Hulk Hogan was making moves in his professional career just three days before his death.
Us Weekly confirmed on Thursday, July 24, that Hogan died at age 71. Hogan suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida, according to the Clearwater Police Department, and he was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Days before his passing, Fox Nation announced that they signed on to be the exclusive broadcast partner for Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Chad Bronstein’s Real American Freestyle wrestling.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Real American Freestyle team as they build a visionary brand that redefines the future of wrestling,” Fox Nation President Lauren Petterson said in a statement on Monday, July 21. “Fusing elite athleticism with unmatched entertainment, it’s an honor to be part of the new era of the world’s oldest and most iconic sport.”
Petterson addressed Hogan’s passing in a statement on Thursday, which read, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Hulk Hogan who single handedly shaped the world of professional wrestling and inspired millions around the world. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and his many fans.”
According to a source, Fox Nation “will move forward with with streaming the two inaugural events for Real American Freestyle.” As part of the partnership, Fox Nation will broadcast the inaugural match, RAF01, on August 30. They also secured the broadcast rights for a second event that is scheduled to take place this fall.
“Real American Freestyle is creating something that’s never been done before, and we needed a partner that understood that and could build with us,” Hogan said in his own statement before his death. “Fox Nation is synergistic with our brand, they appreciate the importance of bringing this sport to the masses and they believe in our goal.”
Real American Freestyle is an amateur-style wrestling competition that is focused on professionalizing the sport. Olympian Kurt Angle, former MMA champion Chael Sonnen and MMA world champion Bubba Jenkins previously joined as commentators to provide analysis during RAF01.
Proceeds from each ticket sold from the event will be donated to Cleveland State University to support its efforts in providing opportunities for thousands of students to achieve academic and athletic excellence.
“Fox Nation immediately understood the vision we had for Real American Freestyle, making them the perfect partner for this historic media rights deal and the first of its kind in the sport,” Bischoff noted. “Having the right broadcast partner is critical to putting on a good show for the fans, and we are thrilled to be working with Fox.”
Hogan was best known for his work with WWE and World Championship Wrestling. After getting his start in the ’70s, he became a five-time WWF Champion and was the first wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches. Hogan expanded into a career in film and TV as well after he departed WWF in 1993 before returning over the years.
Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and a second time in 2020 as a member of the nWo.
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