Professional wrestling icon Terry Bollea, known globally by his ring name Hulk Hogan, died on Thursday at the age of 71, according to a statement from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Hogan, considered one of the most influential figures in professional wrestling history, passed away after suffering cardiac arrest at his Clearwater, Florida home. Emergency services responded to a 911 call and transported him to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities said there were no signs of foul play, though an investigation is ongoing.

“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s,” the company said in a post on X.

With his unmistakable 24-inch biceps, trademark yellow bandana, and larger-than-life charisma, Hogan became the face of WWE (then WWF) in the 1980s and early 1990s. His appeal extended far beyond the wrestling ring, turning him into a household name and a pop culture mainstay, starring in movies and appearing regularly on television.

He played a central role in wrestling’s transformation into a global entertainment juggernaut, headlining multiple WrestleMania events and captivating audiences around the world.

In the mid-1990s, Hogan shocked fans by leaving WWE for its rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW). There, he reinvented himself as “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, executing a dramatic “heel turn” in 1996 by forming the New World Order (nWo). The storyline helped WCW defeat WWE in television ratings for 83 consecutive weeks, marking the peak of wrestling’s “Monday Night Wars.”

However, his time in WCW later soured after the infamous “Finger Poke of Doom” incident, where a staged collapse by wrestler Kevin Nash allowed Hogan to win the championship in a move widely criticized for exposing the scripted nature of wrestling and turning fans away from the product. WCW’s decline soon followed, ultimately allowing WWE to buy out its rival.

Hogan returned to WWE in the early 2000s, most memorably facing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania X8—a match hailed for its electric crowd and historic significance. He would go on to join Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling in 2010, though his tenure there was less successful and marred by criticism for overshadowing younger talent.

In 2015, Hogan’s legacy took a major blow when a video surfaced of him using racial slurs. WWE swiftly cut ties with him and removed his name and likeness from its platforms. Though he was later reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame, the incident permanently altered public perception of the once-revered superstar.

Despite the controversies, Hulk Hogan remains a towering figure in the history of professional wrestling. His unmatched popularity helped launch wrestling into the mainstream, and his legacy—both celebrated and complex—will remain a subject of discussion for years to come.

WWE, fans, and wrestlers around the world have expressed condolences to Hogan’s family, marking the passing of an era in sports entertainment.