title match at SuperBrawl. Their rivalry ended in a match that had no clear winner. Savage won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from Sting. Hogan then teamed with Kevin Nash against Roddy Piper and The Giant.

Hogan betrayed Nash by hitting him with a bat. He then challenged Savage for the world title. In their match, Nash attacked Hogan, but Bret Hart interfered and helped Hogan win his fourth WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Nash's attack split the nWo into two groups: Hogan's nWo Hollywood and Nash's nWo Wolfpac. They fought each other for the rest of the year.

Hogan defended the title until July 1998. He wrestled Goldberg, who had never lost a match. Goldberg defeated Hogan to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Hogan spent the rest of 1998 wrestling celebrity matches. He also had a rematch with The Warrior, which he won with help from his nephew Horace.

On Thanksgiving 1998, Hogan announced his retirement from wrestling and said he was running for President. These were just publicity stunts. Hogan returned to WCW on January 4, 1999. He challenged Kevin Nash for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and won it for the fifth time. This title change was controversial. The nWo groups then reunited and fought Goldberg and The Four Horsemen.

Final Years in WCW (1999–2000)

Hogan lost the WCW World Heavyweight Championship to Ric Flair in a First Blood match. Hogan was badly injured in a match at Spring Stampede. On July 12, 1999, Hogan returned as a fan favorite. He defeated Randy Savage to win his sixth and final WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Nash then turned on Hogan, and they had a rivalry.

On August 9, 1999, Hogan returned to his famous red and yellow gear. He defeated Nash in a retirement match to keep the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Hogan was then absent from TV from October 1999 to February 2000 due to injuries and frustrations. At Halloween Havoc, Hogan was supposed to face Sting for the title. Hogan came to the ring in street clothes, lay down for the pin, and left.

After his return in February 2000, Hogan was involved in a controversial event at Bash at the Beach on July 9. Hogan was supposed to challenge Jeff Jarrett for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. There was a disagreement backstage between Hogan and the head of creative, Vince Russo. When the match started, Jarrett lay down in the ring. Russo threw the title belt in and told Hogan to pin Jarrett. Hogan won the title.

Moments later, Russo returned to the ring and said this would be the last time fans would see such a thing. He also revealed that Hogan had a "creative control" clause in his contract, meaning Hogan could decide what happened with his character. Since Hogan didn't want to lose to Jarrett, a new WCW World Heavyweight Championship was created. Hogan later sued Russo, but the lawsuit was dismissed. This was Hogan's last appearance in WCW.

After WCW (2001)

After WCW closed in March 2001, Hogan had knee surgery so he could wrestle again. He wrestled a match in Florida for a small company to test his health. Hogan felt good enough to return to the WWF in February 2002.

Second Return to WWF/WWE (2002–2003)

At No Way Out in February 2002, Hogan returned to WWF as a villain. He was the leader of the original nWo with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. They confronted The Rock and cost Stone Cold Steve Austin a chance at the Undisputed WWF Championship. The nWo fought Austin and The Rock. Hogan accepted The Rock's challenge for a match at WrestleMania X8. Hogan asked Hall and Nash not to interfere.

Even though Hogan was supposed to be the villain, the crowd cheered loudly for him. The Rock won the match fairly. Afterward, Hogan and The Rock became friends and fought off Hall and Nash, who were upset. Hogan then became a fan favorite again. He continued to wear black and white gear for a few weeks, then returned to his famous red and yellow. He was still called "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan for a while.

On April 4, Hogan started a rivalry with Triple H. He defeated Triple H for the Undisputed WWF Championship at Backlash. He became the last WWF Champion before the company changed its name to WWE.

On May 19 at Judgment Day, Hogan lost the WWE Undisputed Championship to The Undertaker. Hogan then teamed with Edge to win the WWE Tag Team Championship for the first time. They celebrated by waving the American flag. They lost the titles to The Un-Americans at Vengeance. In August 2002, Hogan had a match with Brock Lesnar. Lesnar defeated Hogan, making him unconscious with a bear hug.

