Hulk Hogan honored by WWE stars in poignant tribute following wrestling legend’s sudden death at 71
WWE stars past and present paid their respects to Hulk Hogan on Friday night following his tragic death at the age of 71.
Hogan, considered by many as the greatest wrestler in history, passed away on Thursday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida.
The American icon’s passing has sent shockwaves across the globe, with president Donald Trump leading the tributes to his good friend after hearing the sad news.
And in the first live event after his death, the WWE remembered Hogan – whose real name is Terry Bollea – in a poignant memorial before kicking off SmackDown on Friday night.
Wrestling great Triple H, who now works as the company’s chief content officer, paid homage to his former colleague before a traditional 10-bell salute was held in his memory.
WWE stars past and present paid their respects to Hulk Hogan on Friday night after his death
‘Ladies and gentleman, yesterday we lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world,’ said Triple H, whose real name is Paul Levesque. ‘A man I grew up watching, was fortunate enough to share the ring with, and like so many of us were honored to call a friend.
‘The truth is, he captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe. We would not be standing here right now – all of us together – if it was not for him.
‘So please help us honor him now as we give a 10-bell salute to Terry Bollea – the one and the only, the immortal Hulk Hogan.’
A number of WWE figures looked visibly emotional as the 10-bell salute played out, including his former manager Jimmy Hart, who was seen wiping away tears.
SmackDown then ran a heartwarming montage of Hogan’s greatest WWE moments, which featured touching words from a number of his fellow wrestlers.
