
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, one of the most recognizable faces in professional wrestling and a towering figure in pop culture for over four decades, has died at age 71.
People around the wrestling world are reacting, including right here in Norfolk County.
Ever since the launch of Norfolk County Championship Wrestling, the community has shown support for wrestling in the community.
President Adam Martin says a lot of those fans for NCCW first got hooked on wrestling because of Hogan.
As the driving force behind the rise of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in the 1980s, Hogan helped turn wrestling from a niche interest into a global sensation.
is persona — complete with signature mustache, red-and-yellow ring gear, and the ever-famous “24-inch pythons” — became synonymous with “Hulkamania,” a movement that launched the sport into households around the world.
Martin said his impact on the industry is far reaching, even right here with NCCW.
Hogan, born Terry Bollea, was pronounced dead Thursday morning at a Florida hospital, less than two hours after emergency responders arrived at his Clearwater home for a cardiac arrest call.
Authorities confirmed there was no foul play or suspicious activity.
Over his career, Hogan held at least six WWE championships and played pivotal roles in wrestling’s most iconic moments. In 1987, he famously body-slammed Andre the Giant in front of more than 90,000 fans at WrestleMania III.
In the late ’90s, he reinvented himself in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as “Hollywood Hogan,” founding the villainous New World Order (nWo) faction during the Monday Night Wars — a pivotal shift that helped WCW dominate television ratings for a time.
myFM and Oldies 99.7’s reporter Matt LeBlanc, who also works as the ring announcer for NCCW, talked about seeing Hogan during this time.
He had gone to several live wrestling events over the years, but this was the only WCW show he went to – and the biggest stand out moment from that Toronto show was Hogan coming out.
Hogan returned to WWE in the early 2000s, where his match against The Rock at WrestleMania X8 became one of the most beloved moments in wrestling history.
Councillor Adam Veri is no stranger to NCCW, working close with the promotion and even standing the corner as a manager during a tag team match, and even this historic moment in wrestling has a Norfolk connection as Veri was in attendance that evening.
It was supposed to be The Rock was the hero and Hogan was the bad guy, but Toronto said no.
Veri noted that this moment, and the crowd creation, was a major turning point in Hogan’s career – as has been documented in many documentaries over the years
He also shared one personal story he had with Hogan.
He was first in line to meet him for an autograph at an event, and after waiting hours, he was told he would have to wait a bit longer.
But for what he saw during that extra wait, it was worth it.
Photo courtesy of Hulk Hogan’s official Facebook page.