After Lesnar's attack, Hogan took a break until early 2003. He shaved his black beard and dropped "Hollywood" from his name. Hogan wrestled The Rock again at No Way Out and lost. He then defeated Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania XIX in a street fight.

After WrestleMania, Hogan wrestled as the masked Mr. America. He was supposed to be Hogan in disguise. He used Hogan's theme song and moves. Mr. America debuted on SmackDown! on May 1. McMahon claimed Mr. America was Hogan, but Mr. America said, "I am not Hulk Hogan, brother!" The rivalry continued, and Mr. America defeated Hogan's old rival Roddy Piper.

Mr. America's last WWE appearance was on June 26. After the show, Mr. America unmasked to show he was Hogan. The next week, Hogan left WWE. On July 3, McMahon showed the footage of Hogan unmasking and "fired" him, even though Hogan had already quit. Hogan was reportedly unhappy with his pay.

Second Return to NJPW (2003)

Hogan returned to NJPW in October 2003. He defeated Masahiro Chono in the Tokyo Dome.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2003)

After Hogan left WWE, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) tried to get him to join. In October 2003, TNA co-founder Jeff Jarrett attacked Hogan in Japan. This was supposed to lead to a match between them. But due to knee and hip problems, Hogan did not appear in TNA at that time.

Third Return to WWE (2005–2007)

On April 2, 2005, Hogan was put into the WWE Hall of Fame by actor Sylvester Stallone. At WrestleMania 21 on April 3, Hogan saved Eugene from an attack. The story of Hogan's Hall of Fame induction was shown on his reality show Hogan Knows Best.

The next night on Raw, Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari attacked Shawn Michaels. Michaels asked Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff for a tag team match. Michaels then asked Hogan to be his partner. On April 18, Hogan saved Michaels from another attack and accepted. At Backlash, Hogan and Michaels defeated Hassan and Daivari.

On July 4, Hogan was a guest on Carlito's talk show. After Carlito and Kurt Angle made comments about Hogan's daughter, Hogan was attacked. Shawn Michaels saved him. Later, Michaels and Hogan defeated Carlito and Angle in a tag team match. After the match, Michaels attacked Hogan, starting a rivalry between them. Hogan accepted Michaels' challenge for a match at SummerSlam, which Hogan won. After the match, they shook hands.

Before WrestleMania 22 in April 2006, Hogan inducted his friend Gene Okerlund into the WWE Hall of Fame. Hogan returned on Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIII with his daughter Brooke. Randy Orton flirted with Brooke and then attacked Hogan. Orton challenged Hogan to a match at SummerSlam, which Hogan won. This was Hogan's last match in WWE for a while.

Memphis Wrestling (2007–2008)

Hogan was asked to wrestle Jerry Lawler in Memphis Wrestling. But WWE stopped Lawler from wrestling Hogan. So, Lawler was replaced by Paul Wight. Hogan defeated Wight on April 27, 2007, by slamming him and then hitting 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 Ric Flair in the main event of each show. Hogan defeated Flair in all four matches.

Return to TNA (2009–2013)

Dixie Carter's Business Partner (2009–2010)

On October 27, 2009, Hogan signed a full-time contract with TNA. He announced his official TNA debut for January 4, 2010.

On January 4, Hogan debuted in TNA. He briefly reunited with former nWo members Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. But he refused to fully reunite the group, saying it was "a different time." He stuck to his business plans with Eric Bischoff. Hogan also told TNA founder Jeff Jarrett that he would have to earn his spot.

On February 18, Hogan took Abyss under his wing and gave him his Hall of Fame ring. Hogan returned to the ring on March 8, teaming with Abyss to defeat A.J. Styles and Ric Flair. Jeff Hardy saved Hogan and Abyss from an attack. This led to a Team Flair versus Team Hogan storyline. At Lockdown, Team Hogan won a big match against Team Flair.

