Hulk Hogan

Hulkamania ignited when he defeated the Iron Sheik for the World Heavyweight Championship in 1984, launching one of the most dominant runs in the history of the business. He won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship six times, including a reign of 1,474 days, and his grudge match with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III drew around 80,000 fans to the Pontiac Silverdome. The red and yellow, the leg drop, the ear-cupping pose — his style redefined what a top guy looked like, and he became the biggest money-making draw in the history of the industry.

Hogan passed away from cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida, on July 24, 2025, at the age of 71. WWE honored him with a ten-bell salute on the July 25 episode of SmackDown, followed by tributes on Raw and NXT and at SummerSlam. WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H called Hogan "the archetype of what it meant to be a Superstar" and credited him with helping shape WWE's global success. His legacy, while complicated, remained undeniable.