Hulk Hogan died on Thursday morning after a medical episode at his home in Florida, and reports have revealed the cause of death for the wrestling legend.
According to audio from Pinellas County Fire and EMS that was obtained by TMZ, medical personnel were dispatched to Hogan’s home in Clearwater for a cardiac arrest at 9:51 a.m. Thursday. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was treated by first responders before being taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Hogan was 71.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com was also told by sources that Hogan suffered a “massive cardiac arrest.”
There had been rumors in recent months that Hogan underwent a significant heart procedure, though his representatives denied that. Longtime radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge Clem, who was once friends with Hogan, claimed on his radio show in June that Hulk was in the hospital dealing with some sort of life-threatening condition.
A rep for Hogan said at the time that Hulk had been receiving medical treatment to address lingering neck and back issues but was doing well.
Hogan was arguably the most famous professional wrestler of all time. His popularity in the 1980s led to the rapid growth of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which is now known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was removed in 2015 over a scandal but reinstated again several years later. Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a second time in 2020 as a member of the New World Order (NWO), which he joined in 1996 when he made a heel turn while wrestling in World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
A six-time WWE Champion, Hogan remained a brand ambassador for the organization up until his death.
