Hulk Hogan’s official cause of death has been confirmed after the wrestler died last week, aged 71.
The wrestling legend’s death has left the sports entertainment world mourning one of its most iconic figures.
The beloved superstar, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, passed away on July 24 at his home in Clearwater, Florida, after emergency responders were called to treat him.
The circumstances surrounding Hogan’s death began to unfold on that Thursday morning when police and fire departments in Clearwater responded to a medical emergency call at 9:51 a.m.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” the wrestling organization stated at the time, per CNN. “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.”
Hogan’s impact on professional wrestling cannot be overstated.
During the 1980s and 1990s, he became the face of WWE’s expansion into mainstream entertainment, helping transform wrestling from a regional attraction into a global phenomenon.
His larger-than-life personality and memorable rivalries with stars like ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper and ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage helped establish professional wrestling as a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Throughout his career, Hogan competed for major organizations including World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Total Nonstop Action (TNA), earning recognition as a 12-time world champion and cementing his status as one of the most recognizable figures in pop culture history.
The loss devastated Hogan’s family members, who each shared heartfelt tributes. His wife Sky Daily wrote on Instagram that her heart was ‘in pieces,’ describing the loss as ‘sudden and impossible to process.’
Hogan’s son Nick paid tribute to his ‘best friend,’ writing alongside throwback photos: “This has been overwhelming and extremely difficult.” The younger Hogan was visibly emotional during WWE’s televised memorial on Monday Night Raw.
Perhaps most poignantly, Hogan’s daughter Brooke, who had been estranged from her father in recent years, insisted that despite their fallouts, their bond ‘has never broken.’
She wrote: “When he left this earth, it felt like part of my spirit left with him. I felt it before the news even reached us.”
Even Linda Hogan, his ex-wife who was married to him from 1983 to 2009, admitted in her tribute that she was still in love with her former husband and that it was ‘so hard’ to know he was gone.
In the weeks leading up to his death, rumors had circulated about Hogan’s declining health.
The speculation intensified after he underwent what his wife Sky Daily described as ‘a major four-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)’ in May – a complex neck surgery with an extensive recovery period, Page Six reports.
Daily had attempted to quell the mounting concerns in early July, writing on social media: “No, he’s definitely not in a coma! His heart is strong, and there was never any lack of oxygen or brain damage. None of those rumors are true.”
She added that Hogan was ‘healing and we’re taking it one day at a time with love, strength, and patience.’
Just days before his death, Hogan’s longtime friend and former on-screen manager Jimmy Hart had painted an optimistic picture, posting on social media: “Hulk is doing great, doing phenomenal! Last night at karaoke with Nick [Hogan] was absolutely fantastic, baby!!!”
Hogan had been open about the physical toll his wrestling career had taken on his body.
In a September 2024 appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, he revealed the extent of his medical challenges: “I’ve had like 25 surgeries in the last ten years, 10 of them were back surgeries. I’ve had 10 back surgeries, both knees and both hips replaced, shoulders – everything.”
Former WWE executive Eric Bischoff, who visited Hogan in his final days, described seeing his friend in a weakened state.
“It was work for him to have a conversation but he was the same guy,” Bischoff shared on his podcast, per People, noting that Hogan had been ‘kind of embarrassed’ to be seen in his condition.
One week after his passing, the medical examiner’s findings provided clarity about what ultimately claimed the wrestling legend’s life.
According to a cremation approval summary report via Today from the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s office, Hogan died from an acute myocardial infarction – commonly known as a heart attack.
The report revealed previously unknown details about Hogan’s medical history, including that he had been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a form of blood cancer affecting white blood cells.
He also had a documented history of atrial fibrillation, a condition characterized by irregular and rapid heartbeat that can increase the risk of heart complications, the Cleveland Clinic explains.
“I am not aware when Mr. Bollea will be cremated, only that we received a request for cremation approval,” a spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office confirmed, noting that his manner of death was ruled natural.
The revelation of Hogan’s private battle with leukemia came as a surprise to fans and the wrestling community, as he had never publicly disclosed his cancer diagnosis. The combination of his heart condition and cancer history ultimately contributed to the heart attack that ended his life.
First responders found Hogan in cardiac arrest and worked tirelessly for 30 minutes attempting to revive him before transporting him to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.
