Hulking Out

Terry Bollea, better known as “Hulk Hogan,” put wrestling on the map, whipping his Hulkamaniacs into a frenzy around the ring and representing a new kind of hero for legions of kids. But beyond the ropes, Hulk’s life wasn’t family-friendly, and his deep secrets and deeper pain compete with his outsized legacy. 

1. Wrestling Was His Escape

Born in Georgia in 1953, Hogan came from a working-class background—his father was a construction foreman, while his mother was a dance teacher when she wasn’t looking after Terry and his older brother Alan. But Hogan found a new world outside of the mundane. When he began watching professional wrestling as a teen, he quickly gravitated toward “inhuman” performers like “Superstar” Billy Graham.

Watching wrestling was a way for Hogan to escape his humble beginnings. But when he began performing himself, reality hit him hard.

Unknown photographer, Wikimedia Commons

2. He Was Almost A Rock Star 

At first, Hogan actually pursued a career in music, dropping out of college to play bass in Florida rock bands. But he couldn’t get away from his destiny: Wrestlers Jack and Gerald Briscoe were in his audience one day, and recognized his potential immediately. By 1976, they had convinced him to try wrestling himself.

Hogan might have thanked them, but he was nearly destroyed at the first hurdle. 

Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

3. His Mentor Broke His Leg 

As part of his training for the ring, the Briscoes and Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) promoter Mike Graham put him under the tutelage of Hiro Matsua. His training turned devastating. During their very first session, Matsuda, who was infamous for going hard on his students, broke Hogan’s leg.

For another person, this might have been it. For Hogan, it was a chance for payback. 

Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

4. He Learned From His Mistakes 

Hogan spent 10 grueling weeks in rehab, trying to get enough mobility back into his leg to take on Matsuda again. After all, there was no way he was giving up. It paid off: After rehab, Hogan went back to train with Matsuda and promptly blocked him when he tried to pull the same leg-breaking move. 

As we’ll see, Hogan’s resilience and pain tolerance led him down a dark, nearly fatal road. For now, it would bring him all the way to the top.

Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

5. He Was Part Of A Tag Team

Hogan made his wrestling debut in 1977 for the CWF, and after a split from the overbearing Matsuda and a brief hiatus to run a gym, began performing in the “Boulder Brothers” tag team with Ed Leslie. The pair were so popular, promoter Jerry Jarret of the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis poached them to join up with his association. 

It was in Memphis that the Hulk was born. 

swiftwj, Wikimedia Commons

6. He Became The Hulk

Hogan’s fame was now growing, and he made an appearance on a local talk show with Lou Ferrigno, then starring in The Incredible Hulk. The host made a fateful observation: The towering, bulky Hogan actually loomed over the so-called “Hulk,” even though Ferrigno was no slouch in the muscles department. 

After that, the “Hulk” name became a regular part of Hogan’s wrestling shows. But the “Hogan” part? That actually has a more surprising backstory.

George Napolitano or Koichi Yoshizawa, Wikimedia Commons

7. The WWF Wanted Him To Be Irish 

In 1979, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) head Vincent J McMahon (father to Vince McMahon, Jr) approached Hogan to perform in his ring. However, he had a bizarre idea: He wanted an “Irish” wrestler, and suggested the name “Hogan” for his stage persona. McMahon also pressured Hulk to dye his hair red to complete the Irish image, but Hogan—who was already losing his hair anyway—refused, saying, “I’ll be blond Irish”. 

It was the beginning of a legend, but that beginning isn’t what you might think. 

Unknown photographer, Wikimedia Commons

8. He Started As A Heel 

Hogan’s time with the WWF hardly needs an introduction…except that maybe it does. Some fans forget that Hogan started out in the company as a villain character, and his early iconic showdowns with legends like Andre the Giant had him playing the heel. That’s not all: Annoyed that Hogan had taken a role in Rocky III alongside Mr T, in 1981 McMahon Sr actually dropped the wrestler from his roster.

But the WWF quickly found out what a big mistake it had made. 

Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

9. He Became A Fan Favorite 

Hogan spent 1981 to 1983 with the American Wrestling Association, and something magical happened. Although he began as a villain there as well, fans began flocking to him and he quickly turned babyface (a good guy), garnering even more popularity as he did so. 

It was too much for the WWF, and the company—now owned by Vince McMahon Jr—tempted Hogan back. Now, Hogan just had to prove he belonged there…and he very much did. 

