Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan died last week at age 71, and newly released records have shed more light on the health challenges he faced in his final days.
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Hogan, born Terry Bollea, suffered a medical emergency at his Clearwater, Florida, home on July 24. Emergency responders were called to the residence for what was initially reported as cardiac arrest. According to records from the Pinellas County Forensic Science Center obtained by the New York Post, the official cause of death was acute myocardial infarction — commonly known as a heart attack.
The documents also revealed that Hogan had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a form of cancer that targets the white blood cells. That diagnosis had never been made public by Hogan or his representatives. Additionally, the wrestling legend had a history of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat condition often linked to increased risk of stroke and heart failure.
Speculation about Hogan's declining health had been swirling in recent months. In June, Florida radio host Bubba the Love Sponge Clem , once a close friend of Hogan, told listeners the former wrestler was hospitalized with a serious health concern. At the time, Hogan's camp denied those claims and said he was receiving treatment for lingering neck and back problems stemming from decades in the ring.
Few figures in professional wrestling history matched Hogan's popularity or impact. He helped propel the World Wrestling Federation, now known as WWE, into the national spotlight during the 1980s. His larger-than-life persona, signature catchphrases and headlining matches turned him into a household name.
Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was removed in 2015 amid controversy but later reinstated and honored a second time in 2020 as part of the New World Order, the groundbreaking wrestling faction he joined during his WCW run in the late 1990s.
A six-time WWE Champion and longtime ambassador for the brand, Hogan remained a visible figure in wrestling culture up until his death.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been publicly announced.
