Hulk Hogan, WWE legend and Hall of Famer, dies at 71: A look at his professional wrestling career

Hulk Hogan, considered by many the biggest pioneer of professional wrestling, passed away at 71 after a cardiac arrest, according to TMZ.

Hulk Hogan, aka Terry Bollea, one of the biggest pioneers of professional wrestling, has passed away at the age of 71. TMZ was first to report that Hogan died due to a cardiac arrest at his home in Florida. The WWE shortly issued a statement confirming of Hogan’s passing.

Hulkamania will live forever (AFP Image)

“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. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans,” it said.

Hogan made professional wrestling into the behemoth that it is now. In the 1980s, Hogan's phenomenal 'Hulkamania' elevated him into superstardom and put the WWE on the map. Hogan made his wrestling debut in 1977, but it wasn't until Vince McMahon Sr. signed him to the World Wrestling Entertainment (then Federation) that Hogan became a household name. Hogan’s last official televised match took place in 2012 for TNA Impact, although he kept making sporadic appearances in the WWE. He was part of the WWE's Netflix debut in January.

Hogan was a six-time WWE Champion, and his reign of 1474 days is the third-longest in WWE history, behind Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund. Hogan was McMahon's most trusted star, main-eventing the first-ever WrestleMania in 1985. He went on to end the show seven more times. His win over the late Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX in 1993 would be his last WWE appearance for a while as he departed the company to act in films and later join rival promotion WCW.

Hogan's WCW stint brought about a fresh change in the mid-1990s. For the first time in his career, Hogan turned heel (a wrestling term for the bad guy) as 'Hollywood Hulk Hogan' and emerged as the leader of the NWO, aka the New World Order. The NWO became a reign of terror in the WCW, spray-painting opposition with their logos and beating them up – it is still considered one of the greatest factions of all time. Hogan won the WCW championships six times.

With the WWE running its rival company WCW out of business in 2001, Hogan made his much-awaited and celebrated return to the company that made him famous. Renewing his role as the leader of the NWO, Hogan wrestled in his first WrestleMania match in nine years when he squared off against The Rock, aka Dwayne Johnson, in 2002. Although Hogan lost, passing the baton to the younger athlete, it was just the first step towards rechristening the Red and Yellow.

Hulk Hogan's return as the good guy

Hogan returned to his beloved Hulkamania gimmick, ditching the White and Black to embrace the face turn. A month after losing to The Rock, Hogan won what turned out to be his last WWE championship, defeating Triple H, aka Paul Levesque, at the next PPV, Backlash. He lost the subsequent month to The Undertaker. During his run, he won the WWE tag-team title with Edge, aka Adam Copeland.

Hogan wrestled at WrestleMania 19 in Seattle before becoming a part-timer. His appearances over the months dwindled down. Hogan switched to another rival promotion, TNA (Total Nonstop Action) twice (between 2003 and 2005, and then again from 2009 to 2013), but he always came back home. In 2005, the WWE officially inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame.