Knowledge Memo | [Hulk Hogan] | A Real Hero Built by the Pro-Wrestling World! ~ Responsibility for the Influence of Words?

On July 24, 2025, WWE legend Hulk Hogan (real name: Terry Gene Bollea) passed away from a heart attack at his home in Clearwater, Florida. He was 71 years old.
It was the morning that the man who thrilled the world with the term "Hulkamania" quietly passed away.

This time, while looking back on his life, I would like to re-examine the front and back of a superhero.

What kind of person was Hulk Hogan?

Hulk Hogan, real name Terry Gene Bollea.
Born August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, USA.
With a massive frame of about 200cm tall and weighing about 136kg, his appearance with long blonde hair and a thick mustache had an impact that was impossible to forget once seen.

He debuted in professional wrestling in 1977 and established the name "Hulk Hogan" in the WWF (now WWE) in the 1980s.
He is the leading figure who sparked the social phenomenon known as "Hulkamania" and pushed professional wrestling from a minor combat sport into mainstream entertainment.

His unique call of "Brother!", his performance of ripping his shirt, his appeal to fans with the "Real American" spirit...
The character he created was not just a pro-wrestler, but a symbol of American culture itself.

The trajectory to being called a "legend"

The man who created the "spectacle" of WrestleMania

Appearing as the main eventer of the first WrestleMania in 1985, Hogan drew about 1 million viewers on television, creating a turning point where professional wrestling changed from a "show" to a "business."

And in 1987, "WrestleMania III" was held at the Pontiac Silverdome.
Here, Hogan created a "miracle" by body-slamming his biggest opponent at the time, Andre the Giant.
This moment of lifting a monster weighing over 220kg is still passed down as a legend that continues to burn in the history of professional wrestling.

The audience was about 93,000 people, which continues to shine as the record for the largest indoor event in WWE history to this day.

12 titles, 2 consecutive Royal Rumble wins

Hogan left behind an astonishing record of 12 titles in total, including 6 WWF/WWE championships and 6 WCW championships.
Furthermore, he won the Royal Rumble in 1990 and 1991, setting a monumental record as the first person to win it twice in a row.

Throughout his 35-year career, his achievements in building great matches with legends such as Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, and The Rock, and developing professional wrestling into a global business, are immeasurable.

The revolution of "villain" Hogan: The formation of nWo

A change came in 1996 for Hogan, who had continued to reign as a hero.

Sensing that fan support was waning, he formed the "nWo (New World Order)" in WCW with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.
He shed his "red and yellow hero" persona and transformed into the villain "Hollywood Hogan," wearing a black costume.

This was not just a character change.
It was a display of an astonishing professional instinct, reading the timing when the audience began to feel "bored" and turning 180 degrees himself.
The nWo gained enough popularity to temporarily give WCW the upper hand in the "Monday Night Wars" against the WWE, opening a new era in the professional wrestling world.

The honor of being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice

In 2005, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for the first time as an individual, and in 2020, he was inducted for the second time as a member of the nWo.
The honor of being inducted twice speaks to his multifaceted achievements.

Even outside the ring, he continued to be active beyond the scope of professional wrestling, such as appearing in the movie "Rocky III" (1982) and venturing into variety shows.

Where there is light, there is shadow: "Scandals and Controversies"

From here on, I will touch upon his "human side."
These are the real struggles behind a dazzling hero.

"The Gawker Lawsuit": The Battle Between Privacy and Media

In 2012, the gossip site "Gawker" published a portion of Hogan's sex tape without his permission.
In response, Hogan filed a lawsuit seeking over $100 million in damages.
In the 2016 jury verdict, he was awarded a total of approximately $140 million (about 15.7 billion yen at the time) in damages, consisting of $115 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages (the final settlement is said to be $31 million).

This trial posed questions to society such as "To what extent should individual privacy be protected?" and "Where is the boundary between media freedom of the press and invasion of privacy?", significantly driving the debate on media ethics.
It was later revealed that this lawsuit was funded by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, and Gawker was ultimately forced out of business as a result.

Racial Slurs: "Responsibility for the Influence of Words"

In 2015, it came to light that Hogan had made racially discriminatory remarks in a tape related to the Gawker lawsuit.

WWE immediately terminated its contract with Hogan and removed his name from the Hall of Fame.
Hogan stated through the media,
"Those words are unacceptable. There is no excuse. I apologize. This is not who I really am."
He officially apologized.

Three years later, in 2018, he was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame, but this incident served as a reminder to rethink the "weight of words."
No matter how brilliant a career a person has, they can lose trust with a single word.
Especially for someone with as much influence as Hogan, the reach of those words is immeasurable.

Perhaps being a "hero" meant taking responsibility for one's words as well.

Hogan, who was "active" until just before his death

In his later years, Hogan continued to be energetically active while facing health issues.

It is reported that he had a history of over 25 surgeries and suffered from serious chronic illnesses such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and atrial fibrillation (a type of arrhythmia).
Even so, in 2024, he stood on stage to give a supporting speech at the Republican National Convention for President Trump, exciting the venue.

Entering 2025, he was involved in the launch of a new professional wrestling organization, "RAF (Real American Freestyle)," and it is said that he maintained an attitude unrelated to the word "retirement" until the very end.

After the news of his death, his wife, Sky Daily, wrote on social media, "He had some health issues, but I believed he would definitely overcome them. I thought we still had time."

On July 24, 2025, at 9:51 AM, Clearwater fire and police departments rushed to his home.
He was transported to Morton Plant Hospital, but was confirmed dead shortly after 11:00 AM.
The cause of death was acute myocardial infarction (heart attack).
The death certificate was issued by his attending physician, and the cause of death is recorded as "natural causes."

Tributes arrived from all over the world

Following the news of Hogan's death, messages were sent from all over the world.

WWE announced in an official statement that he was "one of the most iconic figures in pop culture."
Many legends, including John Cena, Ric Flair, and The Rock, also expressed their condolences.

U.S. President Donald Trump also sent a message, mourning the death of the "Hulkster," who was one of his supporters.

The state of Florida designated August 1, 2025, as "Hulk Hogan Day."
His achievements were officially recognized as those of a figure who transcended the boundaries of professional wrestling.

Summary

Hulk Hogan was a "hero" who lived through the latter half of the 20th century in America, using the world of professional wrestling as his stage.

He thrilled people with his muscles and performance, and pushed professional wrestling into a global business.
His achievements are genuine, and it is no exaggeration to say that the current WWE would not exist without him.

On the other hand, behind the mask of the superhero, there was a human being struggling with conflict, including his downfall due to discriminatory language, legal battles with the media, and his fight with health issues.

When we overlay the theme of "responsibility for the influence of words" onto his life, it gives us something to think about once again.
The more influential a person is, the greater the power their words hold.
They can hurt people, but they can also save them.

I feel that the phrase Hogan left behind, "Whatcha gonna do, brother?", continues to live on as a question even outside the ring.

By honoring his brilliant achievements while honestly facing the human struggles behind them, perhaps we can find an opportunity to think a little more deeply about the true nature of a "hero."

Hulk Hogan, aged 71. Rest in peace.