Wrestling titan who lived for spectacle, good and bad

Hulk Hogan's charisma lifted WWE into a global sensation and his impact is undeniable, despite his later life being marred by racism and controversy.

- writes Ryan Coogan

Were it not for Hulk Hogan, who died yesterday at the age of 71, it is unlikely that professional wrestling would be the multibillion-dollar entertainment powerhouse it is today.

The Georgia-born wrestler, actor, television personality and businessman helped elevate the field of sports entertainment beyond bingo halls and public access television, and turn it into a globe-spanning, stadium-filling, merchandise-selling behemoth.

While he was marred by controversy and poor business decisions in his final years, it is no exaggeration to say that without Hulk Hogan, an entire form of entertainment simply would not exist in any meaningful capacity.

Clad in his trademark red and yellow, and sporting an impressive frame (according to Hogan's former wrestling colleague, Bret Hart “6ft 8 and 24-inch pythons”), the six-time World Wresting Federation (WWF, later WWE) champion main-evented several WrestleManias, helped launch rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW), numerous films and animated TV shows, and launched thousands of toys, clothes and other products with nothing but his otherworldly charisma and talent as an entertainer.

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, was born in 1953 to a construction foreman father and dance-teacher mother. As a child, he looked up to fellow wrestling legends Dusty Rhodes and “Superstar” Billy Graham, the latter of whom was the inspiration for Hogan's own look and persona.

Hogan was first scouted in 1976 by Jack and Gerald Brisco, two brothers who wrestled as a tag team. In his first training session, Hogan's leg was broken by Hiro Matsuda, almost ending his career before it even began. However, Hogan was back in the ring 10 weeks later, and upon facing Matsuda again, managed to block the move that broke his leg during their first encounter.