Proof that Hulkamania continues to run wild even after Hulk Hogan has passed?
Wrestling star and media personality Hulk Hogan sadly passed away at 71-years-old last month. TMZ Sports first reported that Hogan suffered a “cardiac arrest” event at his Clearwater, Florida home early on July 24, and despite the responding medical personnel’s best efforts, the WWE star was pronounced dead at the hospital later that morning.
It has since been revealed that Hogan’s official cause of death was a heart attack.
After the loss of the legend like Hogan, all we can do is look back on the legacy that he leaves behind. Hulk Hogan joined what was then known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1983, and he quickly became a fan favorite and a cultural phenomenon. Pretty much everyone jumped on the “Hulkamania” train.
His theatrics inside and outside the ring created an instant and expansive fanbase, and it could be argued that his presence in the WWF gave the organization the spark it needed to grow into what it is today. Fans recreated anything and everything there was about Hulk Hogan – from his signature wrestling moves to his instantly recognizable bandana and handlebar mustache combo.
Hogan was even able to reinvent himself later on his wrestling career, transforming into his “Hollywood Hulk Hogan” character and creating the New World Order (NWO). Villain Hulk Hogan was just as popular as the former hero version, and his run in the sport lasted all the way until 2006, when he competed in the last match of his career at the WWE’s SummerSlam.
Though he’s widely renowned as an icon, Hulk Hogan’s career didn’t come without controversy. The wrestler was briefly removed from the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015 (after being inducted in 2005) after a scandal surround some racist comments he had made that were caught on camera. Hogan sued the media company that released the video – and won – and he was later inducted into the wrestling hall of fame again in 2020.
The WWE shared this statement upon learning of his passing:
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. 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.”
Yesterday, Hulk Hogan was finally laid to rest near Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo, Florida. Friends and family all gathered for his memorial and funeral service, and many couldn’t believe their eyes when a cloud formed in the Florida sky just as the sun was setting on the day before Hulk’s service.
If you believe in signs from beyond, this certainly seems like it could have been the Hulkster himself letting everyone know that he’s okay. The cloud formation looked strikingly similar to a wrestling pose that the iconic wrestler often struck, and the timing of the haze was certainly eerie.
One of Hogan’s good friends and biggest fans, country music DJ and longtime buddy of Jason Aldean’s, Dee Jay Silver, captured the moment and shared it to his Instagram account (alongside a picture of Hogan hitting his signature pose) saying:
“We said our final goodbyes to my hero today! We saw you in the sky looking over us! Hulkamania will live forever brother! RIP my friend!”
If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is.
RIP Hulkster.
