UFC fighters reacted to the death of WWE icon Hulk Hogan. They expressed sadness, recalling how he shaped their childhoods.
TMZ first reported that Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, passed away at his home. WWE later confirmed his death on social media, sharing condolences and extending well wishes to his family.
‘One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s,” WWE wrote on X.
Hogan had connections to the combat sports world in different ways. He played the role of Thunderlips, facing Rocky Balboa, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, in Rocky III. The film remains a popular sequel in the beloved boxing franchise.
In 2024, Hogan appeared at UFC Tampa. He walked out Colby Covington to the octagon for his main event bout against Joaquin Buckley.
Covington walked out to Rick Derringer’s ‘Real American’—the same song used for Hogan’s WWE entrance. As he was entering the octagon, Chaos performed the WWE icon’s signature taunt and ripped off his shirt.
Covington shared a photo from the walkout, thanking Hogan’s for being a major inspiration:
UFC welterweight Oban Elliott also paid tribute to Hogan. He posted a photo of the WWE legend doing his signature flex, a pose Elliott has adopted in his own career:
Alan Jouban posted a nostalgic photo of Hogan and Andre The Giant from their WrestleMania III showdown:
UFC Legend Georges St-Pierre Recalls Meeting Hulk Hogan
UFC legend Georges St-Pierre also echoed the sentiments shared about Hogan. He recalled meeting the WWE Hall of Famer and revealed that his admiration for him grew after their encounter.
St-Pierre praised Hogan’s charisma and showmanship. He also remembered Hogan’s generosity, noting that it left him feeling proud that meeting one of his idols was pleasant.
“They say you should never meet your idols, but meeting Hulk Hogan made me admire him even more,” St-Pierre wrote on X. “He was so generous with his time and an inspiration not only as an athlete and entertainer, but also as a human being. He will be missed by all.”
Hogan was Key Figure in Real American Freestyle
Hogan’s passing came a month before the official launch of Real American Freestyle (RAF), a new wrestling league.. He had teamed up with former pro wrestling executive Eric Bischoff, and wrestling coach Izzy Martinez to launch new league.
RAF aims to provide a platform for elite-level wrestlers to continue competing. The roster features many notable, including UFC middleweight Bo Nickal.
During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Bischoff credited the success of MMA as a factor in RAF’s creation:
“Amateur wrestling is like the foundation of MMA and I think there is gonna be a lot of crossover,” Bischoff said. “Because of the success of MMA…I think the time is right for freestyle wrestling to get the attention that it really should get.”
The organization also made headlines by announcing Kurt Angle, an Olympic gold, as part of their broadcast team. Angle is a former WWE superstar and will now be returning to his amateur wrestling roots.
The first RAF event is scheduled for Aug. 30, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
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