Unknown, Wikimedia Commons

10. He Made A Triumphant Comeback 

In late December of 1983, Hogan burst back into the WWF, and about a month later he won his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship, defeating the Iron Sheik in front of thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden. Vince McMahon clearly understood what wrestling fans wanted, and he gave Hogan the championship on a silver platter. But Hogan still had much more to prove. 

Bill Apter, Wikimedia Commons

11. He Had An Iconic Image  

Soon, Hogan honed his craft to a stunning point. He came up with the “demandments” in his interviews: training, saying prayers, and eating vitamins (“believing in oneself” would come a bit later). He also began wearing his classic yellow and red, referring to his legion of fans as “Hulkamaniacs,” and took to ripping off his shirt when he entered the ring, flexing while soaking up the adoration in a now iconic routine. 

But not everyone was so happy with him.  

John McKeon, Wikimedia Commons

12. He Threatened Marvel

In these years especially, Hogan traded on a kind of “superhuman” persona, often “Hulking up” off the roars of his fans and becoming seemingly invincible even in the face of crushing attacks. He even had a signature finishing move in his running leg drop. All this eventually led Marvel, who owned the Incredible Hulk, to push for kickbacks of his revenue—and to ban him from ever wearing the comic book Hulk’s purple and green. 

But nothing could stop Hulk Hogan…for now. 

Possibly Cathy Dixson or John Barrett, Wikimedia Commons

13. He Became A Father 

At this point, everything seemed to be working in Hogan’s life, and in 1983 he married his long-time girlfriend Linda Claridge in a star-studded wedding attended by wrestling icons like Andre the Giant and Vince McMahon. By 1990, they had two children together, Brooke and Nick. More good things were to come. 

Uyvsdi, Wikimedia Commons

14. He Beat A Giant 

1987 was an ascendant year for Hulk Hogan, and it led to one of his most famous matches. In Wrestlemania III, he successfully defended his WWF Championship title against Andre the Giant—doing so by bodyslamming the 520-pound giant onto the mat in the “bodyslam heard around the world,” and then leg-dropping him. 

But at the moment of his victory, no one knew how much pain Hulk was hiding. 

Journalist 1st Class Kristin Fitzsimmons, Wikimedia Commons

15. He Lost His Brother 

Physical pain was a constant part of Hogan’s wrestling career, and it would eventually break him. But in 1987, it was mental pain that likely was doing the most damage: Just a year earlier in 1986, Hogan had lost his older brother Alan to an overdose, yet Hogan insisted on pushing through the family tragedy to maintain his championship. 

It wouldn’t be the last time Hogan ignored warning signs to slow down. 

Miguel Discart, Wikimedia Commons

16. He Injured A TV Host 

Hogan’s first WWF Championship win was overshadowed by a violent accident two years earlier. In March of 1985, after much prompting, Hogan put Hot Properties show host Richard Belzer in a guillotine choke hold while taping an episode. But Hogan’s grip was so strong, it caused Belzer to pass out, and he hit his head on the floor when Hogan released the hold. 

Belzer’s ensuing 5 million dollar suit was settled out of court, but it still did Hogan no favors. And more backstage drama was around the corner. 

Jay Tamboli, Wikimedia Commons

17. The Government Interrogated Him 

Over the next half a decade, Hogan won the WWF Championship four more times (and would do so again in 2002 for a total of six). But his fame caught up with him. Around 1993, allegations that Hogan and other wrestlers were taking steroids began to emerge, and the government accused Hogan’s boss Vince McMahon of procuring the substances and pressing his roster to take them.

Hogan, trapped in a corner, made an infamous confession.

Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

18. He Testified In Court 

After receiving legal immunity, Hogan testified in McMahon’s trial. His testimony shook the wrestling world, as he admitted on the stand that he had used steroids for decades to bulk up to his “Hulk” size. Nevertheless, Hogan denied that McMahon had anything to do with these habits—a testimony that helped tank the government’s case against McMahon and let him go free. 

Yet for all Hogan’s loyalty to McMahon, he was about to betray him in a different way.

Airman 1st Class Nicholas Pilch, Wikimedia Commons

19. He Went To A Rival Company 

Starting in 1994, the same year he testified, Hogan joined up with WWF rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The move likely incensed McMahon, but Hogan was amply rewarded: Just a month after signing with them, he won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in his first match, against Ric Flair. 

Like at the WWF, Hogan would go on to win six of these championships. But that’s not what made him famous—or infamous—at the WCW.

