Hulk Hogan, the professional wrestling legend who helped carry the WWE (then WWF) into mainstream popular culture within the Eighties, has died on the age of 71.
TMZ experiences that Hogan, born Terry Bollea, died of cardiac arrest on Thursday at his house in Clearwater, Florida. There have been rumors for the previous month about Bollea being sick following a neck process he underwent in Could.
The Clearwater Police Division confirmed his dying in an announcement posted to social media: “Clearwater Fireplace Division and Clearwater Police Division personnel responded to a medical name at 9:51 a.m. at the moment within the 1000 block of Eldorado Avenue on Clearwater Seashore. The character of the decision was for a cardiac arrest. A 71-year-old resident, Terry Bollea, also referred to as Hulk Hogan, was handled by Clearwater Fireplace & Rescue crews earlier than being taken by Sunstar to Morton Plant Hospital, the place he was pronounced deceased.”
As Hulk Hogan, Bollea was identified for his larger-than-life persona and instructing younger followers to say their prayers and take their nutritional vitamins. The rise of Hulkamania within the Eighties introduced the WWF and professional wrestling as a complete to new heights. Within the Nineteen Nineties, he defected to rival WCW and made a shock heel flip as chief of the villainous New World Order, one other popular culture sensation. Nevertheless, his later years have been marred by controversies that overshadowed these profession accomplishments.
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Exterior of wrestling, Bollea tarnished his legacy by his personal actions. In 2013, he filed a $100 million lawsuit towards Gawker Media for publishing a clip of a intercourse tape displaying him with the spouse of radio character Bubba the Love Sponge.
The trial concluded with a whopping $140 million judgment in Bollea’s favor, a verdict that compelled Gawker to file for Chapter 11 chapter and had vital ramifications on freedom of the press in the USA. The events ultimately settled for $31 million.
Through the authorized battle, a separate controversy emerged after transcripts from the complete intercourse tape have been printed The Nationwide Enquirer and Radar On-line, which included Bollea utilizing the n-word and describing himself as racist. These revelations led to WWE terminating his contract.
Bollea then filed a separate lawsuit towards Gawker, alleging the corporate was chargeable for leaking the sealed court docket paperwork containing the offensive remarks.
Throughout his heyday as Hulk Hogan, Bollea additionally appeared in movies together with Rocky III, Suburban Commando, Mr. Nanny, and extra.