Hulk Hogan—the man, the meme, the local legend—died on Thursday. He made America love wrestling, made a lot of money, and made a lot of people hate him. The Hulkster, and many of his fans, wanted to “Make America Great Again,” too.

The 71-year-old icon left a complicated mark on his hometown of Tampa Bay.

See eight moments from that timeline, along with shots from mourners gathering outside his Hogan’s Hangout restaurant on Clearwater Beach below.

The Union Bust Ten years before he would become a heel in the ring, Hogan became a villain to labor organizers. WWE Hall of Famer and former Minnesota Governor Jesse “The Body” Ventura said Hogan ratted his union efforts out to league head Vince McMahon in 1986. “It was like someone punched me in the face,” Ventura told “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on his 2017 podcast. “This was my friend. And I thought, ‘Hogan betrayed me? Hogan called Vince and ratted me?'” Credit: WWE
Reality check The 2005-2007 VH1 reality TV show, “Hogan Knows Best,” launched his then-wife Linda, children Brooke and Nick, and their Belleair mansion into the spotlight. The show was canceled partly due to the Hogans highly-public divorce. After Hogan allegedly cheated on his wife of 24 years with one of their daughter’s friends, Linda (then 48) began dating a 19-year-old student at their childrens’ school. Credit: s_bukley/Shutterstock
Bollea v. GawkerHogan (whose real name is Terry Bollea) took news blog Gawker to court in St. Petersburg for invasion of privacy after the outlet released a sex tape that involved Hogan and the wife of his friend, Tampa radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. A $31 million settlement took down the company. Credit: Screenshot via Bay News 9
Hall of Fame (and infamy)Another sex tape leak led to WWE revoking his Hall of Fame status in 2015. In the 2007 tape, Hogan used racial slurs to refer to a Black man dating his daughter. After Hogan apologized, WWE reinstated his status in 2018. Credit: WWE
Covid, BrotherWhen the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, Hogan went through a public religious journey where he took to social media to say America needs Jesus rather than a vaccine. Two years later, he falsely implied that Betty White died at 99-years-old as a result of a COVID-19 booster shot. Credit: hulkhogan.com
Selling outAmong his empire of products from light beer to vapes to restaurants, Hogan was known for selling photo opps. At meet and greets, and sometimes at his Clearwater restaurant, Hogan’s Hangout, he was known to charge around $200 for pics. Credit: Aaron of L.A. Photography/Shutterstock
Trump-a-maniaIn 2024, he launched “Real American Beer”—endorsed by Trump and targeted to fellow MAGA followers—with an event at MacDill Air Force Base. A month later, he made headlines for ripping his shirt open during a 2024 Republican National Convention speech. Credit: Photo via Maxim Elramsisy/Shutterstock
A sad endHogan fought off rumors and boos in the last year of his life. After being heavily booed at his final WWE appearance in January, his newly launched wrestling league was met with lukewarm reception. In the month leading up to his death, Hogan and his wife, Sky, battled rumors that he was dying after complications from a neck surgery. It was one of more than two dozen surgeries Hogan underwent to alleviate back and neck pain after his WWE career. While his presence was unmistakable at public events, Hulk hasn’t looked comfortable walking around for years. Credit: WWE
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Michael Nicholas Diaz poses for a portrait in front of Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater Beach, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Hannah Ehrishman poses for a portrait in front of Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater Beach, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Bobby Knapp poses for a portrait in front of Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater Beach, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Bobby Knapp poses for a portrait in front of Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater Beach, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Greg Elson poses for a portrait in front of Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater Beach, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Bobby Knapp poses for a portrait in front of Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater Beach, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
poses for a portrait in front of Hogan’s Hangout in Clearwater Beach, Florida on July 24, 2025. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker

Selene San Felice is managing editor of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. Prior to joining CL in 2025, she started the Axios Tampa Bay newsletter and worked for her hometown paper, The Capital in Annapolis,...