Immortal (2010–2011)

On June 17, Hogan's alliance with Abyss ended when Abyss became a villain. Abyss claimed he was controlled by a mysterious entity. Hogan worked with Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett, and Samoa Joe against Sting and Kevin Nash. Abyss attacked Rob Van Dam, forcing him to give up his TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

Hogan was supposed to wrestle at Bound for Glory but missed it due to back surgery. He appeared at the end of the event and became a villain by helping Jeff Hardy win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. He joined Hardy, Bischoff, Abyss, and Jarrett to form a new group called Immortal. On the next show, it was revealed that Bischoff had tricked Dixie Carter into signing papers that gave him and Hogan control of the company. Carter later got a court order that suspended Hogan from TNA. Hogan had spinal fusion surgery in December 2010.

Hogan returned to TNA on March 3, 2011, saying he was the new owner of TNA. In April, he hinted at wrestling Sting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Hogan continued to interfere in Sting's matches. On September 15, Sting defeated Ric Flair to earn a match against Hogan at Bound for Glory. Hogan agreed to give TNA back to Dixie Carter if Sting won.

Hogan was defeated by Sting at Bound For Glory. After the match, Immortal attacked Sting, but Hogan turned back into a fan favorite and helped Sting. On the next show, Hogan, wearing his red and yellow gear again, admitted his mistakes and praised Sting.

Fourth Return to WWE (2014–2015)

On February 24, 2014, Hogan made his first WWE appearance since 2007 to promote the WWE Network. On March 24, Hogan introduced Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joe Manganiello on Raw.

At WrestleMania XXX in April, Hogan was the host. He came out to excite the crowd but mistakenly called the Superdome the Silverdome. Later, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock joined him. Hogan also shared a moment with Mr. T, Paul Orndorff, and Roddy Piper, who were in the main event of the first WrestleMania with him.

On February 27, 2015, Hogan was honored at Madison Square Garden. A special banner was hung to celebrate his career there.

On March 23, Hogan and Snoop Dogg confronted Curtis Axel, who was using Hogan's "Hulkamania" style. On March 28, Hogan inducted his longtime partner and rival Randy Savage into the WWE Hall of Fame. The next night at WrestleMania 31, Hogan reunited with Hall and Nash to reform the nWo. They appeared to support Sting in his match against Triple H.

Fifth Return to WWE (2018–Present)

On July 15, 2018, Hogan was put back into the WWE Hall of Fame. He made an on-screen return on November 2, 2018, as the host of Crown Jewel. Hogan next appeared on January 7, 2019, to honor his friend Gene Okerlund, who had passed away. This was Hogan's first time in a WWE ring in North America since 2015.

Hogan inducted his tag team partner Brutus Beefcake into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 6, 2019. The next night at WrestleMania 35, he made a surprise appearance with host Alexa Bliss. He welcomed fans and joked about his mistake from WrestleMania XXX. On July 22, 2019, Hogan appeared at the "Raw Reunion" special. He and Ric Flair announced a 10-man tag team match for Crown Jewel. Hogan managed his team to victory.

Hogan has said he hopes to have one more match in WWE. On December 9, 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. He was inducted with Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman.

Hogan appeared on SmackDown on February 14, 2020, to talk about the Hall of Fame. He was interrupted by Bray Wyatt. The 2020 Hall of Fame ceremony was delayed and aired on April 6, 2021.

Hogan's first appearance of 2021 was on January 4, a special Legends Night episode of Raw. He opened the show and appeared backstage with Jimmy Hart, Drew McIntyre, and Sheamus. He also watched the main event match.

On March 19, 2021, it was announced that Hogan would co-host WrestleMania 37 with Titus O'Neil. Hogan opened both nights of WrestleMania 37 and appeared in segments with Bayley.

On January 23, 2023, Hogan appeared live with Jimmy Hart to open the WWE Raw is XXX show. On January 22, 2024, WWE celebrated 40 years of 'Hulkamania' with pre-taped footage of Hogan. On January 6, 2025, Hogan made a live appearance during the Raw debut on Netflix. He was promoting his "Real American Beer" but was booed by the audience.

Legacy

Hogan is seen as one of the biggest stars in wrestling history. Many believe he was a key reason for Vince McMahon's success in expanding WWF. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer said Hogan "sold more tickets to wrestling shows than any man who ever lived." His match with Andre the Giant in 1988 set a record with 33 million viewers.