Radiodays89, Wikimedia Commons

20. He Made A Massive Change 

On July 7, 1996, a new Hulk Hogan was born. At that year’s WCW Bash at the Beach, Hulk Hogan went back to his roots and turned into a heel, attacking Randy Savage without precedent. In his post-match interview, Hogan gave a rousing performance, railing against wrestling fans for failing to appreciate him, and announcing that he was forming the New World Order.

No one expected what came next. 

Rob DiCaterino from Jersey City, NJ, USA, Wikimedia Commons

21. He Went Hollywood 

Hogan now took on the persona of “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan—and he made sure his looks matched the part. He grew a beard and dyed it black in contrast to his bleached, still-present mustache, and began wearing black and white clothing decorated with lightning bolts. 

The fans absolutely lapped it up, and Hollywood Hulk remains a defining moment in Hogan’s career, not to mention one of the most incredible heel turns in wrestling history. But this was also when a lot began to fall apart for Hogan. 

Lisa Reese, Wikimedia Commons

22. He Had A Backstage Argument 

In 2000, Hogan left the WCW, and it was not a peaceful exit. That summer at Bash at the Beach, Hogan and creative head Vince Russo clashed about the outcome of a championship match with Jeff Jarrett. Hogan (naturally) wanted to win and maintain his championship, while Russo wanted him to lose.

Apparently, they never quite resolved the issue, and the ensuing events were complete chaos. 

Mshake3 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons

23. He Won A Controversial Title 

During the match, Hogan’s opponent Jarrett lay down in the ring, where they were supposed to perform a conflict. At that point, however, Russo threw the championship belt into the ring and told Hogan to pin Jarrett—a directive that seemingly confused Hogan based on their backstage conversations. All the same, he put his foot on Jarrett, then spoke into the microphone, "Is this your deal, Russo? That's why this company is in the da[r]n shape it's in”. 

Hogan was duly announced once more as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, a result he would later claim was always going to happen. But after that point, Russo went way off script. 

Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

24. He Was Publicly Fired

Seconds after Hogan took the championship belt, Russo—and at this point nearly everyone except Russo agrees it was not a part of the planned performance—stormed into the ring and informed the fans it would be the last they’d ever see of Hulk Hogan in a WCW Arena. Hogan’s reaction was infamous. Well and truly angry with Russo, Hogan stormed off…and he didn’t forgive or forget. 

Xoloz, Wikimedia Commons

25. He Went After His Boss 

During his time with the WCW, Hogan had a “creative control” clause that allowed him to decide what happened to his character, at least to a certain degree. So when Russo broke the script and fired Hogan, seemingly for real, Hogan turned around and sued him for defamation of character. Because while his win was planned, Hogan claimed, this angry sacking wasn’t. 

For his part, Russo insisted that it was all a performance. In the end, the lawsuit was dismissed, but Hogan never did return to the WCW—and it was probably for the best. 

Recording Sanity, Wikimedia Commons

26. He Had Serious Surgery 

By the end of his run with the WCW—which was soon subsumed into the WWF, which then became World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)—Hulk Hogan was approaching 50 years old and in rough shape. Years of mat work had shot his knees, and in March of 2001 he underwent surgery to gain back proper use of them. 

Still, all Hogan knew was wrestling, and he went back to it like a moth to a flame. He just wasn’t always honest about it.

Mshake3 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons

27. He Lied To Everyone 

By this time, Hogan had earned a reputation for being something of a liar—or at best, a salesman. For example, he claimed Elvis was a fan of his, despite the King dying before Hogan ever had a wrestling match, and insisted he once wrestled 400 days a year thanks to time zone changes. In possibly his biggest whopper, he said Metallica once asked him to join the band; James Hetfield responded to this with a laugh and a “I don’t remember him”. 

Then again, Hogan’s real life at this time wasn’t anything to write home about. 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Reproduction Number: LC-USZ6-2067 Location: NYWTS -- BIOG, Wikimedia Commons

28. He Turned Into A Tabloid Story

In 2007, a bombshell hit Hogan’s private life. That year, a 33-year-old woman named Christiane Plante went to the National Enquirer and claimed that she and Hogan had been having an affair while Plante helped Hogan’s daughter Brooke with her upcoming album. Hogan quickly denied ever cheating on his wife Linda at any point, but the damage was done. 

Damien D., Wikimedia Commons

29. His Wife Left Him

In November of 2007, months after the National Enquirer story came out, Linda filed for divorce from Hogan. Then again, she may have had more than one reason to be angry: In 1996, a business woman in Hogan’s orbit had accused him of assault, and Linda had stood by her husband then. This time, after more than two decades together, she was done.  

