38 Wrestlers Who Died In 2025
15. Hulk Hogan (24 July)
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan died on the morning of 24 July after suffering a heart attack while enduring a home therapy session at his Clearwater, Florida residence. He was 71 years old.
Internationally recognised as the most instrumental wrestler there ever was, Hogan's influence on the wrestling industry cannot be understated. He became a worldwide childhood hero immediately as Vince McMahon drafted him back to the WWF in 1983, upon which the foundations for the entire future of professional wrestling were laid. Legitimate industry-shaping spells followed in WWE, WCW, and, to a more detrimental effect, TNA, as did a combined thirteen World Championships, eight straight WrestleMania headliners, six Hall of Fame memorialisations, a truly abhorrent acting career, and approximately a gazillion fibs told throughout the process. He retired, unadvertised, in 2012.
Hogan's legacy is not complete without an asterisk, however. Substantiated allegations of racist and homophobic remarks, and steroid abuse blighted his legacy, and resulted in a temporary dismissal from WWE and its Hall of Fame, though he returned after just three years benched.
Hulk's unethical views on the world led him to be one of the most hated men in the business; his final televised appearance, a speech on Raw's Netflix premiere in January 2025, earned him an orchestra of jeers. It was a stark reminder that no matter the popularity, the fame, or the adulation you once had, your entire life could come crashing down.