On July 24, 2025, professional wrestling lost one of its greatest of all time. Terry Gene Bollea, better known to millions of wrestling fans as Hulk Hogan, was declared dead at his home in Florida due to a heart attack at the age of 71. 

Paramedics struggled for over 30 minutes to resuscitate the legend, but they couldn't. His family announced the news formally, reporting that he peacefully went to sleep with his family members around him.

The news garnered immediate reactions from past and present WWE superstars. WWE owner Vince McMahon described Hogan as “the biggest superstar in history.” Legends such as Ric Flair, Undertaker, Triple H, and others looked back at his unprecedented impact throughout the entire industry. 

Even former United States President Donald Trump, who used to occupy media space with Hogan more than once, observed that “the world lost a true American icon.”

The Man Who Turned Wrestling into a Global Spectacle

He was not only a name from the past but the very epitome of a generation. He reached stardom during the 1980s when WWF (later WWE) embarked on its global entry into arenas. Hogan became its face. His signature look red and yellow attire, bandana, horseshoe mustache, and 24-inch pythons was well-known to millions. His catchphrase “Whatcha gonna do, brother?” was legendary.

Hogan’s own career included six WWE Championships, several main-events in WrestleMania, and classic rivalries with men like André the Giant, The Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, and Randy Savage. He battled legendary Goliath André for a record 1988 bout watched on television by a staggering 33 million people in America alone.

Hulk Hogan in WWE 2K25 — A Digital Icon

Even though his passing is a great loss, to millions of devotees he lives on as WWE 2K25. In the new series game, Hogan is represented in a number of guises: classic Hulk Hogan, Hulk Hogan 2002, Hollywood Hogan, as well as a unique edition of Ichiban Hogan.

He is available in his base version with a 92 rating, which makes him an in-game top-class wrestler. There is his Hollywood Hogan version from 2002 and some lower-stat but no-less-legendary versions as well. The most uncommon of him — Ichiban Hogan — features a high stat rating of 94 as well as the elite list of rosters in-game.

Hogan’s in-game attributes match his legendary status: powerful strikes, his signature Leg Drop, an authentic move set, and even original voiceover work. Whether you're playing through career mode or battling friends, the game lets you step into the boots of a true legend.

It’s not about his titles or his great games — it’s his energy, his faith in strength, honor, theatrics that gathered millions of faithful into his fold. He was a man who was an athlete, first of all, but he was a symbol. And though he’s gone, he lives on as a legend.