WWE is assembling a major on-air tribute to honor Hulk Hogan after the icon’s death at age 71, reaching out to multiple legends and Hall of Famers to take part.
According to a report from Fightful Select, some wrestling legends are already traveling to participate in tonight’s SmackDown broadcast. WWE sources indicated the company is “looking to honor Hogan heavily” through on-air appearances and pre-taped tribute packages.
The planned honor comes as new, sobering details have emerged regarding the final weeks of Hogan’s life. A report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter revealed that Hogan’s health had severely declined following neck surgery on May 14. Complications from the procedure led to him being intubated while battling renal failure, fluid overload, and severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Hogan’s condition reportedly became so serious that after a hospital stay, a full medical unit was established inside his Clearwater, Florida, home.
“Basically, what happened with Hulk was they took him out of the hospital and made a hospital in his house as there wasn’t much left they could do,” a source told Dave Meltzer.
In his final week, Hogan is said to have lost his ability to speak. While one person close to the situation noted it “wasn’t as bad as some were saying,” they confirmed his health was far worse than what was being publicly acknowledged. This stark reality contrasts with statements made just weeks before his passing, when his wife, Sky, dismissed rumors of him being in a coma and insisted his heart was “strong.”
Emergency services were ultimately dispatched to his residence on the morning of July 24 for a reported cardiac arrest. Hogan was transported from his home on a stretcher and was later pronounced dead.