The blow on Hogan’s ego was immense—but the blow on his wallet might have been worse. 

Slowking4, Wikimedia Commons

30. She Took Him To The Cleaners

Thanks in part to how long Linda had been with Hogan, not to mention their joint endeavor on the reality show Hogan Knows Best, Hogan only retained 30% of the marriage’s liquid assets in the divorce. It was a harsh cut, even if it did total around 10 million dollars, and it speaks to how angry Linda must have been.  

Hogan had endured a lot in his wrestling career, but this pushed him to the brink. 

daysofthundr46, Wikimedia Commons

31. He Wanted To End It

In the wake of his divorce, Hogan fell into a deep depression. Later, he made a gut-wrenching confession. He admitted that during this time, he’d thought of ending it all, and he said that Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali and Hogan’s American Gladiators co-star, was the one who convinced him not to and helped pull him out of the pit he was in.

Slowly, Hogan began to rebuild. For him, this meant only one thing: Wrestling. 

The Heart Truth, Wikimedia Commons

32. He Brought His Daughter To Work 

For the next decade and a half, Hogan performed on and off for the WWE, sometimes seeking greener pastures when he didn’t like his storylines or, more often, his pay cut, but always finding his way back to their crowds. As his daughter Brooke grew up, she even joined him in some of the storylines, including one where Hogan is incensed that she's dating fellow wrestler Bully Ray. 

Throughout it all, Hogan’s body was screaming at him to stop. 

Luigi Novi, Wikimedia Commons

33. His Body Revolted 

The 2010s were a minefield for Hogan’s health, and it began to affect his career. While working with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2010, Hogan had to miss a Bound for Glory event in order to recover from back surgery. Months later, he then had spinal fusion surgery, a procedure that could have potentially ended his wrestling. Still, Hogan kept going—but the consequences were dire. 

Recording Sanity, Wikimedia Commons

34. He Couldn’t Take A Break 

Although the spinal fusion surgery worked well enough to keep Hogan wrestling, the constant damage he was doing to his body night in and night out continued to eat away at the stability of his back. In 2012, while back at WWE doing storylines with his daughter Brooke, Hogan had to be completely rewritten out of an arc because of yet another back surgery. This time, the results were harrowing. 

Simon Q, Wikimedia Commons

35. He Sued His Doctors 

Soon after this last spinal surgery, Hogan filed a medical malpractice suit against the Laser Spine Institute, the company who performed the work. Suing for $50 million, Hogan accused them of pushing him to go through with multiple “unnecessary and ineffective” operations that, in the end, had only worsened his issues. 

Of course, by then it wasn’t the only lawsuit Hogan was involved in.

Petty Officer 1st Class Kristin Fitzsimmons, USN, Wikimedia Commons

36. He Made A “Bad Choice”

In April of 2012, right around Hogan’s latest round of spinal surgery and its fallout, a video aired out Hogan’s dirty laundry. The website Gawker released a very intimate tape of Hogan and Heather Clem, the estranged wife of radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge. 

Hogan later called his actions "a bad choice and a very low point,” but few people know the whole story.

Megan Elice Meadows, Wikimedia Commons

37. His Friend Betrayed Him

As it happened, Bubba the Love Sponge was very aware of the tryst and the video; in it, Bubba says the couple can “do their thing” while he’s in his office. Moreover, Bubba was ready to profit off it: Afterward, he comes and tells Heather “If we ever need to retire, here is our ticket”. 

Hogan would soon file a lawsuit against Bubba and Clem, settling in October of 2012. But he was far from finished. 

Bubba the Love Sponge 2, WFLA News Channel 8

38. He Was Out For Blood

In the wake of Gawker posting a clip of the private video, Hogan teamed up with an unlikely ally: Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel. Thiel reportedly held a grudge against Gawker for outing him back in 2007, and he now helped bankroll Hogan as the wrestler went after the publication in court. 

Hogan sued Gawker for a variety of damages, including defamation and loss of privacy, asking for $100 million. The verdict was heard ‘round the world. 

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons

39. He Took Down A Website 

Where Hogan had generally settled his suits out of court up until this point, his lawsuit against Gawker was relentless, and a jury eventually awarded him $115 million in 2016, plus he gained control of the assets of Gawker editor-in-chief AJ Daulerio. 

It was a resounding victory for Hogan, and Gawker closed its doors shortly after—only, his battles weren’t over.