Fellow wrestler Cody Rhodes has called Hogan's WrestleMania X8 match with The Rock the greatest match in wrestling history.

Bret Hart, another WWE Hall of Famer, has often said Hogan's wrestling skills were limited. However, he also praised Hogan's amazing look, describing his huge muscles and strong presence.

Former writer Vince Russo believes more wrestlers today should wrestle like Hogan, focusing on character rather than just acrobatics. Hogan himself has said he is "number two" behind Ric Flair, calling Flair the greatest wrestler of all time.

In 2019, it was announced that Chris Hemsworth would play Hogan in a movie directed by Todd Phillips.

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 claimed he was offered the chance to endorse the George Foreman Grill, but he missed the opportunity. Instead, he endorsed a blender called the Hulk Hogan Thunder Mixer. He also endorsed "The Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill," which was recalled in 2008 due to fire hazards.

In 2006, Hogan launched Hogan Energy, a drink. His name was also used for "Hulkster Burgers," sold at Wal-Mart. In 2011, Hogan launched Hogan Nutrition, a website for health products.

On New Year's Eve 2012, Hogan opened a restaurant called "Hogan's Beach" in Tampa. The restaurant later dropped his name in 2015. Hogan then opened Hogan's Hangout in Clearwater Beach. In 2024, Hogan launched "Real American Beer."

Finances

In September 2008, Hogan's net worth was about $30 million. By September 2011, he said his expensive lifestyle and divorce had cost him hundreds of millions of dollars, almost making him bankrupt.

Other Ventures

In 2007, Hogan transferred all his trademarks, like Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania.com, to his company, Hogan Holdings Limited.

In 2008, Hogan announced a mobile game called "Hulkamania Wrestling." He also appeared in commercials for Rent-A-Center. In 2011, Hogan made a special appearance on American Idol. In 2010, Endemol Games UK announced an online gambling game featuring Hogan.

In 2013, Hogan partnered with Tech Assets, Inc. to open a web hosting service called "Hostamania." He made a funny video to promote it. Hogan also became a distributor for the company ViSalus Sciences. He supports the American Diabetes Association.

Hogan supported Donald Trump for president at the 2024 Republican National Convention. He also spoke at a Trump rally in Madison Square Garden in 2024.

Other Media

Acting

Hogan's popularity led to many TV and movie roles. Early in his career, he played Thunderlips in Rocky III (1982). He starred in No Holds Barred (1989). He also appeared in family films like Suburban Commando (1991), Mr. Nanny (1993), and Santa with Muscles (1996). Hogan was in commercials for Right Guard deodorant in 1992.

He starred in his own TV series, Thunder in Paradise, in 1994. He also appeared in movies like The Ultimate Weapon (1998). In 1997, Hogan starred in the TV movie Assault on Devil's Island. He also had cameo appearances in Muppets from Space and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Hogan played Zeus in Little Hercules in 3D. He also appeared on The A-Team and Walker, Texas Ranger.

In later years, Hogan became a voice actor. He had guest voice roles on Robot Chicken and American Dad!. He was also a main actor in the Cartoon Network series China, IL.

Reality Television and Hosting

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

Hogan hosted the comeback series of American Gladiators on NBC in 2008. He also hosted and judged Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling. Hogan had a special called Finding Hulk Hogan on A&E in 2010.

In 2015, Hogan was a judge on the sixth season of Tough Enough. He was replaced by The Miz after episode 5 due to a scandal.

Music and Radio

Hogan released a music CD called Hulk Rules with the Wrestling Boot Band. It included Jimmy Hart, his wife Linda, and J.J Maguire. Even though it got some bad reviews, Hulk Rules reached No. 12 on the Billboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995. He also made cameos in music videos, including Dolly Parton's "Headlock on My Heart."

Hogan was a regular guest on Bubba the Love Sponge's radio show. He also hosted his own radio show, Hogan Uncensored, on Sirius Satellite Radio in 2010.

