WWE icon Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71.
The news was first reported by TMZ on Thursday, July 24. WWE confirmed the news.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the company said in a statement. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
The Clearwater Police Department in Florida said in a statement it responded to a medical call at a residence on Clearwater Beach at 9:51 a.m. for a reported cardiac arrest. Fire and police personnel responded to the scene and he was treated at the scene before he was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The death of Hogan, whose legal name is Terry Bollea, comes days after rumors circulated on social media about his health. Hogan’s close friend Jimmy Hart said on July 22 he was “doing phenomenal.”
Hogan recently walked out to the UFC octagon with former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington prior to his December fight with Joaquin Buckley in Florida.
Covington, among others in the UFC and MMA community, mourned Hogan’s death on social media.