Hulk Hogan died on Thursday morning after a medical episode at his home in Florida, and reports have revealed the cause of death for the wrestling legend. According to audio from Pinellas County Fire and EMS that was obtained by TMZ, medical personnel were dispatched to Hogan’s home in Clearwater for a cardiac arrest at 9:51 a.m. Thursday. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was treated by first responders before being taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Hogan was 71. Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com was also told by sources that Hogan suffered a “massive cardiac arrest.” There had been rumors in recent months that Hogan underwent a significant heart procedure, though his representatives denied that. Longtime radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge Clem, who was once friends with Hogan, claimed on his radio show in June that Hulk was in the hospital dealing with some sort of life-threatening condition. A rep for Hogan said at the time that Hulk had been receiving medical treatment to address lingering neck and back issues but was doing well. Hogan was arguably the most famous professional wrestler of all time. His popularity in the 1980s led to the rapid growth of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which is now known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He was removed in 2015 over a scandal but reinstated again several years later. Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a second time in 2020 as a member of the New World Order (NWO), which he joined in 1996 when he made a heel turn while wrestling in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). A six-time WWE Champion, Hogan remained a brand ambassador for the organization up until his death.
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
One more spot on the Miami Heat's roster has been taken. The team announced Friday they have signed Myron Gardner to a two-way contract. The 24 year-old was a Summer League standout, averaging 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.7 steals in his four showings, converting on half of his overall shot attempts, 61 percent of his threes and 100 percent of his free throws. The Heat gave him a two-year two-way contract, granting both parties security and flexibility. Now, the Heat have two of their two-way spots filled, as they have already signed Vladislav Goldin to one, with guard Dru Smith a potential candidate for the final spot. For the past two seasons, Gardner has been playing for the G League's Osceola Magic. In 2024-2025, Gardner was a bigger part of the team's 22-12 season, good for the first seed in their conference, averaging 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals. He converted on 52.5 percent of his field goals, 38.2 percent of his threes and 78.4 percent of his free throws. Collegiately, Gardner played one season at Georgetown and two for Arkansas. In his final season in 2022-2023, he averaged 13.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals, converting on 42 percent of his shots, 35.6 percent of his threes and 75.5 percent of his 4.6 free throws per game. MORE MIAMI HEAT STORIES Miami Heat Front Office Member Applauds Kasparas Jakučionis' Performance Ex-Miami Heat Player Believes Pat Riley's "Not Done" In Free Agency NBA Executives And Scouts View Kasparas Jakučionis As Draft Steal Despite an up-and-down Summer League showing overall, the buzz around Miami Heat rookie Kasparas Jakučionis remains true. ESPN's Jeremy Woo recently surveyed various NBA scouts and executives, with two of them voting the Heat's first round pick as the rookie to come out as the biggest draft steal. Jakucionis surprisingly fell to the 20th pick in the draft in late June after being evaluated as a sure-fire lottery talent over the past year. His place on mock drafts gradually declined after midseason wrist and forearm injuries brought down his efficiency. He averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 33 games for the 22-13 Illinois Fighting Illini in the 2024-2025 season. At Vegas Summer League, the 19 year-old averaged 15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.7 steals, converting on 45 percent of his field goals, 35 percent of his threes and 100 percent of his free throws. He struggled mightily on offense during the earlier California Classic portion of Summer League, where he only made one field goal despite flashing playmaking and defensive positives while playing more of a combo guard role.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!