With the passing of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan on Thursday at the age of 71 following a cardiac arrest, the professional wrestling body WWE SmackDown on Friday gave an emotional tribute to the star, reported New York Post on Saturday.
The report stated that Hulk Hogan’s tribute during the WWE SmackDown opening in Cleveland garnered loud applause and the crowd “Hogan” in unison to honour the late wrestler.
Following this, fellow wrestler Triple H led the tribute for Hogan and said, as quoted by NYP, "The WWE community lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world.”
"A man I grew up watching, was fortunate to share the ring with, and, like so many of us, were honored to call a friend," added Triple H. He now serves as the WWE’s chief content officer.
Apart from this, Triple H also said how Hogan — whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea — inspired millions of people over the course of his career.
“He captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe,” Triple H said.
With Triple H, dozens of the most prominent WWE members stood behind on stage and an in memoriam banner of Hogan in the background was seen.
“We would not be standing here right now, all of us together, if it was not for him. The one, the immortal, Hulk Hogan,” Triple H concluded.
After this, a 10-bell salute for Hogan met with roaring applause. The tribute ended with a video montage going through Hogan’s life and his long career in wrestling.
Reactions on Hogan's death:
Hogan’s longtime manager and close friend, Jimmu Hart told People on Friday, "I called [Hogan] on Wednesday night, and then Thursday morning is when everything took place. So just…just overnight it all happened, but it was so positive the day before.”
“He was great. He had great food to eat that night. He was talking with the fans. He was just phenomenal,” Hart said.
Earlier on Thursday, the Clearwater Police Department told reporters that Hogan was taken to a hospital near Clearwater in Florida and died around 11:17 am.
Hogan had 25 surgeries and sustained numerous health problems throughout his life due to steroid use and injuries during his WWE career, added NYP.
