But over the past half century, the headlining star—the one whose name tops the marquee, and who is paid the most money—has usually been someone like Hulk Hogan. Hogan himself was uncommonly tall, blessed with biceps bigger than a baby’s head,

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer and former world champion Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, died Thursday at the age of 71, according to his family.

Hulk Hogan was in the midst of filming a documentary project for Netflix at the time of his death, CNN has learned.

But for the 38-year-old Famuyide and other Black wrestling fans and sports commentators, Hogan’s death this week at 71 has resurfaced an irreconcilable contradiction in the iconic wrestler’s legacy: Hogan’s undeniable role in broadening wrestling’s appeal to fans of all backgrounds versus his well-documented racism.

Hulk Hogan's 2015 racism scandal led WWE to cut ties. The leaked audio, lawsuits, and fallout reshaped his legacy, now reignited by his 2025 death.

Pro wrestler Hulk Hogan won one of his most notable victories in a Florida courtroom. Hogan died Thursday at age 71, nearly a decade after he sued the website Gawker for publishing a video that showed him having sex with a friend's wife.