Bill, Wikimedia Commons

40. More Of His Secrets Spilled Out

In the midst of the Gawker trial, another, more disturbing recording of Hogan emerged. In a taped conversation again with Heather Clem back in 2007, Hogan unleashed a string of racist remarks, complaining about the idea of his daughter Brooke having relations with a Black man with liberal use of disgusting language.

This time, Hogan couldn’t sue his way out of the fallout. 

Hulk Hogan V Gawker Trial Day 1 Part 3 03/07/16, Law&Crime Network

41. The WWE Dropped Him 

Hogan immediately issued an apology for his statements, identifying it as “language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs”. Except it was too little, too late. In the ensuing scandal, the WWE terminated his contract—though Hogan’s lawyer maintained he had actually resigned—and removed him almost entirely from their website. 

As more information emerged, it only got worse.

STEPHVE, Wikimedia Commons

42. His Public Image Plummeted 

Shortly after reporting on these initial comments, Radar Online also claimed that Hogan had used homophobic language on the same recording. To add insult to injury, 2008 phone conversations with Hogan and his son Nick, who was incarcerated at the time, included further prejudiced language. 

Hogan, spinning out, made a desperate plea.

Miguel Discart, Wikimedia Commons

43. He Made A Public Plea

Late into the summer of 2015, Hogan gave a Hail Mary interview. Talking to ABC, he begged the public for forgiveness about his comments, and explained that growing up in his particular neighborhood in Georgia had helped cement his biases. Nonetheless, former neighbors of the Bolleas claimed otherwise and chafed at this characterization of their home. 

Luckily for Hogan, he was too big to fail.

Hulk Hogan Asks Fans for Forgiveness Over Racial Slur Scandal, ABC News

44. He Made A Final Comeback 

Though Hogan’s Black co-workers struggled to varying degrees with his leaked comments—Virgil and celebrity wrestler Dennis Rodman defended him, but Mark Henry and Booker T expressed hurt and disappointment—in the end, the WWE took him back into the fold in 2018. To his credit, however, Hogan made a formal apology backstage to his fellow wrestlers before he made his comeback. Plus, he didn’t get off scot-free.

Tuomas Venhola, Wikimedia Commons

45. The Crowd Booed Him 

Hogan continued to work on WWE in the coming decade, but the results were mixed. During the Netflix event for Raw in 2025, Hogan took the stage likely expecting the adoration he was used to as a wrestling icon. Instead, he got a chilling response. The crowd began booing him, with many in the arena turning against him.

Little did fans know, it would be Hulk Hogan’s last appearance at a professional wrestling event. 

Megan Elice Meadows, Wikimedia Commons

46. He Went Through Another Divorce 

The last years of Hogan’s life were rife with personal ups and downs. Although he married his second wife Jennifer McDaniel in 2010 and was with her through his Gawker lawsuit and the leaking of his hateful comments, Hogan announced in February 2022 that the pair had called it quits after more than a decade. He wasn’t alone for long, though.

Remembering Hulk Hogan: Wife Sky Daily Breaks Silence on His Death, Entertainment Tonight

47. He Found New Love

In the summer of 2023, Hogan became engaged to and soon married yoga instructor Sky Daily. From the outside, it looked like an immensely happy period, and Hogan captioned the reel he posted from his wedding with “My new life starts now!” For two years, much of their life together looked the same—but beneath his grins, Hogan was actually in a world of pain. 

Remembering Hulk Hogan: Wife Sky Daily Breaks Silence on His Death, Entertainment Tonight

48. He Was Committed To Recovery 

The first months of 2025 were hell on Earth for Hogan, who was still suffering from multiple physical issues, including with his back. In June 2025, he underwent a major spinal fusion surgery again, but this time he was determined to come back swinging. Taking his recovery seriously, he didn’t even allow friends to visit him at home or in the hospital, lest he pick up an infection. Yet it was all for nothing. 

Mike Kalasnik, Wikimedia Commons

49. His Health Took A Turn 

On July 24, 2024, Hogan perished from a heart attack at his home in Florida at the age of 71, after his health took a sudden downward turn “overnight”. His wife Sky Daily expressed shock at his loss, saying, “He had been dealing with some health issues, but I truly believed we would overcome them”.

Remembering Hulk Hogan: Wife Sky Daily Breaks Silence on His Death, Entertainment Tonight

50. He’s A Complicated Legend 

Because of his intense lows, it’s easy to forget just how high Hogan soared throughout his career—for a time, no one was bigger. He had action figures, branding deals including a “Pastamania” restaurant, and the adoration of millions of fans. While it’s hard to forget his words, it’s also hard to forget this legacy, complex as it may be.  

Neelix at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10