Past rumors of Hulk Hogan’s deteriorating health are resurfacing after the wrestling star suddenly died on Thursday morning.
Hogan, 71, born Terry Gene Bollea, died after emergency crews were called to his Clearwater, Florida home for a cardiac arrest.
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Three days ago, radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge said on his show that unnamed but credible sources that Hogan could no longer talk.
“Hogan’s not doing well,” one of the hosts, Lummy, said on the show just days before Hogan died.
“He can’t speak…it does not look good.”
Bubba, born Todd Alan Clem, said that a source told him that Hogan was in a hospital bed inside of his own home due to his condition.
Jimmy Hart, a longtime friend of Hogan and his longtime former manager, wrote the day after Clem’s podcast episode aired that he was “doing great, doing phenomenal!”
“Last night at karaoke with Nick was absolutely fantastic,” he wrote on X, possibly referring to Hogan’s son named Nick, who he’s survived by.
In June, Clem made a similar claim that he was not doing well, causing deathbed rumors to pop up on the internet.
TMZ later reported that a Hogan representative said he wasn’t close to death, and was on the mend after a recent surgery on his neck.
Sky Daily, Hogan’s wife, also claimed at the time that his heart was “strong,” and “there was never any lack of oxygen or brain damage.”
“None of those rumors are true,” she wrote on social media, according to PennLive.
After news of Hogan’s death broke, Clem told TMZ that he was saddened he’d never be able to apologize to his friend.
“I’m heartbroken to hear of Terry’s passing. As everyone knows we had our issues and those issues were mostly my fault,” he said in a statement to the outlet.
“I’m saddened that I will never be able to tell him how sorry I am for the way I handled things that created the rift between us. I miss my friend and hope he rests in peace.”
“I loved him as a friend while he was with us, and will continue to love his memory as a friend going forward.”
It was well known that the wrestler had chronic neck and back pain due to his career.
Hulk Hogan career timeline
1977: Made his professional wrestling debut.
1979: Joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and gained recognition.
1982: Appeared as “Thunderlips” in the film Rocky III, significantly boosting his mainstream exposure.
1984: Defeated The Iron Sheik to win his first WWF Championship, ushering in the “Hulkamania” era.
1985: Main evented the first-ever WrestleMania, teaming with Mr. T against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.
1987: Slammed Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III in one of wrestling’s most iconic moments.
1993: Departed WWF for World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
1996: Shocked the wrestling world by turning heel and forming the New World Order (nWo) with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash at Bash at the Beach, becoming “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan.
2001: Returned to WWE after WCW was acquired.
2002: Had a memorable match against The Rock at WrestleMania X8.
2005: Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
2005-2007: Starred in the reality TV show “Hogan Knows Best.”
2012: Had his last official televised match for TNA Impact, though he made sporadic appearances in WWE afterward.
2020: Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for a second time as a member of the nWo.
“One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s,” WWE wrote on X.
“WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
Hogan, a staunch Trump supporter, received comments from multiple politicians after his death, including the president himself.
“He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!”
Alongside Sky and his son Nick, he is survived by his daughter Brooke.
Brooke claimed earlier this year that she had gone no contact with her father.
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