Pro wrestling is arguably as big as its ever been, with Monday Night Raw topping Netflix's TV charts on a weekly basis, AEW's two-network push, and the continued reemergence of the NWA. It's impossible to put all of that success on just one person's back, it's also impossible to think wrestling would be where it is without Hulk Hogan taking over pop culture in the 1980s. Now, WWE superstars and more are paying tribute after the unexpected news of Hogan's death.
In his many decades of entertaining in the ring, Hulk Hogan will long be remembered for as many of the biggest heel moves that he pulled with the nWo as any of his accomplishments as a babyface. (Bodyslamming Andre the Giant probably takes the cake there.) So it only makes sense to start with a tribute from another beloved athlete with a Top 5 most shocking heel turn.
Sting
Fellow nWo member and former yellow-haired Sting shared this on X:
HULK HOGAN - THE GREATEST OF ALL Can’t thank you enough for all that you did for me and for wrestling fans all over the world. I loved you and I will miss you. My friend, Terry Bollea, RIP
Kevin Nash
Keeping the nWo train going, Kevin Nash shared his own mournful message on X that namechecked the villainous faction that the pair co-created along with the late Scott Hall, who passed away in 2022.
I lost another brother. Icon doesn't even touch it. Rest in power my friend. NWO 4 Life....and beyond.
Nash shared an additional post on Instagram that namechecked Brooke and Nick Hogan, the Hulkster's two kids with ex-wife Linda.
Vince McMahon
Perhaps the one who owes more of his career success to Hulk Hogan than anyone else, former WWE CEO Vince McMahon also paid respects with some very complimentary words on X.
The world lost a treasure today. Hulk Hogan was the greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME, someone who was loved and admired around the world. He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a global phenomenon. His grit and unbridled thirst for success were unparalleled - and made him the consummate performer. He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved. He leaves us with one of his favorite expressions, "Train, take your vitamins and say your prayers."
Vince McMahon
The Undertaker & Kane
The polar opposite of Hulk Hogan tanned and brightly colored aesthetic was The Undertaker's pallour and all-black attire. But such a gimmick might never have caught on without the surge in popularity that led to so many quirky personas in the '90s, which necessarily means the Taker's faux brother Kane wouldn't have been created. The two athletes both paid respect on social:
- THE UNDERTAKER: The wrestling world has lost a true legend. His contributions to our business are immeasurable and for that I am appreciative. Thank you, Hulk Hogan.
- KANE: 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
Shawn Michaels & Triple H
Two of the biggest WWE headliners whose names weren't Hulk Hogan, though one of them does carry on the same alliterative naming, Shawn Michaels and Triple H grew as Superstars in the wake of Hogan's reign, and who knows if Degeneration X would have ever existed if not for the nWo's antagonistic and anarchic run.
- SHAWN MICHAELS A legend. A larger-than-life presence. Hulk Hogan didn’t just work in this business… he transformed it. Rest in peace, Hulkster.
- TRIPLE H: WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring … and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea. He was the archetype of what it meant to be a 'Superstar' - a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognizable to fans around the world. . . . There was no one like The Hulkster and there very well may never be another.
Ric Flair, Kurt Angle & Matt Cardona
While not as marketable as an action star or vitamin bottle mascot, Ric Flair has been every bit as successful a pro wrestler as Hogan, and has had his own share of health scares over the years, which he refers to in his message. Superstars Kurt Angle and Matt Cardona both credited Hogan with inspriing them to become wrestlers in the first place.
- RIC FLAIR: I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend @HulkHogan! 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. Hulk Also Lent Me Money When Reid Was Sick. Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!
- KURT ANGLE: R.I.P Hulkster, thank you for opening up doors for so many people in the business including myself. There would not be a Kurt Angle, without the American Made, Hulk Hogan. My heart and prayers go out to his family. We lost a real icon today.
- MATT CARDONA: If it wasn’t for Hulk Hogan, I don’t know if I’d be a pro wrestler or even a pro wrestling fan. RIP Hulkster. Hulkamania will live FOREVER!!!
Sylvester Stallone & George St. Pierre
Tributes were of course shared by far more than just pro wrestlers, with a pair of notable posts shared by Sylvester Stallone, who worked with Hogan on arguably the franchise-best Rocky III, and former UFC champion George St. Pierre, who had something of a Hogan-esque impact on popularizing MMA.
- SYLVESTER STALLONE: I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26 years old. He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky three incredibly special. My heart breaks. I think that he’s gone…
- UFC VET GEORGE ST. PIERRE: They say you should never meet your idols, but meeting Hulk Hogan made me admire him even more. He was so generous with his time and an inspiration not only as an athlete and entertainer, but also as a human being. He will be missed by us all. RIP Hulk Hogan 🙏
Plenty of other tributes (and unsurprisingly a ton of non-tributes) are still being shared across the internet as the news of Hogan's death continues making the rounds.
R.I.P. to the Hulkster, and best wishes to all the mourning Hulkamaniacs out there.
