Wrestling World Reacts To 'The Immortal' Hulk Hogan's Tragic Death

As a lifelong wrestling fan who has also been fortunate enough to cover the sport for years as a broadcaster, Thursday's announcement about the passing of Hulk Hogan almost seems surreal to me. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, was literally nicknamed "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan. 

Make no mistake about it, Hogan's passing reminds us all that death is coming to all of us, whether we like it or not. Perhaps that's why tributes pouring in from the wrestling world and beyond show just how much this one hurts - Hulk Hogan literally was wrestling.

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HULK HOGAN DEAD AT 71

After confirming Hogan's death, the official WWE X account has been tweeting various legendary moments (and there's a ton) of the iconic wrestler, perhaps the greatest wrestling moment of all time, when Hogan bodyslammed Andre The Giant at WrestleMania III in 1987. The moment propelled Hogan into the hearts and minds of Americans across the country. 

Whether you wrestled with him for decades like Ric Flair and other WWE Hall of Famers, or were one of the younger wrestlers who were inspired after watching him weekly on their television, Hulk Hogan had an impact on everything wrestling-related.

"I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend, Hulk Hogan! Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn’t Ask For Him To Be. He Was One Of The First To Visit Me When I Was In The Hospital With A 2% Chance Of Living, And He Prayed By My Bedside," 16x WWE Champion Ric Flair tweeted.

Hogan was generational, which is why Flair's daughter, Charlotte, also paid tribute to the wrestling great.

"When I nearly lost my dad 8 years ago, one of the few people who was there for all of it was Hulk Hogan. My heart breaks for Nick and Brooke.  Rest in peace, brother," Charlotte Flair wrote on X.

TRIBUTES POURING IN FROM THE WRESTLING WORLD

"One of the reasons I got into wrestling. Hulk was always so nice to me and was the one celebrity that wanted to see all the kids I brought over from Bermuda. RIP legend. There will never be another. Hulkamania never dies," John Layfield, also known as Bradshaw or JBL during his wrestling career, tweeted.

"Hulk Hogan was a true legend. I was fortunate to work with him a couple of times, including this memorable one. It was easy to do a Hulkster impersonation when, like millions of guys my age, I'd practiced it in the mirror a thousand times growing up. #RIPHULKHOGAN"  former Knoxville, Tennessee Mayor Glenn Jacobs, also known as "Kane," wrote.

Longtime WCW and TNA wrestling broadcaster Tony Schiavone tweeted, "Say what you want about Hulk Hogan, but his impact on pro wrestling is undeniable. RIP Hulkster. The end of an era."

Pat McAfee, who, beyond his daily ESPN show, is also a commentator on WWE Monday Night Raw and has been featured in a number of matches, tweeted, "Rest Easy, brother." McAfee also included a collage of photos of the two of them together.

HULK HOGAN IS SYNONYMOUS WITH WRESTLING

According to TMZ, medics were called to Hogan's Clearwater, Florida residence early Thursday for a reported "cardiac arrest." Reported video shows emergency responders conducting chest compressions while wheeling him out to an ambulance. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

In 2023, I spoke with Hogan's longtime friend and former WCW Executive Producer Eric Bischoff about how Hogan's nWo theme came about. You can read that article here.

OutKick will continue to add further details as more information is released.

REACTIONS TO HULK HOGAN'S PASSING? TWEET ME: @TheGunzShow