The mustache. The yellow spandex. The 24-inch pythons. For decades, Terry Bollea—better known as Hulk Hogan—seemed practically invincible, a man-mountain who told kids to eat their vitamins and pray. But on July 24, 2025, the music stopped.
Hogan died at his home in Clearwater, Florida, at the age of 71.
News of his passing hit like a leg drop from the top rope. One minute he was a fixture of pop culture, and the next, "Hulkamania" was a memory. Almost immediately, the internet did what it does best: it started guessing. People wanted to know why a man who looked so strong had suddenly collapsed. Was it the years of steroids? Was it the 25 surgeries he’d joked about on podcasts?
Hulk Hogan Cause of Death: The Official Word
The rumors were wild, but the medical reports eventually cleared the air. Technically, Hulk Hogan cause of death was an acute myocardial infarction. In plain English? A massive heart attack.
He didn't die from some mysterious injury or a sudden accident. According to the Pinellas County Medical Examiner, Hogan suffered from cardiac arrest at his home around 9:50 a.m. By the time first responders arrived, there wasn't much they could do. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Morton Plant Hospital.
It’s easy to think of a heart attack as a freak occurrence, but Hogan's body had been a battlefield for years.
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He wasn't just dealing with a "bad ticker." The forensic reports revealed he had been living with atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is basically an irregular, often rapid heart rate that can lead to blood clots, strokes, and—you guessed it—heart failure.
The Secret Battle with Leukemia
One of the most shocking details to emerge after his death was something the Hulkster had kept quiet. He was fighting Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
Nobody knew.
He hadn't mentioned it during his high-profile appearance at the 2024 Republican National Convention. He hadn't brought it up on Logan Paul’s "IMPAULSIVE" podcast just months before he died. He just kept moving. CLL is a type of cancer that starts in the white blood cells, and while it's often slow-growing, it puts an immense strain on the immune system and the cardiovascular system.
The Toll of the Ring
You can't talk about Hogan's death without talking about the "gimmick." Hogan famously said, "Nobody told me this gimmick stuff was fake."
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He was talking about the physical price.
Hogan had undergone ten back surgeries. Ten. That’s not counting the hip replacements, the knee replacements, or the shoulder repairs. Just months before his death, in May 2025, he had a major cervical fusion surgery to fix lingering neck pain. Some reports from outlets like The Jerusalem Post even suggested his phrenic nerve—the nerve that controls your diaphragm and breathing—was compromised during one of these procedures.
His wife, Sky Daily, had to shoot down rumors that he was on his "deathbed" or in a coma just weeks before the end. She was protective. She insisted his heart was strong. But the reality of a 71-year-old body that had been slammed into mats for 40 years is hard to ignore.
Wrestling's Dark Shadow
There’s a nuance here that wrestling fans know all too well. The era Hogan came from—the 80s and 90s boom—wasn't exactly known for "wellness policies." Hogan himself admitted to heavy steroid use back in the day.
Cardiologists like Dr. Bradley Serwer have noted that the "high incidence" of heart disease in older wrestlers often traces back to that culture of performance enhancers and the grueling travel schedules that make a healthy diet nearly impossible.
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Hogan was the face of that era. He lived larger than life, and unfortunately, he paid the price that many of his peers, like the Ultimate Warrior or "Macho Man" Randy Savage, paid before him.
Legacy and Next Steps
Hogan’s death marked the end of an era for the WWE and global pop culture. He was more than a wrestler; he was a brand, a movie star, and a political figure. Even in 2026, the echoes of his "Real American" theme song still feel like they're playing in the rafters of every arena.
If you are a fan or just someone following the story, there are a few ways to dive deeper into his legacy:
- Watch the Tributes: The WWE aired several "moments of silence" and tribute packages on Raw and SmackDown following July 24, 2025. They are available on the WWE Network/Peacock and offer the best look at his career highlights.
- Read the Memoir: Hogan’s older book, My Life Outside the Ring, takes on a much heavier meaning now that we know about the CLL and the heart issues he was likely masking.
- Check the Official Reports: If you're looking for the hard data, the Pinellas County Forensic Science Center's cremation approval summary is the document that finally confirmed the leukemia and the myocardial infarction.
Hulkamania didn't die with Terry Bollea, but the man behind the bandanna certainly left a complicated, heavy, and legendary footprint on the world.