Honestly, if you look at Terry Bollea—the man the world knows as Hulk Hogan—you’re looking at a human being who has essentially been held together by surgical staples and sheer willpower for the last two decades. People always ask about the leg drops and the 24-inch pythons. But the real story? It’s written in the scars on his neck and back.
Just recently, in May 2025, the wrestling world held its breath when news broke that Hogan had gone under the knife again. This wasn't just another "check-up." This was a neck fusion procedure, specifically reported as a "little fusion" by his reps at the time to keep the Hulkamaniacs from panicking.
But as we later found out, there’s no such thing as a "little" neck surgery when you’re 71 years old and have already had 25 surgeries in the previous decade.
The Specifics: What Kind of Neck Surgery Did Hulk Hogan Have?
To get technical for a second, Hogan underwent what is known as an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF).
In plain English? They go in through the front of the neck, move the throat and esophagus to the side, pull out the worn-down discs that are pinching nerves, and then bolt the vertebrae together using metal plates and screws. For Hogan, this was reportedly a four-level fusion. That is a massive undertaking. Most people get one or two levels fused. Four levels is basically turning the entire cervical spine into a single, rigid rod.
Why now?
The guy spent forty years dropping 300 pounds onto his tailbone. Every time he hit that famous leg drop, a shockwave traveled straight up his spine.
By early 2025, the "Hulkster" was dealing with some pretty scary symptoms. We’re talking about numbness in his fingers and a total loss of feeling in his hands. That usually means the nerves in the neck are being crushed. His family—specifically his wife Sky Daily and his kids, Brooke and Nick—actually begged him not to do it. They wanted him to just "live with the pain" because they knew he wouldn't sit still for the recovery.
They were right.
A History of Metal and Misery
You can't talk about his neck without talking about his back. It’s all connected. Hogan famously claimed on Logan Paul's podcast back in late 2024 that he’d had 10 back surgeries alone.
He actually sued the Laser Spine Institute years ago, claiming they "butchered" him with half a dozen ineffective procedures that didn't do anything but build up scar tissue. He eventually had to get a traditional "open" fusion back in 2010 just to be able to walk.
By the time 2025 rolled around, his body was a roadmap of surgical intervention:
📖 Related: Finding the Best Fotos de Romeo Santos: Why the King of Bachata Still Owns the Lens
- Both hips replaced.
- Both knees replaced.
- Shoulder surgeries.
- The abdominal repairs.
- A permanent spinal cord stimulator (basically a remote control for his pain).
The May 2025 Surgery and the Aftermath
The neck surgery in May 2025 was supposed to be the "fix" that let him enjoy his retirement. TMZ reported he was back to work just 24 hours later.
That was probably the mistake.
Instead of resting the six to twelve weeks doctors usually demand for a four-level ACDF, Hogan was out at autograph signings and promoting his wrestling league within 48 hours. He was standing for hours, traveling to Milwaukee and Michigan, and putting immense strain on a neck that was literally still trying to knit itself back together.
The downhill slide
Reports started surfacing that he was having a "horrific" time. His wife later mentioned that the healing process was "layered." It wasn't just the bones; it was the vocal cords and the breathing tubes.
👉 See also: Tom Cruise siblings: The three sisters who keep the world’s biggest movie star grounded
When you have a four-level fusion, the retraction of the esophagus can cause permanent issues with swallowing and breathing. By July 2025, the legend was reportedly on oxygen and struggling with severe shortness of breath.
What We Can Learn from the Hulkster’s Battle
Hogan's story isn't just a celebrity health update. It’s a cautionary tale about the "tough guy" mentality. He often said, "Nobody told me this gimmick stuff was fake," referring to the very real concrete floors and stiff rings of the 70s and 80s.
If you are facing a cervical fusion or any major spinal work, here are the takeaways from Hogan's experience:
- Recovery is not optional. You cannot "hustle" your way through a bone fusion. If you move too soon, the hardware can fail or the bones won't "take," leading to a non-union.
- The "Front" approach has risks. ACDF (the anterior approach) is common, but it can mess with your voice and swallowing, especially in multi-level cases.
- Address the root early. Hogan waited until he couldn't feel his hands. In spinal health, once a nerve is dead, it’s usually dead for good.
Hulk Hogan eventually passed away on July 24, 2025, following a cardiac arrest. While the medical examiner pointed to a heart attack (exacerbated by a history of A-fib and a battle with leukemia), many close to him believe the physical toll and the complications from that final, massive neck surgery played a massive role in his decline.
He went out like a warrior, but his body had simply given everything it had to give.
📖 Related: Cameron Diaz Armpit Habits: Why She Ditched Deodorant 20 Years Ago
If you're dealing with chronic neck pain or considering a fusion, your next step should be a consultation with a board-certified neurosurgeon to discuss the specific risks of multi-level fusions versus conservative management like physical therapy or nerve blocks.