Hulk Hogan Dies at 71: The Rock Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Wrestling Legend (Watch Video)

Hulk Hogan News: Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, paid an emotional tribute to his childhood hero Hulk Hogan after the wrestling legend died on July 24 at the age of 71. Johnson shared a heartfelt message on Instagram along with a video of their iconic WrestleMania 18 match. In his post, he recalled a special childhood memory of meeting Hogan for the first time in 1984 at Madison Square Garden. At age 12, Johnson had caught Hogan’s signature headband during a match. He later returned it to Hogan in the locker room. Hogan revealed it was his last headband and thanked Johnson. A month later, Hogan kept his promise and gave young Johnson a new headband as a gift. “You kept your word with a handshake and a ‘thanks kid.’ That meant the world to that little 12-year-old boy,” Johnson wrote.

The Rock's Instagram post:

Johnson also remembered their WrestleMania showdown in 2002. He described the experience of wrestling Hogan as a dream come true. At age 29, he stood in the ring with one of his childhood heroes in the main event of WrestleMania X8. “When you kicked out of my Rock Bottom finisher, just listen and feel that crowd go electric for you,” Johnson said. “I have never felt anything like that in my wrestling career.”

The biggest crowd pop of all time!

Hulk Hogan "Hulks Up" at WrestleMania 18 vs The Rock.#RIPHulkHoganpic.twitter.com/GvB0eOuw2k

— 2000's WWE (@2000s_WWE) July 24, 2025

He closed his tribute by thanking Hogan for his impact on professional wrestling. “You may have passed the torch to me that night, but you drew the house. You sold out every arena and stadium across the country in your prime as Hulk Hogan,” Johnson said. “From deep in my bones and on behalf of this wild and crazy world of professional wrestling, I say to you now and forever, thank you for the house brother. Thank you for the house.”

Read Also | WWE Legend Hulk Hogan Passes Away at 71 in Florida Home

WWE also paid tribute to Hogan, calling him one of the most recognisable pop culture figures of the 1980s. Tributes from across the entertainment world continue to pour in, including messages from Sylvester Stallone and John Cena.

WWE's Instagram post:

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John Cena's Instagram post

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Sylvester Stallone's Instagram post

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According to local police and TMZ, Hulk Hogan suffered a cardiac arrest and was taken to the hospital where he was found unresponsive and pronounced dead.

Born on August 11, 1953 in Georgia, Terry Bollea became the global face of wrestling during the 1980s and 1990s. Hogan was a six-time WWE Champion and played a major role in the rise of professional wrestling during that era. He was also a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, making him a 12-time world champion.

He famously headlined WrestleMania eight times and had legendary rivalries with stars like Andre The Giant, Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior and Iron Sheik. He also played a key role in forming the New World Order faction which featured Razor Ramon, Kevin Nash and Shawn Michaels.

Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice. First in 2005 as an individual and again in 2020 as part of the New World Order.