Merchandising

Hogan has had many action figures made of him. The Wrestling Figure Checklist shows he has 171 different figures from the 1980s to the 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: ("Body Slam", "The Trouble with Harry")
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 ("Sleeper")
1996	Baywatch	Himself	1 episode: ("Bash at the Beach")
1997	Assault on Devil's Island	Mike McBride	TV film
1999	Suddenly Susan	Himself	2 episodes ("In This Corner... Susan Keane!: Part 1" & "In This Corner... Susan Keane!: Part 2")
	Assault on Death Mountain	Mike McBride	TV film
2001	Walker, Texas Ranger	Boomer Knight	1 episode: ("Division Street")
2005–2007	Hogan Knows Best	Himself	Reality TV series
2006–2016	Robot Chicken	Himself, Abraham Lincoln, The Giving Tree, Bigfoot, Various	4 episodes
2008–2009	Brooke Knows Best	Himself	Reality TV series
2011–2015	China, IL	The Dean	Main cast
2012	American Dad!	Himself	1 episode: ("Stanny Tendergrass")
2012	The Inbetweeners	Himself	1 episode ("Fire!")
2014	The '80s Called	Himself	RadioShack commercial for Super Bowl XLVIII
2015	Smosh	Himself	1 episode
2019	The Goldbergs	Himself	1 episode ("WrestleMania")
2022	Camp WWE	Himself	2 episodes ("John Cena's Grounded", "Vince's Pizza Party")

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	First video game appearance On the cover
1989	WWF WrestleMania	On the cover
	WWF Superstars
1990	WWF WrestleMania Challenge	On the cover
1991	WWF WrestleMania	On the cover
	WWF WrestleFest
1992	WWF Super WrestleMania	On the cover
	WWF European Rampage Tour
	WWF Superstars 2	On the cover
	WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge
1993	WWF Royal Rumble	Featured in the Sega Genesis version (also on the cover), but not the SNES version
	WWF King of the Ring	On the cover
2002	WWF WrestleMania X8	On the cover
	WWE Road to WrestleMania X8
	WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth	On the cover of the PAL version, but not the NTSC 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	On the cover
2011	WWE All Stars	On the cover
2013	WWE 2K14
2014	WWE SuperCard
	WWE 2K15	On the cover of the Hulkamania edition; was downloadable content and removed after a scandal
2015	WWE Immortals
2017	WWE Champions	Added in 2019
2019	WWE 2K20
2020	WWE 2K Battlegrounds
2022	WWE 2K22	On the cover of the nWo 4-Life edition
2023	WWE 2K23
2024	WWE 2K24	On the cover of the 40 Years of WrestleMania edition

WCW Video Games
Year	Title	Notes
1997	WCW vs. the World	On the cover
	WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
1998	WCW Nitro	On the cover
	WCW/nWo Revenge
1999	WCW/nWo Thunder	On the cover
	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 the cover), but not the PSP version
2011	TNA Wrestling Impact!

Legends of Wrestling Video Games
Year	Title	Notes
2001	Legends of Wrestling	On the cover
2002	Legends of Wrestling II	On the cover
2004	Showdown: Legends of Wrestling	On the cover

Personal Life

Family

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 shown on the TV show Hogan Knows Best.

On November 20, 2007, Linda filed for divorce. Hogan kept about 30% of their money, which was around $10 million.

Hulk Hogan started a relationship with Jennifer McDaniel in early 2008. They got engaged in November 2009 and married on December 14, 2010. On February 28, 2022, Hogan announced on Twitter that he and McDaniel had divorced.

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

Religious Beliefs

In 2007, Hogan spoke about his faith. He said he became a Christian at 14 and that his faith helped him through tough times.

On December 20, 2023, he was baptized at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo, Florida.

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 January 2013, Hogan sued a medical firm for $50 million. He claimed they convinced him to have six "unnecessary and ineffective" back surgeries that made his problems worse. He said these procedures only gave him short-term relief. After they failed, Hogan had traditional spinal fusion surgery in December 2010, which helped him return to his activities. He also claimed the firm used his name in ads without his permission.

Awards and Honors

Hogan was honored as the 2008 King of the Krewe of Bacchus, a carnival group in New Orleans. He visited the Children's Hospital and rode in the parade. Hogan received this honor partly because meeting him is a common wish 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